Outraged? Not Really
August 15th, 2006 RachelI saw the advertisement this article scrutinizes just the other day. As Seth describes:
The Spot: A man waits in the checkout line at the
supermarket. He’s buying organic tofu and leafy vegetables. Meanwhile,
the guy in line behind him is stacking up huge racks of meat and
barbecue fixings. Tofu guy, looking a bit insecure, suddenly notices an
ad for the Hummer H3 SUV. Eureka! In a series of quick cuts, he exits
the supermarket, goes to the Hummer dealership, buys a new H3, and
drives off—now happily munching on a large carrot. "Restore the
balance," reads the tag line.
I disagree with the extent to which he rips it apart. Firstly, because it’s a car advertisement. They say "But at the same time, the spot reinforces the central, classic
stereotype about Hummer drivers: They buy big cars because they have
small … egos." Well, yes I’d agree that most people who drive a car for the sake of impressing others have a small ego. This isn’t something that’s only attributed to Hummers and their drivers.
Protective parents drive suburbans because they feel safer surrounded by more mass. Outdoor-sy types like Jeeps for their rugged muddiness (I’ve dated [and married] a Jeep lover - he’s never smiled so big while going through a puddle in my Toyota). Yada Yada Yada…These are stereotypes, but they’re lucrative stereotypes.
And sure, maybe some insecure fellows will go rushing to the Hummer dealership to pick up their now far more affordable (though still ever so ridiculous looking) vehicle. If they have the desire and a Hummer makes them happy…what’s the harm? (Other than the obvious point about more awful emissions being blasted in the air - this is an important point, but not the one that was taken up in the article, though it certainly should not be trivialized).
The second spot they reference, with the mom who doesn’t stand up for herself - again I’m not seeing the harm. It’s a car…Same as someone who buys a pair of shoes on a bad day, runs an extra mile around the neighborhood, or indulges in a good meal and a much needed glass of wine. Yeah, this constitues a $29,500 equivalent but who’s counting? They’re all wants, not needs…I really don’t think that someone’s going to stomp out of the Hummer dealership feeling "duped" because the time it took for them to purchase a car and feel better about themselves took longer than the 30 second spot they saw on TV.
And besides, anyone who believes large slabs of meat and a burly car is going to make them a stronger man or woman…they’re kind of asking to be duped anyway.
