Needing/Getting The Truth?

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

Chevrolet threw a lot of money at the marketing plan for the Daewoo Kalos all-new Sonic. Any time there’s money in the air, it’s like blood in the water; it brings the sharks. Flirtatious sharks, who know that it’s best to play hard to get. They start by winking across the bar at the mark. Then there’s a brief bit of dangerously witty banter, followed by the frantic, drunken consummation. What’s after that? The payoff, of course: a sponsored conversation, a cross-promotion, the messy, wet details of a cash exchange.

And then there’s the hip way.

I need to start out by providing the strongest possible disclaimer. I’m about to send you to a website chock-full of hideously offensive content. There aren’t any pictures on the site, but the top headline at the time of this writing is deliberately designed to shock and offend. (Ironically, it’s a community site, and the top headline is an assault on the site founder.) So don’t click it at work, don’t click it in front of your kids, okay?

With that said, the piece, entitled The Rock Star As Charismatic CEO, is absolutely worth reading from beginning to end. It’s social criticism in general and a discussion of the “reality” of the OK Go! Chevrolet Sonic advertorial in particular. You are almost certain to come away from the article with at least one train of thought in your mind which isn’t currently running as we speak.

Do I agree with the author? At least in part — but the best part is that when the article was written, we had yet to see the fall of the “charismatic rock star” at Chevrolet. There’s extra resonance to be had now. Go check it out.

Disclaimer: the author has been a member of the k5 community for more than a decade but received no compensation from this desolate husk of a dead website.


Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

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  • OldWingGuy OldWingGuy on Sep 13, 2012

    I had never seen this video before. I think its pretty neat. I have absolutely no musical talent, so am quite impressed by the ability to play a song with a car, some bottles and barrels. It must have taken quite a bit of effort to make this. And unless its a camera trick, where in the world do you find this many pianos. Maybe I'm simple minded. But I liked the old Honda commercial with the Rube Goldberg device made out of Accord(?) parts, too.

  • Les Les on Sep 17, 2012

    Ah the lament of the unemployed intellectual. He does have some points, but there's also a whiff of the smug, "Oh why oh why can't everyone appreciate just how Deep and Meaningful I am?" aura bout him to. Meh, my favorite 'music-video-as-product-commercial' is still Absolut Greyhound with the Swedish House Mafia. ;)

  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
  • Peter You know we’ve entered the age of self driving vehicles When KIAs go from being stolen to rolling away by themselves.
  • Analoggrotto TTAC is full of drug addicts with short memories. Just beside this article is another very beautiful article about how the EV9 was internationally voted by a renowned board of automotive experts who are no doubt highly educated, wealthy and affluent; the best vehicle in entire world. That's planet earth for you numbskulls. Let me repeat: the best vehicle in the world is the Kia EV9. Voted, and sealed, and if you try to deny it Fanny Willis is ready to prosecute you; but she will send her boyfriend instead because she is busy.
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