Let Freedom Ring: Chevy Volt Ads Debut

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

This is America man… you can have your electric car and your freedom too.

There’s no doubt about it, the Chevy Volt sounds best when you’re just selling the concept. And no wonder: the concept came was born of Bob Lutz’s unique insight into the American psychology… not to mention a psychologically-charged desire to rub the Prius’s nose in some mud. But what nobody seems to be pointing out is the fact that the flip side of being “all things to all people” is fundamental compromise. And in the case of the Volt, the risk is that it won’t be as good of an electric car as the Leaf and it won’t be as good of a gas-powered car as any other hybrid. If GM’s pitch that Volt equals EV plus Freedom doesn’t take, the car will go nowhere fast… so how does the first attempt strike you?


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Islander800 Islander800 on Oct 28, 2010

    Oh "Man", they're kidding, right?.... So the Volt's gunna be GM's "Easy Rider"?....|

  • PeriSoft PeriSoft on Oct 28, 2010

    Hang on - if you let freedom ring, doesn't that mean you're not going to answer it?

  • Rob Finfrock Rob Finfrock on Oct 28, 2010

    Anyone else think the Volt's headlights and driving lights bear an unfortunate resemblance to a Pontiac Sunfire? (:05-:07)

  • TommyV TommyV on Oct 28, 2010

    I've done video work in some agencies and this spot just screams with every tick that these "creatives" probably have. Make little spots with all the cues of an indie movie - jangly guitars, clooney vo, it's all there. This looks like a pitch video someone would cut for a prospective client, not a campaign. I'm not an ad-person, but what is the message? Is it practicality or is it some kind of Easy Rider thing? Either way, WTF. You want to sell practicality when you're dealing with a $41,000 vanity vehicle? That's not going to keep anyone away from a Prius. And what the hell is all this open-road, soul-of-america bullshit? We're hearing that "poetry" while watching a couple of button-down hipster yuppies tool around in the car - it doesn't exactly take. It seems to me that if they want to move an expensive status-symbol like this they either need to sell it as the coolest toy in the world, or the most virtuous greener-than-a-Prius invention in the history of mankind. This does neither.

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