Mad Max has been tearing up the box office since mid-May. To capitalize on George Miller’s latest explogasm that’s putting Michael Bay in his place, Warner Brothers has made a video game, too.
Rolls-Royce Takes Aim At Younger Customers (GTspirit)
Rolls-Royce has a new strategy: get ’em while they’re young. New models like the Wraith and Ghost are doing just that by attracting customers on average 10 years younger than those buying Phantoms.
Maria de Villota’s family is considering legal action (GMM/Auto123)
While Marussia (now Manor) was cleared of wrongdoing in the freak accident involving one of its cars driven by de Villota, her family is considering bringing a case against the team in an attempt to “assign civil responsibility.”
GM Extending Run of Buick’s Candid Ad Campaign (WardsAuto)
The “That’s a Buick?” campaign, seen as successful by some and not so by others, will be extended with a new focus on individual features versus schlepping its overall model range.
China’s BYD says plans fundraising to boost battery capacity, new models (Reuters)
BYD will fundraise through a private placement in order pay for future development. The company is trying to “expand its share of the electric and hybrid vehicle market.”
Stephen Colbert and Jim Carrey are the latest Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee (AV Club)
The new season will also include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jim Carrey, “and a heavily bearded Stephen Colbert.”
‘Mad Max’ the game has crazy cars, murder and a story (Engadget)
Following the long tradition of great video games based on movies, here’s the first trailer for the interactive playable version of Mad Max.
The theme of too many GM ads is “yeah we know we used to suck but we don’t anymore, honest!” I guess there’s something to be said for honesty but why keep reminding people of why they stopped buying your cars in the first place?
The pathetic thing about that campaign is that any American will think “of course it’s a Buick! It’s a dull, dumpy, dolled-up generic car with no redeeming features” (no redeeming features that are mentioned in the ads, anyway).
In other words, it follows the tried-and-true advertising technique of “Are you a moron? Buy our product!”
Here’s the end result: “So far this year, Buick sales are down 4.7% to 68,721 from 72,112.”
Also, while I respect Buick for casting people of all ages in their advertising, there are an AWFUL lot of lines in those TV spots go to the very very wrinkly old people the brand seems to desperate to distance itself from, which seems counter-productive.
I concur that the takeaway message is NOT that “Buicks are so much better nobody can spot one!”, but that “Nobody can tell a Buick from any other car because they’re so dull and generic.”
The music in these ads is also insufferable. Sounds like a Six Flags commercial.
I guess it kinda worked for Domino’s didn’t it? ;)
I despise that stupid “That’s a Buick?” ad campaign. What a terrible way to promote yourself, as jimble states. It is basically a repeat of the also execrable “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile” campaign of a couple of decades ago. The hip & trendy folk at GM’s ad agency obviously don’t have a clue as to the damage that campaign did to Oldsmobile.
Encores are doing swell here so I like Buick. Love the Enclave, too, but but too massive for me.
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is one of the most consistently satisfying things I watch. If you’re a car guy with even half a sense of humor it’s well worth checking out. The cars are all great and its interesting to see what various comedians are like in a less formal setting, some still very funny (Louis CK) so less so (Tina Fey)
With Mad Max Fury Road being so heavily loaded with insanely awesome cars, why aren’t we discussing it more here? I feel like we need a special TTAC review of the film, with Jacks eye for stories, and Sajeevs (Vellum Venom for the Gigahorse anyone?) eye for design, it could be awesome.
It is fair that we are suspicious towards the game though. Movie related games have a justified bad rep so far.