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.
hmmm..the link with the text “frantic, drunken consummation” was a bit disappointing…
I saw “frantic, drunken consummation” before I saw who wrote it, and knew it was Jack.
Ok Go does pretty good work, I have to say.
There is no spoon. Blue pill please I wanna stay on this ride a bit longer.
I dunno. Rock videos aren’t 100% real? Hard to believe.
But the Corbain comparisons, I’m not sure what he’s after… If Ok Go has certain non-musical talent that Corbain didn’t, does that mean they’re not real rock stars? Heck, if OK Go has less actual musical talent than Corbain, does that men they’re not rock stars? If so, there are about 3 real rock stars.
Is the grunge generation up to the “you call that music? That’s not music! Why, back in my day” phase already?
You need to remember that Ok Go’s elaborate, tightly choreographed and well rehearsed videos are what made them famous in the first place, and the Chevy Sonic one is probably the least elaborate, amazing, and flat out unbelievable one of theirs. You also could make a case that the ability to coordinate elaborate sequences is a plus in the music world, and especially when you start talking about electronic music featuring synths and sequencers and whatnot.
Rock and roll is like any other performance…. the audience sees what the performers want them to see. The rebels struggle to remain independent and free of the commercial trappings of TheMan(TM), but regardless of who the backer is, all performance is artiface; authenticity is judged afterwards in the eye of the beholder.
With regard to the commercial (not the band) and the overall concept of said commercial, I’m not sure the English word “stupid” can accurately convey my sentiment. I think a whole new word is in order to describe the sheer inane spectacle I just witnessed.
To slightly paraphrase Homer Simpson:
The only monster here is the [bean counting] monster that has enslaved [Chevrolet]! I call him [Daewoo], and it’s time to snatch your [Chevrolet] from his neon claws!
You used to be cool GM, despite being completely mismanaged some of your products were actually well done. I thought you “got it” and while nearly every attempt to play catch up the Japanese met with lackluster results at best, at times you could still deliver a product which was as good if not a better value than your Asian counterparts. You gave us a standard V6 when your competitors offered an I4, you sometimes included better options packages for the money vs a competitor. You built better trucks and along with Ford invented the SUV market, a product when used properly, has a multitude of uses your competitors at the time couldn’t touch. Sure most of your products had horrible resale, but that’s only because you dropped the ball forty years ago and were unable to convince the aftermarket your used products were on par with Toyonda… and despite the hate I know I will get from this, some products were on par, and some even better. But now its time to say goodbye.
Die GM, go away deep into the woods and die… and may your cremated corpse be divided and hopefully more successful companies can rise from your ashes.
EDIT: Oh and speaking of resale, I just built a 2012 CTS Coupe 2WD Performance (mid trim) on your website, msrp with 2K on the hood + dest is $46,775. There is a 2012 Coupe -with 283 miles- on Manheim’s website right now with an asking price of $33,600. If you can’t figure out resale on your supposed flagship model lines, you deserve to die.
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.
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. ;)