This spot, created for Greenpeace in the UK, is meant to show how people will react to you if you drive a "gas guzzler," one of those big SUVs that gets like, negative eight miles to the gallon. The ad shows a man going about his daily routine at work while his co-workers ignore him, talk behind his back, flip him off, spit in his coffee, and affix a sign to his back that reads, "I am a prick." The man, however, appears to be a perfectly nice and amiable gentleman. In other words, the only people who come off as a-holes are the ones who are all ganging up on this one man. There is nothing in the ad that explains why one shouldn't drive an SUV, and the only impression one is left with is that everyone this man works with is an arrogant jerk. The idea might have worked if the man had some shred of malevolence to him, but he doesn't, and by the end you just feel bad for him, and couldn't care less what he's driving.
[via Ad Blather]
1. I think that's exactly the point: the man is not fundamentally bad, but has no clue his car choice is hurting others. Another point also being that by now, everyone should know that 4X4 cars are for most users nothing but vain and useless gas drains and there is no excuse anymore for not being aware.
Being nice and amiable to everyone doesn't mean you are not doing something wrong, hence the reaction of the coworkers. In this case, not caring is wrong in my book.
But if you didn't get it, maybe the ad is less effective than I thought.
Regards,
Posted at 3:54AM on Aug 10th 2006 by JT