Toyota to Run 'Hybrid' Camry Hybrid Ad During Super Bowl
MPH thinks Toyota's plans to run a "hybrid" English/Spanish commercial for its Camry Hybrid during the Super Bowl is less than smart writing, "They better have one heck of a commercial because the concept sounds like a dud. Just sell cars, don't try to preach. Especially during the Super Bowl." Well, as we all know, the binoculars will be on hand to scrutinize every marketers' offering during the game so we'll all know soon enough if Toyota's hybrid/hybrid wittiness bombs or soars.
Comments
What has preaching to do with anything? They make a hybrid car, they advertise a hybrid car. Are they supposed not to advertise it because it might make some people read into it things that make their guilt flare up?
I don't get it.
As a Mexican-American, I felt that this commercial was very offensive. Who the hell do these people think they are? What are they trying to say? If a person doesn't speak English neither them or their children have a future? Personally I think these idiots were trying too hard.
Toyota ad misses the mark! Their commercial was extremely offensive. Bilingualism should be a true goal for our future generation and the ad pushed a different agenda. Their spot was clumsy, at best, and irresponsible. While they implied bilingualism, the push for English in a commercial that was targeted for a US audience was politically charged and, while hopefully inadvertent, was offensive to many people who understand the value of maintaining their own language as well as learning the English language.
If the spot were in Spain, Mexico or another Spanish-speaking country and the commercial pushed the importance of attaining a second language (e.g., English). But, when you show it here in the United States, when you have the largest audience in the world, all you have succeeded in doing is reinforcing the short-sighted agenda of the English-only forces whose xenophobic beliefs lead them to believe that English is the only language needed.
I hope that Toyota realizes its error in its inadvertent (at least I hope it was inadvertent) message and apologizes for promoting such an agenda in the US.
Not to get all political about it but, um, English is the language or Amnerica. As Spanish is to Spain, German is to Germany, Japanese is to Japan, Chinese is to China and so on. Of course, America is more diverse but there kinda has to be a common method of communication among all "members" or a particular country.
Speaking more than one language is great and while most citizens of other countries do simply because of proximity, American don't because we are either too lazy or there's no need.
When I viewed this spot I certainly did sort of feel "whoa"...that's going out on a limb. But one side of the story is the Dad is just giving in to the unfortunate reality of this country...it's biased toward white English people.
Ooops, I guess I did get a little political there but it's based in a reality or at least my perception of reality which, of course, could be completely off base.