CHEVY SILVERADO AD PRIMES 9/11 AND PATRIOTISM: Truck Commercial with John 'Cougar' Mellencamp Makes Terrorist Attacks Salient For Viewers Just Before Election; Boosts GOP Strategy to Define the Criteria Voters Use

i-4f94aa3f09be723f8e31efd13fc1210b-Cougar.jpg

You know you have reached a new ethical low in advertising when 9/11 is now fair game for selling commercial products, much less pickup trucks.

But for those who haven't caught the ad, Chevy is running a commercial throughout primetime that fronts John "Cougar" Mellencamp singing "This is Our Country," and a montage featuring flag waving, images of the heartland, first responders, and a picture of the "trade towers of light."

The full minute version of the ad starts with scenes from the civil rights era and Vietnam war (archived here at You Tube), but the 30 second version of the commercial actually running on TV only features the recent historical images that prime thoughts of the terror attacks.

What's interesting is that these truck ads are running just before a major election where the GOP game plan is to make September 11, patriotism, and the war on terror the dominant consideration for voters, rather than the troubles in Iraq, and the Foley/Abramoff scandals. And if anything, this Chevy ad is a truck load of free advertising furthering that strategic goal.

But if you've watched the Chevy ad, you have to take time out to also watch this parody of the commercial also posted on You Tube. Trust me, it's worth it.

More like this

If it isn't already obvious, the GOP game plan for the November election is to make September 11 and the war on terror the dominant consideration for voters, rather than the troubles in Iraq, and the lingering questions of GOP competency following Katrina. All the tools of strategic communication…
John McCain remarked last week that the hostilities in Georgia marked the "first serious crisis" since the end of the Cold War. His surrogates on the news shows have expanded on that position, as they repeat the talking point about how the world is so dangerous and full of evil. This strategy…
Last year, I recounted my personal experience on September 11, 2001, and I offered some commentary about what that day--and the events of the ensuing year--meant to me and to American politics in general. I've reposted my 9/11 story again this year, below. (11 September 2006) When I was a freshman…
In the wake of Clinton's victory in Pennsylvania, the NY Times editorialized that Hillary's campaign team had taken "the low road to victory." According to the Times, one particular ad (above) had put her campaign over the edge into Karl Rove territory: On the eve of this crucial primary, Mrs.…

I don't know, I don't think the penultimate images of New Orleans are exactly what Republicans want people to be reminded of right now.

By justawriter (not verified) on 12 Oct 2006 #permalink

The lack of irony required to have one's thoughts about Chevrolet trucks positively affected by that commercial is absolutely staggering.

Is that a "real" song by Mellencamp, or a "jingle" written just for the commercial?

By PhysioProf (not verified) on 14 Oct 2006 #permalink

i think a jingle

also, the juxtaposition of some major civil rights era stuff with Nixon resigning and Vietnam footage I don't think off hand plays necessarily well for the R's