Of all the ads ever written to take advantage of human ignorance, this is one of the worst. I first saw it during the Super Bowl. When the "green" Audi appeared, I threw party mix, beer cans and dachshunds at the screen until the rage subsided.
There are NO green cars. There are NO green manufacturing processes. Manufacturing Audis eliminates entire counties' worth of the symbolic gestures advocated in this ad.
There is only one green form of transportation, only one that leaves no carbon footprint. That's to dispatch yourself to your eternal reward in the next life. Your remains will still release carbon for a couple of decades, but then it will slow down.
Then there's walking. Or riding a bicycle.
Driving anything, anything at all, for a short period of time, is enough to negate all of your other "green" rituals. I'm not saying that we should stop recycling, or stop caring about the environment.
I'm saying that if you think you're accomplishing something worthwhile by driving an Audi, as opposed to something driven by the unenlightened Proles, you're mistaken.
This was a vile ad. The presence of the Gore Police made it even more so.
God, I hated this ad.
4 comments:
Are you sure you've read this one correctly?
Maybe, seeing as I'm in the UK, I'm missing additional knowledge beyond that just the linked video clip; however, I saw it as poking fun at eco-fundamentalism and the irrationality of statism.
Maybe there's some very clever advertising here: all things to all men (and women) - except perhaps you.
Well, maybe I'm biased because we have been buying and driving Audis for over 2 decades, not for anything green, but because they are good cars that suit our requirements.
Best regards
Mr. Sedgwick,
In the ad, you have the "Green Police" arresting and jailing citizens for making any choice that isn't "green". (Scorn quote marks are meant as such.)
The Audi driver gets to pass through all barricades undisturbed because his Audi is so wholesome.
There's no other way that I can see the ad. (We've been into eco-fundamentalism over here for a long, long time.)
If Audis are great cars, I'm all for advertising them as such. But there never has been a green automobile.
(One other thing....When I hit the link on your name, it took me to the Cambridge Algorithmica site. Someone associated with C.A. has been logging on here for about 6 months. Would that be you? If so, it's great to hear from you! Please send pics of your Audi.)
Yeah, I can see where it's easily hateable. What would be a most non-polluting way to rub out a Green Policeman?
TWS - I agree. I thought it was poking fun at the Green Police, too... but I hated that the Green Police gave the nod to this car. Literally made me not like the car. Petty, and maybe weird, but true.
A razor wire going across the bike path, right at solar powered Segway-rider neck height should do the trick, Snoopy.
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