2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray Commercial: Catch It if You Can [The Ad Section]

Award-winning ad man-cum-auto journalist Don Klein knows a good (or bad) car commercial when he sees one; the Ad Section is his space to tell you what he thinks of the latest spots. The ad's rating is depicted via the shift pattern at the bottom, but everyone has an opinion when it comes to advertising, so hit Backfires below and tell us what you think, too. Remember the animated Prius commercial? That charming little cartoon with sunny blue skies and the nursery-rhyme jingle? Well, this commercial is that commercial's cosmic antithesis. The scenery here is about as sunny as Caligula's heart. You won't hear any cutesy humming, just an edgy, nails-on-the-blackboard soundtrack and the basso thumping of a big-ass (6.2 liter) pushrod V-8 that spews out 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. Because the 2014 Corvette Stingray isn't a hybrid—it's a thoroughbred. Sorry, Prius, but this is the car that wants to have fun. It's hard to recall a new model introduction that's had more hype and anticipation than the 2014 Corvette. And while many folks haven't experienced the C7 in person yet, we've all seen the photos, read the articles, and followed the news. This 28-second, web-only commercial's job is to build on that hype, to take it (and you) to the next level by plunging you deeper into Chevrolet's multi-platformed marketing program. And it does. Like a good aperitif, it heightens your senses and makes you hungry for more. Like the car itself, the spot moves fast. I love the way it opens, allowing us to catch only glimpses of the shiny (sweaty?) car-as-beast, confined in a space that looks like a cross between a paint booth and Hannibal Lecter's glass holding cage. This is one BAMF, as both the darty camera (Whoa! Don't get too close there Buddy, that thing'll bite ya!) and growl-packed soundtrack attest. And the decision to shoot it in black and white isn't because they couldn't afford color film. Fifty shades of gray are all the better to show off its sexy flanks. Once safely ensconced in the cockpit, we're off to the track to get it on. Fast? Check. Loud? Check. Any questions? Didn't think so. Even if you've got a blue oval or a fanged snake head tattooed over your heart, this commercial gets you pumped and you know it. I think one reason why the spot does its job so well is because it never lets you get a good look at the complete car. In the 20 seconds it takes to reach the supers at the end, they've crammed in 21 scenes. That comes to about two eye blinks per cut, which isn't much time to register a clear impression, especially when most of the scenes themselves contain movement. In fact, the whole spot seems to rush by in about half its actual running time. And although I certainly wouldn't have minded if they'd lingered on the car shots longer, the quick cuts are key to helping the spot achieve its mission: to tease, not inform. Photos and Full Info: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray / Z51 Comparison Test: 2013 SRT Viper vs. 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Confirmed: 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible Headed for Geneva So why did I give it only fourth gear? Because of the pair of tag lines at the end. "Enemy of the Same"?  The same what? The same Corvette heritage that GM is so proud of and that the faithful cherish? The same Stingray namesake? The same front-engine/RWD drivetrain it's always used? If Chevy means that it's the enemy of the "same old, same old," what does that say for the current ZR1? In fact, why does it have to be the enemy of anything except other sports cars? And then there's the mandatory "Find New Roads" slogan that now caps all Chevy advertising, from the Spark to the Malibu. Tag lines should play a vital role in reinforcing a brand's imagery (just ask Nike), and this commercial deserves something more relevant to its message. You know, something like "Heartbeat of America." from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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