Many ad-industry pundits hail the idea to use Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy to sell Dodge Durangos as the most brilliant marketing coup of 2013. I agree. Dodge got a wildly popular spokesperson whom they otherwise could never have afforded, Anchorman 2 got phenomenal pre-release hype, and a record-breaking number of Dodge crossover SUVs were sold in the aftermath. (Although how much that had to do with Ron Burgundy versus the Durango simply being significantly updated is up for debate.) So it's no surprise that other car companies would attempt similar car/movie cross-promotions, and believe it or not, the folks at both Disney and Toyota think this "Joyride" spot is just that: a joint promo for both the Highlander and the upcoming flick Muppets Most Wanted. But is it really?
We open on actor/author/former NFLer/Old Spice spokesman Terry Crews driving through a desolate stretch of high desert, looking both bored and nerdy—short-sleeved shirts and neckties are decidedly uncool unless you're Breaking Bad's Walter White. Suddenly, he comes upon an old school psychedelic hippie bus that appears to be abandoned. Good Samaritan that he is, he pulls up next to it and anxiously asks if anybody needs help. Instantly, a band (literally—it's Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem) of crazed Muppets descends out of nowhere and commandeers his "sweet" Highlander. Now that they've got Crews and his SUV, they set out to "un-bore" him by checking out some really cool places, like a bingo game for senior citizens and a farm. Of course, being both Muppets and musicians, they sing a catchy song about all the stuff that can fit into a Highlander, culminating in the strategic reprise, "But we ain't got no room for boring." Crews not only endures this magical mystery tour, he actually gets into it, shedding both his boredom and his shirt along the way. By the end of the spot, he's a new man, totally jazzed that he got to sing along with vegetables and chickens, an experience which in my opinion he's a little too eager to share with his neighbor, Kermit.
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Mentions of the new Muppet movie? Zero. But Disney and Toyota have faith that the Super Bowl audience will make the connection, and on some level I'm sure they will. According to the Wall Street Journal, Don Gross, vice president of promotions for The Walt Disney Studios, believes "The Muppets' classic mix of high energy and heart matches perfectly with Toyota's spirit of adventure," and Jack Hollis, vice president of Toyota's U.S. marketing, claims "Toyota vehicles are built to last and can even endure the most boisterous Muppets, a former NFL player, as well as a center console full of chickens." If that's enough of a connection for those guys, it's good enough for me.
But you know who I think is the real winner of all this collaborating? Terry Crews. The spot offers him the opportunity to show a range of his considerable acting talents, and when he pops those pecs, Mommies across America will sit up and take notice. (Who do you think this commercial is targeting?) My only regret is that they didn't give Crews the opportunity to do the spot as President Camacho (NSFW language). Or do you think maybe the nice folks at Disney and Toyota don't know about that?
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.
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