Featured 2016 Prius Super Bowl Commercial: "The Longest Chase" Prius4

I don't get it.
In what performance realm is the 2016 Prius actually worse than the 1990's Ford LTD that was being towed away in the first scene of the commercial?

I actually heard 2-3 positive comments about a Prius Superbowl Commercial in my morning podcast lineup, and (outside the actual world of PC) I haven't heard anything negative. I'm not a huge G4 fan, but they're starting to get some positive press from people who normally use the word Prius as a pejorative.

Third biggest surprise yesterday, after the Bronco's winning and Ms. Gaga NAILING the National Anthem.

 

I think the commercial did its job, was comical and showed all the virtues without a narrator.

 

One of 3 ads I remember. Great ad for Toyota, they were due.

 

Repeat: "I thought the bank robber skit was clever, well filmed ..... and dishonest."
I didn't write originally, but i would agree ... it was entertaining, did it's job, and has fostered positive comments.

I only saw the commercial once, but didn't it show four grown men in the car?
I could be wrong, I haven't seen or driven the G4, but I doubt it will perform as shown.
Had the add shown the Prius towing a 30 foot RV trailer up a mountain? or Cabin Cruiser out of the lake? Or plowing through 18 inches of snow? I suspect most would agree ... it can't do that.

I am just a advocate for not creating false expectations. It's OK. Take your shots.

BTW - I have owned Toyota's for many years; a Prius for 6 years, and now an Avalon hybrid for 1. I like the brand. I think it is a fantastic vehicle, and will in all likelihood, eventually replace my TAH with another.

 

I thought the Audi ad blew away the NSX commercial - who at Acura signed off on that one ??!?

For the Prius my only thoughts are 'Where can I get a PRIUS 4 for $25470 ! ' not a Prius 2 or Prius 3 or Prius 5...the Prius 4

If I could get a screenshot of that from the ad would go to dealer and make them call corporate -- like the Toyota for a song promotion

Kenny

 

they advertised the prius 4 for $25,470.?

 

If I had to guess, all of the 4th-gen Prii are "Prius 4's". They might differentiate the trims as Prius 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4...

 

good point. starting at...

 

From memory, the technical material from the Toyota reveal mentioned the Gen-4 has a 750 kg towing capacity. The Gen-3 transmission is derived from the Highlander and definitely can tow. If I were in the UK, I would have to use a Prius to tow a caravan along the roads near Clarkson's home.

Bob Wilson

 

I saw the third one again tonight. It starts with the reporters talking about the chase.

 

Wants...

 

The question isn't if the car can tow, but what are the legal and warranty ramifications of doing so when the manufacturer says it can't? Unfortunately for us in the US, to get a car that can tow without such worries, we have to go to Volvo; S60 is rated 3500 pounds.

 

Well, I've criticized more Toyota and Prius commercials than I've liked in recent years.
But I have little problem with this one. I like it.

I'm glad Toyota decided to use humor to get their message out. Some of the early "serious" examples that Toyota used, IMO came off as either inadvertently humorous or highly pretentious. I think if you throw the Prius into a "Fashion Shoot" or make a typical "Sports Car" squealing tires ad, then for the uninitiated that actual becomes humorous....to the detriment of the message.

I don't know if you have to "overcome" a stereotype with a single ad. But I think the goal is to get the message and ideas out and planted in the minds of the viewing public.

I will generalize, but I would say that I'd say a strength of Prius owners over the years has been self-deprecation. For the most part, we've been happy enough with our vehicles, that we took the jokes, barbs and misplaced stereotypes aimed at Prius and laughed right along.

I think the "chase" ad walks the line of self-deprecation well. It's humor, but really at nothing but the expense of the stereotypes themselves. In other words, it's not the owners of Prius that are being made fun of, it's actually the stereotypes pertaining directly to the vehicle.

In recent years, Toyota actually released some ad's that made me cringe.
Some that haunt my subconscious and have me awaken in a cold sweat. Giant mummenschanz like- butt face man, The Prius c, Game Of Life campaign...

Early in the Gen 3 release, I got tired very quickly of the "Art School" swaying and singing felt Tree's as Toyota beat us over the head with a "Folk Music" sound tracked Harmony between Man, Nature and Machine.

So while I wouldn't say this commercial is "perfect". Maybe it doesn't even rise above very good.

It does get the message out, it is humorous, and I think Prius owners and supporters as well as the uninitiated can both enjoy it.
That's a win IMO.

 

Good thing we Prius owners all follow the posted speed limit and inflate our Prius specified replacement tires to the door jam values. <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

 

The dealer service department won't check with the DMV for speeding tickets, and dropping the tire pressure before going in for warranty work is a lot easier than pulling off the hitch and trailer wiring. The US 2016 manual even recommend not to have a hitch even for the various carriers.

Did the 750kg rating you saw mention trailer brakes? European towing specs will list a weight for with and without trailer brakes.

 

I remember it cited in the transmission charts and do not remember mentioning brakes. I know it is not listed in the NCF specs.

Bob Wilson

 

This was seriously the only commercial we laughed at during the Superbowl. I was with a few members of our church and none of them were Prius owners/enthusiasts. Nevertheless, we all cracked up about it.

 

Then the frame at the back end wasn't designed to take advantage of any towing ability, as stated in the US manual. I'd love to see any car for the US market get a tow rating, but it likely won't happen until people stop believing you need a truck to tow here.

 

I suppose there has always been a connection between automobiles and aircraft, jet planes and even rocket ships.

For most of us, the only thing we are going to be able to consistently and repeatedly "pilot" is our automobiles. And usually it's not going to moon, it's going to the grocery store.

In the 50's you had some automobiles that unabashedly styled themselves from aeronautic styling ques. Wing like fins.

But now with the above Toyota ad...and the Audi "Thanks For The Moon" ad....I'm trying to figure out why this not so subliminal attempt to link automobile ownership to a "Space Program" or moon landing?

It's technology, it's achievement...it's advancement.

But to my knowledge, neither Toyota nor Audi has ever had much directly to do with a moon landing or space travel.

Is it us? Are we missing the golden age of space travel?
With our "Smart Phones", Ipads, computers and everything we have created in the past 50 years, are we retrospectively creating a ghost image moon landing hoax to make up for some subconcious feeling of human achievement inadequacy?

Because IMO...Toyota is having enough trouble just trying to get a Hydrogen powered vehicle off the ground, and as for Audi? Well putting a non-responsive, depressed, possibly suffering from Alzheimer's disease Grandpa, behind the wheel of a 205 mph sports car just to try to shake him out of his doldrums is a very bad idea.

That being said, I almost think it's subconcious.
Is it time humanity reached once again for the moon or beyond?

Seems to me like recent advertising would suggest we want to once again reach for the stars.