Slate doesn’t like the new Chevy TV spot, and I tend to agree that it overreaches. Chevy’s ad tries to draw a parallel between historic moments in American history, such as Vietnam and Katrina, and the Chevy Silverdao, “America’s truck.” Aside from a rather suspect concept and a lukewarm execution, the ad makes me wonder if the TV spot has so fundamentally changed that it simply can’t deliver big, cultural statements like this anymore. Just a thought…I don’t want to beat a dead horse.
But look at what a better job Chevy’s interactive does at hitting an objective as plain and old-fashioned as “selling a product.” Their Web site conveys a ton of information using non-obtrusive Flash and video. True, Chevy’s not breaking any online ground with their “Configure Your Truck” tool; every car maker’s got that. But Chevy’s version is elegant, simple, easy-to-use and addictive, especially if you’re in the market for a truck.
Bottom line, Chevy’s TV spot is at best corny and at worst unintentionally irreverent. But Chevy’s online effort is spot-on: by offering drivers a usable, elegant tool in a branded, interactive environment, they subtly build their brand, demonstrate their product in a not-boring way, and with any luck, nudge sales.
