12/22/2007

I Blame Lou Dobbs, Just Because

On the news this afternoon I saw four, that's four, commercials in a row that advocated giving one's spouse a car for Xmas.

Seriously, a fucking car?

Who can afford that? Fuel prices are up. Real wages are down. Car prices are up, largely on account of automakers buying a quarter of all TV airtime in order to proffer this kind of schlock. The entire country is in the middle of a massive credit squeeze and advertising executives think the operative selling point for a twenty thousand dollar plus bit of merchandise is that jingling keys make a good stocking stuffer?

Who are these people selling to?

Actually, we know who they're selling to. Of the four commercials, one was for Mercedes, two were for Lexus and the one with the Saturns seemed to indicate that the cars were a prize one could win by overspending on the rest of one's holiday shopping, totally ignoring the tax liability one would incur in such a sweepstakes. Obviously not intended for anyone that might need to balance a checkbook from month to month.

As usual, it's about income bracket and the ecstasy of consumption, not about sense.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll be expecting three, please. One in red, of course, one in silver, to match my jewelry, and one in black for my "rawkstahrness" and those nights when we go to events. If you REALLY love me, you'll make sure they're each a different automaker.

Fully loaded and leather seats.

While you're at it, buy yourself something nice...you deserve it.

Anonymous said...

I seem to remember you promised me a Jag. Mostly so that when you're rich and I'm old(er) and homeless I can live in it, but a Jag just the same.

Anonymous said...

I dont know about anybody else but if my spouse ever .... ever ... bought a CAR as a "surprise gift" without our discussing hte impact it would have on our fiances, life, etc. Id be more pissed than pleased.

But then I was thrilled with a nicely polished walking stick for my Yule gift

Blessings

Mama Kelly