Truckin...

Well, at the moment I don’t have much on the foodie plate, although there is one thing I can mention at the end, which is where it deserves to be.  Cultural events are toned down after the holidays, the winter doldrums are in full effect (although NFL football playoffs have certain people in a lather over this weekend).   So maybe we can take a minute to muse about the cultural, sociological, lofty subject of…

Truck Commercials!  Over last weekend that launched the breakfast musings, I have to admit that I did watch some (well, most) of the myriad of football games.  Actually I should say watched some football presented among commercials.  I have not put a watch to it, but it seems it is a very close split between program content (game) and “other”.  And, it seemed to me that the “other” category was dominated by trucks, beer, and promos for various network programs featuring guns and car crashes.  I’m sure it is a reflection of what the moguls perceive as their audience, which I don’t expect says much about me.

Anyway, I try to take a cultural view of the various commercials and what they are really selling.  Over the past few months I believe there has been a shift in the theory of selling trucks (and autos).  It used to be that they tried to sell their product by telling you how well made it was, maybe the horsepower available, the amount of stuff you could stow or pull, performance and milage kind of stuff.  Well, “they” seemed to have abandoned that approach, with the notable exception of Dodge who still seems hell bent on sticking with:  “Guts, Glory, Ram!”  insert favorite guttural cave man sound effect here.  But Chevy now starts out (one commercial) with “A man; A man and his truck (fade to chevy vehicle); A man and his truck and his friends;”  Then it shows (in this case) a loving family all on dirt bikes tearing up the desert in clouds of dust and making ruts.  Then we cut back to an interior shot of truck with a proud dad at the wheel, and the silky voiced announcer intoning “three hard landings, one sore back, five hurting knees.. later (fuzzy images of a tired but happy family dreamily staring ahead looking like they have been smoking weed) and three hours of relaxation ahead in the lovely interior of the Chevy (skyline of LA appears in the distance) to let them melt away.  Ahh, the medical option...

And in order to appear (?) completely objective and not male centered, there is a companion commercial that starts out “A woman.  A woman, and her truck.  A woman and her truck and 1200 pounds of passenger (shot of truck pulling horse trailer)”.  Then shots of her riding the horse doing those cone things or something western (NOT dressage!) followed by a dusty woman putting the horse back in the trailer and driving off into the western country and our announcer telling us that she drives a Chevy and is the kind of woman who doesn’t wear her ribbons in her hair!”  No lie.  That’s what he says.  There are others, but the message seems to be that loving, hard working, vital people drive a Chevy, and by God if you buy a Chevy, you are too!  I’m sure that concept is not new in advertising theory, sell the vision, not the product.

Speaking of which only one more, the one that really has me diving for the remote and the mute button is from our dear loving friends who produce Subarus.  Actually if you listen to them, the produce love, not cars.  No caring person in the world would think of owning anything else.  Their latest entry shows a nice young lady straining with a tire iron, trying to loosen a lug nut, blowing hair from her eyes, obviously straining, and finally breaking it loose with aid of a fashionable “sneaker”.  Then jacking vehicle, removing tire, and replacing with another with more obvious labor, but being successful.  When the car is back on all four feet, a wider shot shows “Dad” coming out from behind the vehicle with a smile that would do justice to a saint, and says something to the effect of “good job , honey, I knew you could do it”  That’s why I bought you a Subaru.  Love.  It’s what makes a Subaru..  Huh??

And my usual verbal overuse has taken enough of our time that I won’t go into the beer commercials.  Just to prove I am NOT totally negative (mostly, but not totally) I do really like the Bud Light ones (not the beer, the commercials) about "it’s only weird if it doesn't work".  I especially enjoy the one about the guy going back down into the cellar.  Been there, done that.  Can’t tell you how many aching muscles I have had for staying hours in the same position on the couch until Michigan State wins the game.  It does work.

Food note

I saw in the paper today that we are going to be lucky enough to have the first Sonic south of the Beltway, and east of I95, right here in Southern Maryland!.  Will be near us, sort of across the Golden Corral (opening summer of 2013!) where BWW and Kohl’s are.  Oh boy!!  I sure am glad another chain is coming to town.  Maybe I should take a survey…

for them, i don't care if you are

DFD