Click above to view commercial after jump
Before all you East Coasters go to lunch, we had to show you what in our estimation is the BEST car commercial of the year so far. Pontiac knows its demographic well when it combines our lust for classic video games with our deep desire for cheap horsepower and rear-wheel-drive sport sedans. For a guy in his late twenties (like myself), hearing the intro from Baltic Midway's Spy Hunter triggers a pavlovian response that's too great to resist. Keep watching as the 2-D sprites you remember from the Reagan era tilt into the glorious third dimension, and instead of the G-6155 Interceptor you're expecting, out of the semi tractor trailer backs a Pontiac G8. To our addled minds warped by video games for over two decades now, the commercial proves emphatically that the G8 can outclass fictitious bad guy cars. Score one for Pontiac, consider us engaged. Follow the jump to experience nostalgic bliss. Thanks for the tip, Josh!
BONUS: Totally avoid work today by clicking here to play the original Spy Hunter online, as well as other classic video games from your youth.
[Source: Joystiq]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
apex88 @ Mar 14th 2008 11:47AM
That. Is. Awesome. That makes me want to buy a pontiac. Can't wait for the review! :D
YouFaceTheTick @ Mar 14th 2008 11:48AM
So everyone else is not struck by how soft and rolly that suspension looks? My god, the body-roll on that G8 makes it look like a Buick with an Orange County body-kit.
Luis @ Mar 14th 2008 1:12PM
Nope. just you..
FSM @ Mar 14th 2008 1:29PM
Well the fact that what you were looking at was probably cg and made to look more cartoony by over exaggerating motion I wouldn't judge based on the commercial until we see some reviews.
PAT @ Mar 14th 2008 3:07PM
Pontiac chose a suspension that bridged the gap between performance and comfort, leaving room for a perf. suspension for the GXP.
And just to repeat: "Nope. just you.."
meshies @ Mar 14th 2008 4:01PM
LOL. WOW. How could you take a video-game inspired commercial like this, over analyze it and make judgments on its handling characteristics? Its not that serious.
TBlueMax @ Mar 14th 2008 11:49AM
That is excellent - both in concept and execution. Score one for the ad agency that put this together and for Pontiac.
Mike @ Mar 14th 2008 11:51AM
Awesome! This commercial could be better than the Speed Racer Movie (and costs less too).
Brad C @ Mar 14th 2008 11:57AM
Yes! I remember playing this game on my Sega Master System! Wow, great memories & awesome commercial.
pacman @ Mar 14th 2008 12:58PM
Sega Master System - I think you and my neighbor had the only two in the country. I always thought it was way better than NES but no one had one for some reason.
Eric Liberatore @ Mar 14th 2008 11:58AM
THAT is some entertaining, enjoyable advertising. Of cousrse that was my favorite game as a kid back in the 80's.
Very simple and clever.
(this from a non-USA-car-brand-buyer)
tuna @ Mar 14th 2008 12:01PM
As a one-off, it's a pretty good concept. Doesn't quite fit into the current campaign and I don't think the idea has enough depth the carry across the rest of the product line.
Takeo @ Mar 14th 2008 12:01PM
Badass. Definitely props to the ad guy that came up with this one.
Corey W. @ Mar 14th 2008 12:11PM
that was cool....
almost Dr. G.. @ Mar 14th 2008 12:15PM
ahhhh yes! who says great minds no longer exist in advertising. great commercial and straight to the point. the most powerful car under $30k. they hit their target audience in a way no press release can.
meshies @ Mar 14th 2008 12:16PM
That was excellent.
John R @ Mar 14th 2008 12:26PM
Without a doubt the best GM advert I've seen to date. The commercial itself makes me want to own a G8. Great Job!
It's got me reminiscing. Now I have to figure out how to squeeze "All you bases are belong to us" on a vanity plate.
John R @ Mar 14th 2008 12:28PM
I'm sorry I just had to watch it again. This ad agency NAILED IT. Great ad.
Kaptain75329 @ Mar 14th 2008 12:28PM
Now this is what I call Happy Friday.. thank you for this. :)
A few years from now I'll be quite pleased to be tooling around in GXP trim with that slick manual.
James @ Mar 14th 2008 12:32PM
"For a guy in his late twenties (like myself), hearing the intro from Baltic Midway's Spy Hunter triggers a pavlovian response that's too great to resist.:"
For a guy in his early thirties who knows a little about music (like myself), hearing the theme song from Peter Gunn is even better :)