Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Pontiac
VIDEO: Pontiac G8 invades Spy Hunter, circa 1983
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 11:47AM (3/14/2008)
That. Is. Awesome. That makes me want to buy a pontiac. Can't wait for the review! :D
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YouFaceTheTick 11:48AM (3/14/2008)
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.
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Luis 1:12PM (3/14/2008)
Nope. just you..
FSM 1:29PM (3/14/2008)
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 3:07PM (3/14/2008)
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 4:01PM (3/14/2008)
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 11:49AM (3/14/2008)
That is excellent - both in concept and execution. Score one for the ad agency that put this together and for Pontiac.
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Mike 11:51AM (3/14/2008)
Awesome! This commercial could be better than the Speed Racer Movie (and costs less too).
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Brad C 11:57AM (3/14/2008)
Yes! I remember playing this game on my Sega Master System! Wow, great memories & awesome commercial.
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pacman 12:58PM (3/14/2008)
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 11:58AM (3/14/2008)
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)
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tuna 12:01PM (3/14/2008)
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.
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Takeo 12:01PM (3/14/2008)
Badass. Definitely props to the ad guy that came up with this one.
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Corey W. 12:11PM (3/14/2008)
that was cool....
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almost Dr. G.. 12:15PM (3/14/2008)
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.
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meshies 12:16PM (3/14/2008)
That was excellent.
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John R 12:26PM (3/14/2008)
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.
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John R 12:28PM (3/14/2008)
I'm sorry I just had to watch it again. This ad agency NAILED IT. Great ad.
Kaptain75329 12:28PM (3/14/2008)
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.
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James 12:32PM (3/14/2008)
"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 :)
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