Outsiders View of Chrysler/Detroit TV Commercials

**old guy** · November-10-11, 04:15 PM

I only lived in Detroit off and on for about three years back in the 70's. You do hear a lot of negative talk about Detroit around the country. When I first saw the Chrysler Super Bowl ad, I thought it was great and heard a lot of good comments about it.
Now, seeing more Chrysler ads from time to time with short Detroit clips I think it's some of the best, positive, subtle publicity I've seen for the city. I honestly think it's creating kind of an interesting mystique about the city. Much better than that canned crap from the visitor bureaus.
Just thought I'd mention that.

**downtown_racine** · November-10-11, 04:35 PM

I agree. Thanks Fiat !

**douglasm** · November-10-11, 04:45 PM

Agreed. I haven't lived in the area since '71 and I was impressed with the presentation of Detroit in a gritty but not unkind light. There is something to be said for resiliance, and both the city and the company have that in spaces.....

Occurrence · November-10-11, 05:09 PM

The whole Super Bowl ad thing was hilarious.

You know things are bad here when people get pumped up and inspirational over a fricken television COMMERCIAL.

I remember someone on this board said they got up and gave a round of applause at a Super Bowl party or something when that commercial came on. Others said they got goosebumps. These people need professional help.

**I <3 DET** · November-10-11, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

These people need professional help.

You need help.
Why are you even on a Detroit forum with such negative views on Detroiters in general?
You should be proud of the commercial, but instead you mock the very essence of it.
It created a very positive view of the Motorcity.

**Gistok** · November-11-11, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

The whole Super Bowl ad thing was hilarious.

You know things are bad here when people get pumped up and inspirational over a fricken television COMMERCIAL.

I remember someone on this board said they got up and gave a round of applause at a Super Bowl party or something when that commercial came on. Others said they got goosebumps. These people need professional help.

What did you do... start posting here because you got tired of posting your "logic" on the Free Press Message Board?

**Lowell** · November-11-11, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by douglasm

Agreed. I haven't lived in the area since '71 and I was impressed with the presentation of Detroit in a gritty but not unkind light. There is something to be said for resiliance, and both the city and the company have that in spaces.....

Well put. Starting with the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit tour in 1997, the core beginning of this site, I have been a believer in not denying our issues and running with what we are, what we have and our great history and resilience and not hanging our heads.

In recent years, our progress has been upward yet uneasy, two steps forward, one step back. In terms of our self image, standing up for the D, and self-acceptance and pride, there has been almost a complete reversal. The inundation of Detroit swag in shops and being worn is partial testament to that. The Chrysler ad people have captured that tough but lovable vibe. I think the rest of the country is picking up on it too.

Occurrence · November-10-11, 05:17 PM

No I don't. I don't get teary-eyed over commercials put out for the masses by marketing firms.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · November-10-11, 05:48 PM

When I would mention moving back to Detroit to New Yorkers, their reactions fell into one of three categories:

1) That's crazy! You'll be killed! And there's no jobs!

2) Wow. Guess you're gonna live in an abandoned factory and have a hip, counter-cultural existence.

3) Eminem and Kid Rock. And techno music. Detroit is so cool.

Most reaction was positive, but people never understand that in Detroit you can actually live like people anywhere else. I have a job. I live in an apartment. I am not particularly hip. I don't know any techno musicians. Positive or negative, no one ever thought Detroit was an average normal city. If their opinions were harsh, I would try to persuade them not to believe what they read.

**jerrytimes** · November-11-11, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

No I don't. I don't get teary-eyed over commercials put out for the masses by marketing firms.

So you find it odd that people feel good over something shown that puts their city that is always slammed into a positive light? Why are you even here?

Occurrence · November-11-11, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

So you find it odd that people feel good over something shown that puts their city that is always slammed into a positive light? Why are you even here?

No, I find it odd that people are so wrapped up in a television COMMERCIAL that they are still talking about it nearly a year later. Aside from a marketing firm that cleverly knew what they were doing to please the masses, it also features a car company that ran itself into the ground and only survived on government bailouts,

If you want to put Detroit in a positive light, there are plenty of other ways to do so. Promote charitable causes, make a documentary, etc.

I guess since I'm not impressed by the Chrysler Superbowl commercial I shouldn't be welcomed on these forums though, right?

**old guy** · November-11-11, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

If you want to put Detroit in a positive light, there are plenty of other ways to do so. Promote charitable causes, make a documentary, etc.

I guess since I'm not impressed by the Chrysler Superbowl commercial I shouldn't be welcomed on these forums though, right?

Why is it always all or nothing lately. I was just mentioning one positive note about Detroit. There are lots of other people and groups doing great things for the city that even I'm aware of and I don't live here. I wouldn't know about the Georgia Street Community Center and the great things they're doing if it weren't for this web site. I wouldn't know what I know about Detroit if it weren't for Detroit Yes. It's all good and I enjoy conversing with a lot of good people on these threads. I just thought the commercials were well done.
I didn't get teary eyed but I did feel compelled to buy a puppy.

Everyone's welcome to their own opinion in a forum.

**Richard** · November-10-11, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

I only lived in Detroit off and on for about three years back in the 70's. You do hear a lot of negative talk about Detroit around the country. When I first saw the Chrysler Super Bowl ad, I thought it was great and heard a lot of good comments about it.
Now, seeing more Chrysler ads from time to time with short Detroit clips I think it's some of the best, positive, subtle publicity I've seen for the city. I honestly think it's creating kind of an interesting mystique about the city. Much better than that canned crap from the visitor bureaus.
Just thought I'd mention that.

I agree also ,I watched one the other day that had people standing in front of the GAR building it was nice to see what is discussed in here in regards to many different buildings.

**jjw** · November-10-11, 07:07 PM

The most negative stuff I hear being said about Detroit is usually coming from Detroiters or folks in Michigan. Stop saying the rest of the country says negative things. Most of the country has higher hopes for Detroit than Michigan does.

**Richard** · November-10-11, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by jjw

The most negative stuff I hear being said about Detroit is usually coming from Detroiters or folks in Michigan. Stop saying the rest of the country says negative things. Most of the country has higher hopes for Detroit than Michigan does.

I would say yes and no ,personally as an outsider I would have never found this site if all I heard was positive is okay for someone who lives there to portray negativity as they are living it but even with all the currant negativity going on in the past year if one looks at the positive side Detroit has really come allot further and faster then a lot of other cities.Unfortunately the positives are not out there as the negativeness are publicity wise.

Not oddly enough with what I am dealing with on the financial side there seems to be almost a hatred towards the auto bail out more then anything else carrying over to the city as a guilty by association thingand am having to prove the city more then the project.

Occurrence · November-11-11, 03:19 AM

I hope all of you people signed that petition trying to stop Nickelback from playing the Thanksgiving halftime show. Sadly the petition really didn't matter, as it was announced that they WILL be playing the show.

As the cliched story always goes for the city of Detroit: One step forward, two steps back.

There has been some good things happening downtown the past couple years, but now we get stuck with NICKELBACK playing at our halftime show? That's an embarrassment to the city. I feel sorry for those who spent their hard earned money for tickets to that game. It's a shame. There is still a real lack of vision and progressive thinking in this city, With the deep history of great music in Detroit, that's seriously the best they can do?

**HelloIDistance** · November-11-11, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I hope all of you people signed that petition trying to stop Nickelback from playing the Thanksgiving halftime show. Sadly the petition really didn't matter, as it was announced that they WILL be playing the show.

As the cliched story always goes for the city of Detroit: One step forward, two steps back.

There has been some good things happening downtown the past couple years, but now we get stuck with NICKELBACK playing at our halftime show? That's an embarrassment to the city. I feel sorry for those who spent their hard earned money for tickets to that game. It's a shame. There is still a real lack of vision and progressive thinking in this city, With the deep history of great music in Detroit, that's seriously the best they can do?

Lol hope this is sarcasm....halftime entertainment is not for the fans in the stadium nor is it picked by the city of Detroit. I hate Nickelback, but it sells apparently.

**fryar** · December-01-11, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

The whole Super Bowl ad thing was hilarious.

You know things are bad here when people get pumped up and inspirational over a fricken television COMMERCIAL.

I remember someone on this board said they got up and gave a round of applause at a Super Bowl party or something when that commercial came on. Others said they got goosebumps. These people need professional help.

LOL. Yes, it was just a commercial, at the end of the day. But as you'll recall, there was much disquiet on this board about ruin porn and other negative portrayals of the city at the time. How few months beforehand had the city council interviewed the makers of Detroit 1-8-7 to investigate that show's presentation of Detroit? People were very sensitive to this matter, and were primed to fall in love with this commercial.

Also, while it lacks hamsters shu-shu-fel-ing warmongering video game robots into more peaceful exertions, it truly is a great commercial, you have to admit.

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I hope all of you people signed that petition trying to stop Nickelback from playing the Thanksgiving halftime show. Sadly the petition really didn't matter, as it was announced that they WILL be playing the show.

As the cliched story always goes for the city of Detroit: One step forward, two steps back.

There has been some good things happening downtown the past couple years, but now we get stuck with NICKELBACK playing at our halftime show? That's an embarrassment to the city. I feel sorry for those who spent their hard earned money for tickets to that game. It's a shame. There is still a real lack of vision and progressive thinking in this city, With the deep history of great music in Detroit, that's seriously the best they can do?

LOL. I'm much amused.

Indeed, nothing embodies the absence of vision and progressive thinking in the city more than Nickelback doing the half-time show. Is there an utter, total lack of vision and progressive thinking? Undeniably - just think, Nickelback's doing the halftime show. Nickelback is totally taking Detroit two steps back by negating the positive developments in downtown and midtown. If that isn't the same old shameful, embarrassing cliche, I don't know what it is.

You know things are out of proportion when people get hyperbolic over a fricken NFL half time show. Those people need professional help.

Originally Posted by old guy

Much better than that canned crap from the visitor bureaus.

I agree, I'm really happy to see that they have kept the ad campaign up.

Originally Posted by Occurrence

See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. It's a commercial, not a piece of art. You're not going to have screenings for this at the DIA in 10 years.

More like 50 years. It really taps into the moment, I think. In post-Lehman America, there's a little Detroit in everybody and everywhere. It's [[cue loud, bellowy voice) "The Decline of America," folks. As the country is unwillingly "Detroitifying," up steps Chrysler and declares its pride in being associated with all of the Detroit greatness that is never talked about anymore. It's Chicken Soup for the American Soul [[or some part of it).

I read an article in the NYTimes a little while back about Chevy's iconic commercials with the "See the USA in your Chevrolet" jingle. I guess they were from the 1950's. Those, likewise, are designed to sell cars and promote a brand as being associated with something you take pride in, but they nonetheless express and tap into something specific about their place and time. As a result, they're not at all out of place for a museum, lecture, historical showcase, etc.

Originally Posted by jjw

The most negative stuff I hear being said about Detroit is usually coming from Detroiters or folks in Michigan. Stop saying the rest of the country says negative things. Most of the country has higher hopes for Detroit than Michigan does.

It's true.

I guess technically speaking, people say negative things. Like late-night comics who crack jokes about a hiring drive for chalk body outliners at DPD. But really, that just shows you that these late-night comics are not, themselves, despondent about Detroit. It takes someone from Michigan to look at that and say it's shameless.

But most of the country definitely has higher expectations for Detroit than Michiganders from either side of 8-Mile do. No doubt about it.

Originally Posted by ThisIsForTheHeart

Suburban people from Michigan seem to be the most negative on the city of Detroit than those who don't even live in the state. They're the only people I hear who make comments like "Nuke the city" or "build a wall around it"

Ah, the provincials. Aren't they a gas?
Including those from south of 8-Mile, of course.

Originally Posted by Gistok

Ford has done some interesting commercials... perhaps just not now...

Around the millenium Ford did what some consider was the greatest commercial of all time... This famous 2 minute Ford commercial staring Charlotte Church was shown at the same time in every Ford market on the planet at the same moment...
http://youtu.be/twsI3JmCgPU

That actually was a great commercial. At the time, we were all gaga with this new-fangled globalism that would allow us to finally make headway on brotherhood-of-man issues like world poverty in our newly begun post-historical Millenium. The Ford commercial really embodied that.

Shoot. Now you've got me all nostalgic for normalcy.

**iheartthed** · November-11-11, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by jjw

The most negative stuff I hear being said about Detroit is usually coming from Detroiters or folks in Michigan. Stop saying the rest of the country says negative things. Most of the country has higher hopes for Detroit than Michigan does.

As someone who lives outside of the Detroit area but visits often, I think both Detroiters and outsiders are pretty negative about Detroit. Outsiders are usually negative in either a mocking or sympathetic tone. Detroiters usually strike an extremely cynical tone.

**animatedmartian** · November-11-11, 04:14 AM

Not an outsider, but I'm at least glad that Chrysler commercials aren't as boring as Ford's. Ford just takes a rolling car in the middle of an empty Los Angeles with Mike Rowe voiced over. Chevy shows local spots but still is just a rolling car with a voice over. They also have "Put it in D because Chevy drives the Motor City" or something like that. It's a little cheesy. Chrysler at least makes their ads memorable and connected to a specific place.

I wouldn't cry watching the commercials but I at least go, "Hey that's a nice ad right there."

**downtown_racine** · November-11-11, 07:15 AM

I was surprised to see the Belle Isle conservatory in a recent Chevy commercial with that said I will only buy Fords from here on out, always been a Ford fan and with Fiat and Obama taking over the small 2 that was all the more reason to only buy Fords.

**Gistok** · November-30-11, 03:36 AM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

Not an outsider, but I'm at least glad that Chrysler commercials aren't as boring as Ford's. Ford just takes a rolling car in the middle of an empty Los Angeles with Mike Rowe voiced over. Chevy shows local spots but still is just a rolling car with a voice over. They also have "Put it in D because Chevy drives the Motor City" or something like that. It's a little cheesy. Chrysler at least makes their ads memorable and connected to a specific place.

I wouldn't cry watching the commercials but I at least go, "Hey that's a nice ad right there."

Ford has done some interesting commercials... perhaps just not now...

Around the millenium Ford did what some consider was the greatest commercial of all time... This famous 2 minute Ford commercial staring Charlotte Church was shown at the same time in every Ford market on the planet at the same moment...
http://youtu.be/twsI3JmCgPU

**Bong-Man** · November-11-11, 07:26 AM

With Seger on tour, why oh why didn't they ask him ? It would seem Bob could put on a pretty good halftime set, and what better place ?

**ThisIsForTheHeart** · November-12-11, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

With Seger on tour, why oh why didn't they ask him ? It would seem Bob could put on a pretty good halftime set, and what better place ?

Younger people [[18-30) don't really care for Bob. Jay-Z, LMFAO, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj would be better picks. I would even try to get tickets to the games if they had these type of acts showing up every home game to do half-time.

Suburban people from Michigan seem to be the most negative on the city of Detroit than those who don't even live in the state. They're the only people I hear who make comments like "Nuke the city" or "build a wall around it"

**Zacha341** · November-11-11, 08:20 AM

I dig the Chrylers commercials but would not own or buy a Chrysler product. I'm not crazy about Chrysler line of cars I see on the road and reviews I read especially as they age. At least the TV spots are somewhat interesting.

But what's up with the 'Imported from Detroit' moniker? Is that a means to sway those who prefer foreign cars otherwise? I don't think it's working....

Chrysler IMO still doesn't have a stable flagship sedan[[s) as Ford, GM and Toyota have, but that's another discussion or argument [[unless the 300 floats your boat). LOL!