Yes, the “You can go with this, or you can go with that” ad. People seem to really like this ad (I really like it too!), and it’s really cute, but there is something I feel I really must point out, and it’s kind of a problem. When these hamsters say that you could go with this or that, “this” is a pretty nice car, and “that” is a collection of undesirable stuff, none of which is a car. See the problem here? It’s like offering someone a sandwich or dog poop to eat, and then saying that the sandwich is so great because people choose it to eat over dog poop: it’s a totally unfair, fallacious argument. See what I mean? I’m not trying to be difficult here, but the least they could have done was to show hamsters in other cars, or maybe even taking public transportation, rather than showing them in exercise wheels or cardboard boxes Fred Flintstone-style.
Please don’t misunderstand me: it’s funny and charming; but it’s not a very convincing argument, and it doesn’t make the car look very good. When you’re comparing it to things that aren’t even valid modes of mobility, of course it’s going to win in a desirability contest for a form of personal transportation. And when you see what it is they’re comparing it to, it makes it look like they’re afraid to put it up against a valid competitor (i.e.: another car; or heck, even a bicycle!). I mean, honestly, you can’t even drive a toaster or a washing machine! (But if you could, wouldn’t that show how capable and inventive you were?) Remember the phrase: “Pick on somebody your own size”? It could be appropriately applied here, especially if you feel sorry for the cardboard box with the hot-rod flames painted on it. I know I do, but maybe that’s because I love hot-rod flames! Plus, anybody who tries as hard as the guy who made that cardboard box car deserves our respect! Doesn’t it remind you of when you were a little kid and you had to make everything with paper, tape, magic markers and cardboard? No? Well, maybe you were spoiled or something.
Here’s the ad:
