Eastern Motors: Used Cars, Used Songs
April 24, 2008 — dionysianprincessThanks to an absurdity alert from a friend of mine, Eastern Motors has officially made it into the absurd advertising hall of fame. These commercials not only broadcast an annoying redux of a rap song that is so old I can’t even remember its name, but they also feature the most ridiculous slew of people I have ever seen on local cable.
Please note the “Native American” dude with the Tomahawk, the chick in the hoochie skirt, and the football team that missed the end zone and ended up in an Eastern Motors commercial instead.
The next commercial reminds me of a hyphy ghost-ride the whip scene - I keep waiting for someone to jump on the hood and start dancing around.
Overall, I find these commercials a bit frightening as a driver and a pedestrian. All these used cars, for sale, and available without real credit. Maybe it is the subprime crisis infiltrating my subconscious, but for some reason the line, “Your job is your credit” makes me wonder - what about insurance?
April 24, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Jen-
Outstanding tribute to urban marketing at its finest. I think honestly the only reference left unscathed is the random fire engine scene. Are they trying to hock used fire engines as well? If the indian shows up at my burning apt., I guess I’ll have eastern motors to thank as he lets it burn and dances around the ashes singing ‘at eastern motors, motors.”
much love
carey~
April 26, 2008 at 3:28 am
The commercials are amusing to say the least. They reminded me of the Blacksploitation films of the 70’s. “Your job’s your credit”. How funny? Give people what they want and they will put themselves into debt forever!
Then I thought about all those Capital One credit card commercials with the Vikings and the giant rolling ball of humanity and everything else it consumed in its path. Their tag line asked, “What’s in your wallet?”
What’s the difference between the two commercials? A bigger budget and not much more. In each instance, the commercial is selling the viewer a product that they shouldn’t really have too much of. Debt! There was a time when people believed that “a penny earned was a penny saved”. But these days, people are of the opinion that “a penny earned is a penny spent”.
How quickly we change our tune!
July 15, 2008 at 1:50 am
While the commercials themselves really lend to the state of insurance in the Washington DC metro area, all references make complete sense to me. All references make sense except the hoochie skirt girl, however. These commercials do remind me of some rap song called “Area Codes”, because it’s an advertising method with nothing but local references, and thus makes the commercial seem more pertinent to the local viewer.
One seeing the commercial in LA wouldn’t get any reference, but members of the Washington Redskins pop up in the commercials, as does the iconic Native American who attends all Redskins games. The Laurel Fire Engine was another method of having viewers say, “Hey, I’m from Laurel!”.
While it’s a low budget method of just shouting area codes and having viewers relate to the ad just for local ties, the methodology is certainly effective; even if it does lead to poor financial decisions.