DC ROCK CLUB
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Wednesday, January 02, 2008

I'd rather push a Ford than hear that song again

In 1991, the clever folks at GM decided to hook their trailer to the ass of Bob Seger, and use "Like a Rock," as their ad campaign theme song. I had grown tired of that song ages ago, but not until I looked it up tonight did I realize just how long Chevy played that effing song to sell their trucks. And always as some idiot plowed through a mud patch. Show me the truck doing something realistic, like sitting in traffic at 15 mpg. Any guesses as to how long they used that song? Answer to come later. Mind you, my neighbor in college was equally clever and always sang the lyrics as, "Like My Cock," whenever he saw the commercial. He was good for doing that to pretty much any song. I'm sure all of us had a friend like that. What alternate lyrics to popular songs did you enjoy?

As we entered a new millennium, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for Chevrolet to change gears. Taco Bell dumped the dog, Evander Holyfield wasn't working for Burger King anymore, and Martina Navratilova championed Subarus in Y2K , yet Chevy stuck with the 9 year old "Like a Rock" campaign. No wonder GM lost so much money. Stupid. And what do most people think of rocks anyhow? I don't have a positive opinion of them, personally. They seem to do more harm than good.
Don't remember the clip? If not, you are a. under 15 years old, b. foreign, or c. a vegan w/o tv. Here it is again:


Thankfully, mercifully, in 2004, GM dropped the Seger inspired campaign (there's your answer: the ad was in its teens, fugly and in need of hiding itself). Just as I was wringing the last of the mud splattered like-a-rock-lyrics from my ears, Chevy is back at it. Now, I think I might be the kind of guy that Chevy should be trying to sell a Silverado to. I'm male, white, in my mid-30's, have no use for a truck at all, and I currently own a GM vehicle and used to have a 1987 Chevy Blazer (the big one). Yet, nothing about Chevy Trucks' new campaign appeals to me. Instead, after only a little more than a year, I am already ready to burn John Cougar Mellencamp in effigy for allowing his "Our Country," song to be played before, in between, and after every inning, halftime, quarter, and period of just about every sporting event. I instantly hate this song and Chevy. Thankfully, I have Tivo. But I still manage to hear that crap song once a week. Please, someone pull the plug on this before 2020...


Wanna sell me a Chevy truck? Pull out a different Johnny Cash song every year for the next decade, and you might get me to try one out. Maybe not Ring of Fire. That doesn't seem right either.

4 comments:

Jumbo Slice said...

I couldn't agree more. I despise those commercials. I lost all respect for JCM after the "Our Country" campaign came out.

sacklunch said...

There was this gut that EHC IV knew in college. I think he once sang "That girl is biiitttch" to the the tune of "That girl is poison.." by Bell Biv Devoe. That had to be the fucking stupidest thing I ever heard. I think that guy is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company now.....

Nice post Potsy.

sacklunch said...

Edit:
I meant to say "guy", not "gut"

Potsy said...

BTW, much to my chagrin, the voice over for the "Like a Rock" clip is none other than my man-crush, Alec Baldwin. Why Alec? Why?