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Home > New Day, Different Rant

New Day, Different Rant

November 29th, 2012 at 02:56 am

I'm going to put on my serious hat and talk about an advertisement that I watched today that made me feel like something is really wrong with our priorities today in this country. Now I don't watch a lot of television programming because I don't have cable service by choice, but I do pick up a couple of shows on the internet and of course those do have commercials, usually the same ones repeated ad nauseum. (Ha, that's a pun!)

The one I saw today I only needed to see one time for it to make a distinct impression on me, one that I think will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. Of course, that's exactly what the goal of commercials are, to stay with you, to make you want to buy things. But in this case that impression was extremely negative. I mean, negative on a level that was almost visceral.

The commercial was for the Dodge Big Finish Event. The words that made me go from general eye-rolling at buying a car for Christmas being over the top in the first place, to complete disdain were: "Let's see the neighbors compete with that."

I repeat: "Let's see the neighbors compete with that."

We are in the worst, yet still unacknowledged, depression this country has seen in my generation's lifetime. People are worried about having enough money to put food on the table and scraping together what they can to buy meager Christmas presents. People are worried about keeping their jobs. People are worried about what to do now that their homes have been destroyed in a storm so violent some people are still without power because the infrastructure was completely destroyed.

And Dodge has the audacity to want people to buy a new car for Christmas. Not, perhaps, because you need one. Not because your current one was flooded out and you need to replace it. But because if you buy one of their cars, you'll somehow be better than your neighbors. You'll keep ahead of the Joneses. Maybe someone forgot to send Dodge the memo that the Jonses are on unemployment and so are the Smiths.

Christmas is about the Christ child being born into humble circumstances. It is, even for non-believers, a time of generating peace on Earth and good will towards your neighbors. It's about giving a hand to those in need. It is for showing brotherly love not unbrotherly hubris. It is not about one-upmanship. It is not about trying to make yourself better than others because of your purchases. It is not about worshipping at the altar of rampant consumerism. At least it shouldn't be.

I'm sorry, Dodge, but not only did you miss the boat on this one, you're not even in the right ocean.

9 Responses to “New Day, Different Rant”

  1. creditcardfree Says:
    1354158180

    Like your post!

  2. Monkey Mama Says:
    1354158862

    The car commercials are awful this year. I heard a Mercedes (or BMW?) one that was all about "When they say they don't want anything for Christmas, and don't all the stuff, what they really mean is that they want a new Mercedes!!" I heard that in the car (radio) the other day and it really really really annoyed me!

    UGH!

  3. CB in the City Says:
    1354198107

    Unfortunately, I think those commercials do resonate with a certain sector -- their target audience, who is affluent, consumer-oriented, and who genuinely want to upstage their neighbors. The manufacturers don't really care about the opinions of people like us, who buy secondhand cars and drive them into the ground!

  4. ceejay74 Says:
    1354201840

    Ugh. Horrifying.

  5. Banker Gurl Says:
    1354206849

    Haha that is so funny! I was putting up my Christmas tree last weekend and I was behind the tree so couldn't see the TV. DH was sitting there watching TV, and I heard "Let's see the neighbors compete with that." I walked from behind the tree and looked at DH "Did you hear that?!" I was so irritated by it! DH agreed, but laughed at my frustration. This from the couple who have 2 cars with 280K miles between them. Smile

  6. mimipaula1 Says:
    1354223958

    Thank you, Robin, for reminding us of the Reason for the Season!

  7. LiveFree Says:
    1354239905

    Yes, indeed, thank you so much, Robin, for this post.

  8. Jenn Says:
    1354306068

    The title of an e-mail from my credit union today:
    USE YOUR HOME EQUITY TO BUY THAT SPECIAL GIFT!

  9. Looking Forward Says:
    1354655296

    Amen Sister!

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