# Can anyone explain the Buick commercial? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397 "2014-12-29T00:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/21 "2015-06-06T20:17:06Z")
There’s also the line in the ad saying that the neighbor must have gotten a raise. I wonder how much “impressing the neighbors” factors into an important and expensive decision like buying a car? ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/22 "2015-06-15T18:01:06Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The only cool Buick I ever saw was my uncle’s mid-50s vintage cream-colored Buick Special with the big portholes. > > The Buick line has been a major snore for decades. They don’t need better ads, they need a better car. Aside from the musclecar-era Buicks mentioned above, the Buick Grand National and GNX were incredible machines for their era. [Obligatory Road & Track link.](http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/features/a25623/first-look-flashback-1987-buick-gnx/) ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/23 "2015-06-15T18:14:00Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > Back in the mid 60s-early 70s Buick had some badass muscle cars. \ The winner was a Stage 1 Buick GS 455. It beat the Hemis, 440 Six Packs, 454 Chevelles, etc. I had a ['73 Riviera](https://www.google.com/search?q=73+riviera+455+burn+out&biw=941&bih=611&tbm=isch&imgil=mCfYnYhx_jY3_M%253A%253BV-fsBnNfRzCOjM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.cardomain.com%25252Fride%25252F849141%25252F1973-buick-riviera%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=mCfYnYhx_jY3_M%253A%252CV-fsBnNfRzCOjM%252C_&usg=__H4msqdhhX1_8EcRkZplNG091BeQ%3D&ved=0CEMQyjdqFQoTCOKYy_amksYCFcYFrAodvcwAdw&ei=FxZ_VaKxCcaLsAW9mYO4Bw#imgrc=mCfYnYhx_jY3_M%253A%3BV-fsBnNfRzCOjM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcarphotos.cardomain.com%252Fride_images%252F1%252F3397%252F2821%252F8491410002_large.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.cardomain.com%252Fride%252F849141%252F1973-buick-riviera%252F%3B575%3B431) with the 455. Even tied to a heavy car that engine was a beast. The current Buick commercial does make me curious about them but I still won’t actually consider owning one until I pass 75 or so. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/24 "2015-06-15T18:26:04Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > A scruffy looking guy and his wife are in the kitchen of their posh home and, looking out the window, they watch their neighbor who has just bought a new car. But the car is backed up to a closed gate. The neighbor sees then at the window and waves. Is the new car in their driveway or is it the way into a gated compound? Why would it be backed up to the gate? I imagine that it was backed up to gate because TV commercials are a visual medium, and that position/location was thought to best show off the vehicle. As far as I’m concerned, all SUV’s, and most cars, look alike. Especially if you have to resort to binoculars to tell the difference. :eek: I have to look for the badge to tell a Buick, from a Honda, from a Porsche. Aerodynamics and gas mileage are now the primary design feature. ---
**Author:** ![Dibbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dibbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dibbs)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/25 "2015-06-15T19:16:53Z")
The only thing I’ve wondered about that commercial is that they’re basically admitting that their cars have been crap (though I’ve always thought they were alright), and now want people to think they’re great. To me that’s not such a good idea because, well, people don’t just suddenly do flips … because reputations take time to build, and Buick should have just built on what they had (instead of saying up until late they sold a junk product). ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/26 "2015-06-15T19:30:35Z")
> [@Dibbs](#): > > The only thing I’ve wondered about that commercial is that they’re basically admitting that their cars have been crap (though I’ve always thought they were alright), and now want people to think they’re great. To me that’s not such a good idea because, well, people don’t just suddenly do flips … because reputations take time to build, and Buick should have just built on what they had (instead of saying up until late they sold a junk product). Yeah, this. Aside from all the other problems with the commercial campaign, above all it re-enforces the theme of ‘our cars used to suck and were boring’. Not sure this is really a great idea - the take-away is that the brand is associated with sucking (but now they have seen the light and make cars that look like all other cars?). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/27 "2015-06-15T19:34:05Z")
No link to the ad? I haven’t seen it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dibbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dibbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dibbs)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/28 "2015-06-15T19:42:25Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Yeah, this. > > Aside from all the other problems with the commercial campaign, above all it re-enforces the theme of ‘our cars used to suck and were boring’. Not sure this is really a great idea - the take-away is that the brand is associated with sucking (but now they have seen the light and make cars that look like all other cars?). Ditto.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/29 "2015-06-15T19:57:56Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Aside from all the other problems with the commercial campaign, above all it re-enforces the theme of ‘our cars used to suck and were boring’. Since the majority of the car buying public already thinks that, there’s no point denying or ignoring it. They might as well embrace it and show acknowledgement and improvement. Ignoring the public perception won’t help change it. They used to make cars for old people, now they are making cars for somewhat younger people. Their sales n the US grew 11% between 2013 and 2014, but were dwarfed by their sales in China which is the dominant market for Buick. Was it Pizza Hut or Domino’s that did this type of campaign recently? Acknowledging their past mistakes and showing that the new pizza is much better? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-the-buick-commercial/708397/30 "2015-06-15T20:20:12Z")
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