# Car commercial license plates
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 11, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266 "2003-12-11T03:54:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ryanandnina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryanandnina)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/1 "2003-12-11T03:54:01Z")
Why is it that all the license plates in car commercials are colored out? I understand they don’t want to use a specific state/plate #, but why have a plate at all???:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/2 "2003-12-11T04:29:15Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ryanandnina \*
> \*\*but why have a plate at all???:rolleyes: \*\*
Well, if the car is being filmed on a public road, then the law _requires_ that it have a plate.
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### Author:  [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/4 "2003-12-11T04:44:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by liber scriptus proferetur \*
> \*\*They aren’t required for brand new cars, only a sticker in the window. \*\*
I’ve always seen full-sized temporary plates in the window, which would then probably have to be blurred out in the commercial anyway, and would be ugly to boot.
I suspect that the problem could be solved by filming on private property and removing the plates completely, but it’s probably harder to find privately owned roads that are “commercial worthy”.
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### Author:  [@Redsland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redsland)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/5 "2003-12-11T22:00:35Z")
Ad man here.
We put plates on the cars because the cars would look strange without them.
We use neutral colors for the plates so as not to distract your attention from the car/action/scenery.
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### Author:  [@SeekingTruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeekingTruth)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/6 "2003-12-11T23:14:47Z")
One other thing, a plate isn’t required. Ever notice every commercial states it’s a closed course? No need to follow traffic laws.
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/7 "2003-12-11T23:19:54Z")
**Redsland** , I’ve never noticed – do you put _front_ plates on cars? That would look strange here in Michigan (not strange so much, but an instant knowledge that the car’s not from Michigan).
Or do you market differently according to region? I imagine that’s got to be done to some extent.
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### Author:  [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/8 "2003-12-11T23:36:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by liber scriptus proferetur \*
> \*\*They aren’t required for brand new cars, only a sticker in the window.
>
> I suspect they just don’t want the ad to look wrong in a state with different colored plates. \*\*
They could be actual plates, too. I know Michigan issues license plates specifically marked “Manufacturer.”
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### Author:  [@Redsland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redsland)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/9 "2003-12-13T01:35:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Balthisar \*
> \*\ ***Redsland** , I’ve never noticed – do you put _front_ plates on cars? That would look strange here in Michigan (not strange so much, but an instant knowledge that the car’s not from Michigan).
>
> Or do you market differently according to region? I imagine that’s got to be done to some extent. \*\*
The decision about whether to use a front plate is made on a case-by-case basis. If you’re doing a _national_ TV spot, you probably wouldn’t use one since, as you point out, it would look strange to some viewers. If, on the other hand, you’re shooting a _regional_ TV spot, you would follow the local custom.
In a print piece, unlike in broadcast, you can only show a portion of the vehicle. If you’re showing the back end, you’d use a plate. If you’re showing the front end, you usually do not place a plate UNLESS your ad’s concept involves delivering some message via the plate’s letters. Like if you were nose-on and tight with a Pontiac and the front plate said “ZoomZoom,” or whatever.
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### Author:  [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-commercial-license-plates/218266/10 "2003-12-13T03:42:23Z")
Heh…I could forsee issues with Pontiac using Mazda’s slogan.
But it would be funny…