Ads encourage us to think of cars as family members. A Mazda ad says “It’s not a family car, it’s a family.” In ad after ad we are told that buying a car in like falling in love & getting married. E.g.: A Lexus ad says “we don’t sell cars. We merely facilitate love conditions.”
Mercedes Benz says “buying a car like getting married. It’s a good idea to get to know the family first.” Vance Packard tells us that cars are often men’s horses. Car ads are funny silly, exciting, clever & seemingly insignificant. However they have a cumulative direction & impact. The car in an ad has gone from being a symbol of power to the actual source of power (the engine that pumps the value in our hearts from a symbol of sex to an actual lover).
Mercedes Benz says “buying a car like getting married. It’s a good idea to get to know the family first.” Vance Packard tells us that cars are often men’s horses. Car ads are funny silly, exciting, clever & seemingly insignificant. However they have a cumulative direction & impact. The car in an ad has gone from being a symbol of power to the actual source of power (the engine that pumps the value in our hearts from a symbol of sex to an actual lover).