Remember Cadillac's ad for the ELR range-extended electric coupe? Of course you do. You were either whooping in agreement or throwing things at your computer screen at the time.
Your emotions might be a little less extreme with Ford's parody ad for the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid. A wry smile, perhaps, or a cheeky Facebook share. We'd be surprised if you didn't find it funny though, because it's a fantastic take on Cadillac's overly-driven individual, poking fun but also giving out its own unique message.
As with Cadillac's advert, it starts with a question: Why do we work so hard? Only Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] is asking not about pools, or fancy houses, or "stuff", but... well, dirt. The ad follows a lady who generates compost to sell to organic vegetable producers. She gives off the image of being as hard-working as Caddy's individual, only less narcissistic. Her pursuit is for the greater good, with aims to improve the world--without sacrificing the chance to improve her own quality of life.
As a result, her car is a little more humble than the chrome-covered Caddy. Cleverly though, the dialogue is almost identical--down to the final, sarcastic "N'est-ce pas?". The camerawork too is very similar to that of Caddy's ad, just a little more earthy in places. Less clear is whether Ford itself is responsible for the advertisement: It's hosted on its own Youtube page, rather than Ford's official account. Perhaps it's designed to go viral, or perhaps it's simply the work of a marketing company having a bit of fun. Whatever it is, Ford's character comes across as a lot more likeable...
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