Last night, Steve65 left a comment at a post wondering if anyone could identify the two cars used in this current Listerine mouthwash tv commercial. I had a very intense day yesterday (up on a roof and in a crawl space), and by the time I got to it again last night, Don Andreina had the answer. Before I give it away, watch the commercial and see if you can identify them.
Here’s a screen grab that Steve left with his question. Does that help? How about the three-lug nut wheels? Does that ring a bell?
Hint: it’s a car that was written up by our (formerly) Brazilian contributor, Rubens (he since moved to Canada).
So the question I have is this: is this vintage footage bought by the production company, or did they shoot this for the commercial? I’m inclined to say the former, as it’s just hard to imagine someone staging a scene like this in 2016 with two Brazilian Ford Corcels (oops). But either way, I got to give it to the art director for this choice. It pretty much has to be the most obscure automotive placement in an ad in a very long time. And just how many viewers watching identified them? Two? Any?
Got some other obscure automotive placements in ads to share?
CC 1969 Ford Corcel GT: The Confusing History Of A Multinational Brazilian Classic by Rubens
Hat tip to Steve65!
I too was wondering about the identity of the colliding cars in that commercial and figured that it would be something from South America or Eastern Europe that is well known in its home country but obscure in the USA. I am glad that you did the leg work to figure out the mystery!
Another currently running obscure automotive placement is a Vincent Black Shadow in the Modelo beer “Work For It” ad. The motorcycle itself is quite famous, but it appears for only a few seconds, from an angle that makes it difficult to identify, and without a badge on the fuel tank. My guess is that the creative type behind the ad is a motorcycle enthusiast who knew about a Vincent in a restoration shop and wanted to include it, even though few people would recognize it.
The footage, especially where they zoom in on the driver, looks “modern” to me rather than vintage. I also kind of doubt that it would have been specifically commisioned for the commercial, though, as specifically *seeking* two 70’s Corcels for a US market commercial would be even odder than simply including them.
As in nearly every other industry, the production of American advertising is being increasingly outsourced to other countries. My money says the footage was shot in Brazil specifically for the commercial.
As an ad guy, I agree.
I thought it might have been produced in the US, but the more I think about it the more I agree with you.
Yikes! The first-gen Ford (do Brasil) Corcel makes a twinned appearance!
(I commented before reading the reveal after the jump. So let me shuffle away in mild embarassment…)
I’ve waiting to see something on this, it was really bugging me! At first split-second glance I thought it was two Corvairs, so I slo-mo’d it and realized I didn’t have a clue except for the lug nuts.
I remember seeing these still on the road when I went to brazil in 1992! In fact, one of the missionaries I was staying with had a fender bender with the owner of one black Corcel, so they left it behind the parish for repairs since it was my friend’s fault.
I thought it was a local Renault until I read somewhere the connection of this car with the French automaker.
Rubens wrote an excellent CC (linked above) tracing the history of this unique Brazilian mutation of Renault + Willys + Ford.
The light blue one must be a Chevrolet Opala Coupe
??? They’re both Corcels; identical, right down to the three lug wheels.
Interesting to see the Brazillian version—most of the same footage, but no cars. Is it possibly that all the footage was prepared there, and we’re getting the “American” remix of it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJojMzid0kw
BTW, great detective work, Don Andreina!
Ha! How curious is that? The Brazilian version without the Brazilian cars. Strange world…advertising.
No cars in this long-form (1:13) Brazilian version either, Paul, but much of the same footage. Interesting graphic of a 2-D gal tossing her bikini top aside; I doubt we’d see that in here in the States:
Three lug wheels? If its not a sidevalve Hillman it must be French or a mutation of a French car.