Cars & "food stars"

Car ads made an impression on me in the past weeks -- probably because there are so many of them. (US cars especially desperately need to sell.) I haven't decided if I like the Kia Soul ad (hamsters in wheels being passed by those in the Soul). The CGI is certainly first rate, but does the spot inadvertently also imply that the car is very, very small (in proportion to the hamsters)?

CGI also makes the spot in the Toyota Prius "Harmony" ad, in which people are the landscape. Fascinating to watch; if, like me, you're wondering "how did they do that?", check out this URL: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/13/video-behind-the-scenes-look-at-harmony-toyotas-first-commerc/

Nice music (woman singing about a countdown) highlights the Lincoln MK spot, which continues its "spaceships don't need keys" theme.

As for "food stars:" I enjoy the MasterCard spot, in which a variety of food brand characters (Leo Burnett was once famous for creating such; I wonder if it's behind them all) sit down to dinner. TALK about product placement! I can recall: Vlasic Pickle Stork, Morton's Salt Girl, Pillsbury Doughboy, Chef Boy-ar-dee, Charlie "Starkist" Tuna, the Gorton's Fisherman, the Jolly Green Giant (probably more) -- and in certain versions, Mr. Clean is in the kitchen doing dishes (a bit of a stretch, because he's not a dish soap, but I think he's the only character Procter & Gamble has).

Maytag gambles, White Castle flashdances

Is the lonely Maytag repairman now working for the Mob? In a new spot, the repairman is being hurried down long hallways by some worried "suits." They're desperate to have their machines repaired; when they open a door, we see a casino, where all the slot machines are spitting out money, and the crowd is going wild. WHAT does this have to do with Maytag appliances?? Sure, Maytags "never need repair," so the repairman has nothing to do -- but, slot machines?? We don't see any Maytag appliances -- how does this sell its products? There's a joke in there somewhere, about money laundering....

White Castle parodies the old "Flashdance" movie to introduce its new pulled pork sandwich. The dancer, dressed in a pig suit, ends her routine by dousing herself with -- barbeque sauce. Unfortunately, when the liquid splashes on the audience, it's brown, and one doesn't immediately think of sauce. The spot is somewhat cute (the "stalking" Crave sack is a little cuter), but -- perhaps it's unfortunate White Castle decided to introduce a pork product during the current swine flu scare.