topic Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry... in Community Chat

Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Oznell — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 13:31:55 GMT

Are you taken with the Volvo ad that has Josh Brolin reading Walt Whitman while a sleek car spirals through breathtaking scenes of America:

"Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road..." ; "The North and the South are MINE", etc.

Whenever it comes on we stop what we're doing-- I'm obsessed with that little fox they show for only a few seconds, staring and staring, and with the wind ruffling his fur so that he looks like he's all a-tremble...

BUT, my favorite car commercial of all time is the famouse Mitsubishi ad that features Bobby Caldwell singing "What You Won't Do for Love"--- perfection! What would you call that iconic song-- sort of soft R&B? It's all kind of hushed and jazzy, while a huge moon shines down on a beautiful girl getting in her Outlander Sport and driving through shimmering, wet city streets. I wouldn't mind living inside that commercial:

http://jalopnik.com/i-cant-stop-watching-this-mitsubishi-outlander-sport-a-1464334763

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

tobes — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 13:43:37 GMT

I am a big fan of Whitman - in fact we traveled to his house in Massachusetts along the "poets corner." But I am wondering why the ad says "afoot" when the guy sets off in a car and not "afoot." How does this compute? Perhaps "Song of Myself" would have been a better choice.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Desertdi — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 13:58:10 GMT

They should fire the ad-man who dreamed this up....................

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

151949 — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:07:06 GMT

The poem is great for a car ad but the visuals on the ad are weird.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Another new name Sue — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:08:41 GMT

The Volvo ad has run so much that I mute the TV when I hear it. It lost its effectiveness with too much repetition.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Oznell — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:11:01 GMT

Tobes, you are right, and I noted that too with amusement. I guess it would have been hard to find any Whitman quotes along the line of "Astride my speeding motor", ha.

But the craftsmanship and subtle sophistication to me outweigh any need to align the text and images literally....

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

PamfromCT — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:30:59 GMT

I personally love this ad. I don't know what agency produced it, but I can bet they will be getting much more business. Gotta love that little fox!

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

house_cat — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 14:44:57 GMT

After 40 years of driving, I finally got the Volvo I'd always wanted. It's not the one in the ad, but every time I leave the house my husband says, "Afoot and lighthearted she takes to the open road"... ha! He said I bought it because I'm a sucker for poetry and literature and that their ad targeted the right audience. I know I got it because I finally reached a point in my life when I could spoil myself a little, but he's probably right that they do know their audience.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

MoJoV — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 15:24:43 GMT

@PamfromCT wrote:
I personally love this ad. I don't know what agency produced it, but I can bet they will be getting much more business. Gotta love that little fox!

I agree totally. And I do love that fox.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

PamfromCT — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 15:28:56 GMT

@house_cat wrote:
After 40 years of driving, I finally got the Volvo I'd always wanted. It's not the one in the ad, but every time I leave the house my husband says, "Afoot and lighthearted she takes to the open road"... ha! He said I bought it because I'm a sucker for poetry and literature and that their ad targeted the right audience. I know I got it because I finally reached a point in my life when I could spoil myself a little, but he's probably right that they do know their audience.

Good for you, @house_cat! When my DH retired, I pushed him to buy his "dream car." How he loves this car. He worked until 70 and so deserves it. I continue to drive my Subaru Forester, which I refuse to ever give up. I am happy you got the car you dreamed of!

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

house_cat — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 15:36:32 GMT

@PamfromCT

Thank you. DH bought his dream car a few years ago. He loves it but it's ridiculously impractical. I can't believe he doesn't feel silly when he uses his well-deserved handicap placard and gets out of it with a cane in his hand, but it doesn't seem to bother him, lol. Mine is the workhorse. He named it Sven, and it's a good thing I love it because it will take me six years to pay for it. If I timed it right, it will be paid for before I retire. God willing.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

MalteseMomma — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 16:51:20 GMT

@Another new name Sue wrote:
The Volvo ad has run so much that I mute the TV when I hear it. It lost its effectiveness with too much repetition.

@Another new name Sue

I agree.....

...and if I see and hear that other commercial ."When I grew up and fell in love,I asked my sweetheart"............ once more my foot is going through my TV screen!!!

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 17:00:55 GMT

@house_cat wrote:
After 40 years of driving, I finally got the Volvo I'd always wanted. It's not the one in the ad, but every time I leave the house my husband says, "Afoot and lighthearted she takes to the open road"... ha! He said I bought it because I'm a sucker for poetry and literature and that their ad targeted the right audience. I know I got it because I finally reached a point in my life when I could spoil myself a little, but he's probably right that they do know their audience.

I love that your husband says that ! Any product that uses poetry in their ad is ok by me.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

MyGirlsMom — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 17:29:19 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
They should fire the ad-man who dreamed this up....................

I know the adman who thought this up..

We only drive Volvos.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

house_cat — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 17:38:15 GMT

@MyGirlsMom

Please tell him how much I appreciate it the refreshing approach.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Oznell — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 20:40:48 GMT

It's fun hearing these reactions. I'm surprised no one commented on that second ad I linked to, the Mitsubishi one. It is so kind of smooth and dreamlike, and Bobby Caldwell's suave music.... To me, it's another rare commercial that has a well-crafted "style" that achieves a definite mood. I almost never feel that about any commercial....

Even though the Volvo ad and the Mitsubishi ad are superficially different from each other, they both have the quality of little mini-movies that I'd like to see more of!

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...,

Drythe — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 00:30:06 GMT

@house_cat wrote:
After 40 years of driving, I finally got the Volvo I'd always wanted. It's not the one in the ad, but every time I leave the house my husband says, "Afoot and lighthearted she takes to the open road"... ha! He said I bought it because I'm a sucker for poetry and literature and that their ad targeted the right audience. I know I got it because I finally reached a point in my life when I could spoil myself a little, but he's probably right that they do know their audience.

@house_cat

Congrats. I treated myself to the Volvo I loved 20 years ago. Never a problem, still love it, still love driving it.

Well worth it.

Hope you have a long happy relationship.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

libbyannE — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 00:42:11 GMT

@Oznell wrote:
Are you taken with the Volvo ad that has Josh Brolin reading Walt Whitman while a sleek car spirals through breathtaking scenes of America:

"Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road..." ; "The North and the South are MINE", etc.

Whenever it comes on we stop what we're doing-- I'm obsessed with that little fox they show for only a few seconds, staring and staring, and with the wind ruffling his fur so that he looks like he's all a-tremble...

BUT, my favorite car commercial of all time is the famouse Mitsubishi ad that features Bobby Caldwell singing "What You Won't Do for Love"--- perfection! What would you call that iconic song-- sort of soft R&B? It's all kind of hushed and jazzy, while a huge moon shines down on a beautiful girl getting in her Outlander Sport and driving through shimmering, wet city streets. I wouldn't mind living inside that commercial:

http://jalopnik.com/i-cant-stop-watching-this-mitsubishi-outlander-sport-a-1464334763

No. It has been on for months now, and it annoys me every time, because the poem is about letting go of everything and being free, so it begins with the words, "AFOOT and lighthearted...." Being encumbered in a VEHICLE fights the image. Whitman didn't say he was " on horseback and lighthearted" or "in my wagon and lighthearted."

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

proudlyfromNJ — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 01:29:56 GMT

Never saw the commercial, but used to own a Volvo. Nice car.

Re: Volvo is Pure Poetry...

Brooklynny — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 02:00:55 GMT

@house_cat wrote:
@MyGirlsMom

Please tell him how much I appreciate it the refreshing approach.

I agree. It's one of the few car commercials that's not dumb. Some are cute, but others are intolerable. When I first heard it, the television was on, but I was on my iPad. I heard the first two lines, and my ears immediately perked up (like when you say something cutsie to you dog...lol), and I watched it.

I missed most of it, but there was an unmistaken familiarity about the rhythm and expansiveness of the verse, and I suspected Whitman because I was an English/American Lit major. I thought "no adman wrote this." I googled the first line because I was unfamiliar with this particular poem, and sure enough, it was Walt. I saw the ad in its entirety the next evening and thought it was brilliant.

The imagery is no mystery. The man is contemplating that poem, gets in his car and takes a scenic drive to the ocean to experience the psychic freedom himself, then returns home. Simple perfection. If you ever get a chance, read "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry." It has similar imagery and expansiveness. You'll probably be blown away by a literary talent for the ages. I was.