There’s something supernatural about the fourth-generation Honda Odyssey van.
It’s a myth and a legend! Can you prove that it exists?
I noticed this billboard here in Oakland, then happened to catch one of the new 30-second national TV spots for the Odyssey. The ads’ tagline—“The Van Beckons”—avoids the myth/legend theme altogether, although there’s the usual mythmaking in the storylines, which are crafted to dispel the, uh, myth that vans aren’t sexy.
The ads are cleverly and expensively produced, but this one set off my internal alarm system.
That’s the Platters on the soundtrack. Note that the lyric cuts off right before “… smoke gets in your eyes.” Still, I found it impossible not to think about engine fires, which probably is not what Honda intended.
Watch the other spots (“Vanquility” and “Rock Van”) on Honda’s U.S. website. Agency is RPA, based in Santa Monica.
"The van beckons." But if it offers you candy, children, run away very quickly.
Posted by: WIIIAI | October 20, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Interesting choice of music. Just as it got to the point where I was expecting "... gopher guts are blue..." the van doors opened and some (admittedly not blue) stuff came pouring out.
Posted by: Faldone | October 21, 2010 at 08:43 AM
Nice comment about the smoke-avoidance. I would add that the sudden appearance of flames in what I first took to be a rear-view mirror (but on inspection is a TV monitor, it seems) did not put me in the mood for romance. Fire is not something I want to associate with my car.
Posted by: Rolig | October 21, 2010 at 02:19 PM
Why not just stay home?
Posted by: Nick | October 22, 2010 at 11:56 PM