[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/latest-news-best-and-worst-car-ads\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/latest-news-best-and-worst-car-ads\/","headline":"The good, the bad and the ugly. The best and worst car ads ever.","name":"The good, the bad and the ugly. The best and worst car ads ever.","description":"Marketing a car isn\u2019t easy; simply coming up with a name is a minefield. You want something strong and aspirational without sounding cheesy and naff. Then there\u2019s the possibility that the model name could be lost in translation or, even worse, be offensive in other languages (we\u2019re looking at you, francais MR2). The name is just the start and, even in 2018, TV advertising is still one of the most effective ways of getting a new car in front of […]","datePublished":"2018-06-27","dateModified":"2018-07-03","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Untitled-design.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Untitled-design.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/latest-news-best-and-worst-car-ads\/","about":["LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":466,"keywords":["Marketing","TV Ads","TV Adverts"],"articleBody":"Marketing a car isn\u2019t easy; simply coming up with a name is a minefield.You want something strong and aspirational without sounding cheesy and naff. Then there\u2019s the possibility that the model name could be lost in translation or, even worse, be offensive in other languages (we\u2019re looking at you, francais MR2).The name is just the start and, even in 2018, TV advertising is still one of the most effective ways of getting a new car in front of consumers. However, getting this right is a whole other ball game. A car TV ad can be something as memorable Honda\u2019s iconic \u2018The Cog\u2019, or it could be Michael Barrymore being cringy as hell about a 1989 Rover Metro.The bestHonda Accord – The CogLet\u2019s start with the good stuff and one we just mentioned: Honda\u2019s millimetre-perfect \u2018The Cog\u2019. Used to promote the Accord (RIP), this mesmerising chain reaction clip took months to plan and perfect, not to mention another two days to film.If one item was even a smidge out of place, it ruined the rest of the sequence and that meant everything had to be set up all over again. More than 300 takes were filmed to get it right, but it paid off because we\u2019re still wowed by it 15 years on. Put simply, this is the gold standard for car TV commercials.\ufeffSkoda\u2019s cake carWhat\u2019s better than cars? Cake, that\u2019s why it felt like everything was right in the world when Skoda baked a car out of cake in 2007. Granted, it was only a Fabia, but we\u2019d like to think it was the much-missed vRS variant.\ufeffAn Audi RS 3 gives birth\u201cWhere do cars come from, mummy?\u201d asks Little Jimmy. \u201cJust watch this clip, son,\u201d replies cruel mother.\ufeffThe badBarrymore\u2019s Rover Metro ain\u2019t awightPoor Michael Barrymore doesn\u2019t need any more mud slinging his way, but roping in someone as intolerable as MB to flog a car as awful as the Rover Metro was an ugly perfect marriage. Even in 1989 when Barrymore was in his prime, this clip must\u2019ve been peak irritating.BMW bozosOn the whole, BMW has the TV advertising lark nailed down, but it wasn\u2019t always like that. Check out these uber-smug siblings flogging the 1 Series.And the uglyConfused.comNot strictly a car advert, but we feel Confused.com\u2019s agonising singalong warrants inclusion here.\u201818 million strong\u2019, boasts the clip; we can\u2019t help feel that many of those customers regretted using Confused after this sacrilegious cringefest.WeBuyAnyCarAgain, not an advert for a car, but WeBuyAnyCar inflicted much pain with its \u2018Quick Quick\u2019 advert.Which car adverts stick in the mind for you? Let us know down in the comments."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The good, the bad and the ugly. The best and worst car ads ever.","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/latest-news-best-and-worst-car-ads\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]