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If you had to write a 1982 Cadillac Cimarron ad what would you say?
Harry Waltz knew that, as the lowest guy on the totem poll, he would get stuck having to write the 1982 Cadillac Cimarron ads. He tried every trick in the book to avoid the inevitable, […]
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Popular Mechanics gives AMC one last chance to spin the Pacer before its launch
The January 1975 issue of Popular Mechanics offered a breathless peek at a new generation of smaller cars that would supposedly be “big on the inside but small outside.” Although the story included sketches of […]
Literature
1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations
(EXPANDED FROM 3/16/2022) Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman’s artwork in Pontiac’s advertising played an important role in the brand’s popularity during the 1960s. Others have done a thorough job of showcasing the team’s most iconic […]
Multimedia
What’s been lost as car drivers have become more insulated from outside
A recent drive through a particularly lovely rural area in Oregon reminded me of a Volkswagen Cabrio commercial from decades ago. The spot did a good job of showing the sensuousness of driving. Here I’m […]
Multimedia
Why did American Motors fire Wells Rich and Greene in 1972?
The recent death of ad pioneer Mary Wells Lawrence got me wondering how long her fledgling ad agency Wells Rich and Greene worked with American Motors. The short answer: from 1967 to 1972. This ad […]
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The bogus ad Roger slipped into his drawer and forgot for a number of years
Roger Sizemore had the feeling that Chrysler was going in the wrong direction. The product planners talked excitedly about selling at least 200,000 Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Challengers annually. Yet the all-new 1970 pony cars […]
Multimedia
VW Superbowl ad waxes nostalgic for the kind of cars it no longer makes
Volkswagen has received a good response to the ad it ran during the Superbowl last weekend. Titled “An American Love Story,” the 60-second ad and an extended version attempt to cultivate nostalgia for the brand’s […]
Literature
1965-71 Pontiac ads tried to dazzle with hip sophistication
When updating the 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme story I found myself lingering over the illustrations in Pontiac brochures. The images, which were produced by the legendary team of Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman, tended to […]
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How do you sell a Thunderbird that lost its Thunderbirdness?
Henry Goverti was a huge fan of the Thunderbird. He had owned three of them — and still drove a 1966 convertible to work in the summer. It had a certain flair that epitomized the […]