Peter Frampton commercial

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coolhandgopher

coolhandgopher

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Perhaps this belongs on the off-topic board, but since this commercial's been getting so much airtime during the NCAA tourney games I've been watching, I thought I would post my thoughts here...

So, every commercial break during the NCAA tournament I'm hearing/seeing this Buick Verano commercial (attached below) with the theme "Unexpected Pleasures are the best part of life". As part of the commercial, a band's playing at a small club, they tell us their guitar player is sick, but they found a replacement in Peter Frampton; a lithesome twentysomething gal who was shooting pool beams at this news and the implicit message is, 'I'm going to be his groupie tonight'.

Now...I'm placing myself in this situation and here's what I think...I've headed to this show to see a favorite or up and coming band, perhaps with a virtuoso on the guitar; I hear that he's sick, which is instantly disappointing, but I'm supposed to be placated by Frampton as his replacement, a guy whose peak was in 1976 with Frampton Comes Alive! (I'm pushing 40 this year and I was four at the time; it was a long time ago). I don't think this news would assuage my disappointment; I would expect that the evening's show would immediately become Frampton Comes Alive! because the young band members would defer to the 'rock god'. And if I wanted to see that show, really I would head to a State Fair somewhere or Rockfest in Cadot or something similar.

It's not that I have anything against Frampton-if I'm listening to a classic rock station and his songs come on, I don't reach for the dial like it's Yes or Jethro Tull coming through the speakers. But I am puzzled by the minds behind this ad campaign. Have I been out of the States for so long that Frampton's a hipster attraction, like Pabst Blue Ribbon or Dark Shadows? Are people doing flash mobs to Frampton's music? Has Glee focused an episode upon his songs? Unless the answer to one of the above questions is yes, then I don't understand the cache of a talking box guitar hero who has three songs that classic rock radio couldn't exist without.

Of course, perhaps Buick is looking at the demographics of its audience, both on TV and in the car dealerships, and they're aiming for the 50 year old crowd; but if so, why not shell out some bucks for Springsteen or The Edge or Keith Richards or Joe Perry? I just don't get it and as you can read, it's been perplexing me at each commercial break. If you can enlighten me, please do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTYCJmP52vQ
 

It doesn't matter to me, because I use commercials to go pee or get a new beer (sometimes both).
 

It hits two demgraphics in one 30 second spot. The 30-40 year old that Buick wants and the boomer generation that they want to take away from BMW/Audi/Infinity etc.
 





Obviously you don't feel like they do.
 

Dr.Don said:
It doesn't matter to me, because I use commercials to go pee or get a new beer (sometimes both).
Click to expand...

This raises a somewhat disturbing image...say it ain't so.
 

Is it me or have there been 50 instances over the last 3 days when all 4 channels were at commercial. I don't know how they do it, but I'm pretty sure it's a conspiracy.
 





Coolhandgopher, I understand your perplexion. I have similar doubts of the commercial for UPS using the Laettner shot. Evidently UPS doesn't understand there is a large contingent of Duke haters who are probably calling FedEx for their next shipment!
 

Unsure if Frampton is known by the younger kids, but I am amazed how many of the 70's bands my kids know just from being exposed to them from guitar hero. Personally I really like him so if I saw the commercial....it would be one of the unexpected upgrades the commercial is referring to. The commercial is probably more aimed at the 40 to 50 year olds anyway. Funny thing is it got some people to talk about it on this site.
 



freshtrout gets it. Picture the person who would actually consider a Buick over a BMW/Audi/Infiniti/Lexus. In the absence of any sense of taste or style, or appreciation of prestige or quality, what's not to love about Peter Frampton? He is the Buick of music: mediocre, big in the 70s, not so much anymore, but still around, edging ever closer to the inevitable end.

You don't need a focus group to figure this out, but I'm sure GM held about 50 of them anyway.
 

Holy Buick, for Chrysler's sake,
Somebody Chevied on my Ford V-8.
 


It's a virtually pointless commercial that can't possibly be selling any Buicks.
 


I'm 26, love Peter Frampton and even saw him at Summerfest a few years ago, dude still brings it. I love the commercial. He was in another commercial about a year or two ago where he uses his talkbox to reenact what a customer said about the product. Frampton must have a pretty good agent to get him these prime time ads.
 

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