Check out Oliver Willis’ observation on how the media is reacting to the new ad campaign on SUVs and oil depenency (of course it’s not going to get run anywhere).
Those of you who like to paint the media in broad generalizations should have a field day arguing over this one.
Update: Go to the Detroit Project site to see the advertisements.
I will tell you, SUV’s are awful vehicles. If they werren;t so damn appealing, I would have never bought one. My wife needed something to be able to see over others. She is short and has a very hard time being able to see around these behemoths on the road down here. Seems like EVERYONE has an suv down here. It waqs appealing to me because quite honestly, I don;t want to be riding around in a minivan. The buiggest reason for that is the fact that if your going to buy something for that money, it better damn well be all wheel drive.
The cons far outweigh everything else though. They are expensive, gas guzzling dangerous cehicels. I warned my wife to drive it just as it is – a truck. That is one of the biggest problems with the SUV is people try to drive it like it is a car. Can’t do that. Center of gravity is much higher making it a hell of a lot easier to tip. Also, its unfortunate the folks feel “safer” in these things. This is certainly not the case. These things are more likely to roll in an accident. They are also more dangerous for the other car involved.
I really wish there was a ban on these things. They are awful horrible things. However, you wont see ads depicting this because it is the auto makers, oil companies who are the biggest customers of the media stations. Watch an hour or two of commercial laden tv – you wiull see more car commercials than anything else in any given period.