Stereotypes Ahoy! 1970s Holden Ad Explains Australians

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Ic3RqPIJo[/youtube]
Ah, the 1970s. An era of unrepressed malaise, in which the atmosphere of boundless optimism was, itself, optimistic at best. This video, featuring completely irrelevant close-up shots of mammaries in small bikinis, seems to attempt to bring out the patriotism of Australians in spite of the general mediocrity of automobilia available to them, either domestic or imported. Unfortunately, it is bringing out the patriotic spirit using little more than the shallowest of stereotypes. One wonders how well it worked.
It reminds me of the “I Am Canadian” ads from Molson a few years back, except that Molson’s approach was to speak out against those tired stereotypes. Not that it helped.
The counterpart ad, planned for New Zealand, with the catchy jingle, “Sheep, Sheep, Sheep and Holden Cars” met with even less success.

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    1. Deartháir Avatar
      Deartháir

      Glad to see the Gimp upgraded from leather to metal.

  1. Smells_Homeless Avatar

    Captain Slow sighting at :39!

  2. muthalovin Avatar

    Alls I know about Australia, I saw in that movie, whats it called…. no, not Australia…. no, not Mad Max…. good god, what is it……

    1. RacinG73 Avatar

      Crocodile Dundee? Crocodile Dundee II? Strictly Ballroom?

    2. Charles_Barrett Avatar

      Priscilla, Queen of the Desert….

      1. muthalovin Avatar

        With all the drags! That's the one!

  3. Goingincirclez Avatar

    Was GM considering the tourism business? The nouns and syllables, and order are frighteningly similar to this:
    [youtube E_Y-2vlOegI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Y-2vlOegI youtube]
    (Excuse me while I play some GWAR to drown out the weeping in my ears.)

    1. Deartháir Avatar
      Deartháir

      That's kinda creepy. Also: I suddenly subconsciously do not like Chevrolet anymore.
      Wait… I didn't like them to begin with. Carry on.

    2. Tomsk Avatar

      Makes sense they would (kinda) recycle ad campaigns internationally, considering how many nameplates they've used internationally:
      -Nova
      -Calais
      -DeVille
      -Omega
      -Caprice
      -Royale
      -Monza
      -Lumina
      -Firenza
      -Corsa
      -Kingswood
      -Chevette

    3. From_a_Buick_6 Avatar

      Good God. It's the same damn jingle, right down to the "In case you're wondering, this message is brought ot you by…" line.
      General Motors: Even our commercials are badge engineered.

    4. CptSevere Avatar

      I almost spewed Budweiser all over my poor computer at that, you bastard. Thanks for dredging up one my most hated commercials from when I was a kid. That stupid jingle ran through my brain incessantly until I was ready to ride my skateboard under a bus. Thanks a lot.

  4. Alff Avatar

    "Football, meatpies, kagaroos and Holden cars" Good lord, is that how absurd "baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet" sounded to the rest of the world?

    1. Deartháir Avatar
      Deartháir

      Yup. Sure is.

      1. Alff Avatar

        Meanwhile "Beer Hunter, poutine, wooly toques and Laurentian" has quite a nice ring to it.

        1. Tomsk Avatar

          "Fußball, Sauerkraut, Lederhosen und Opel Autos!"
          "Cricket, bangers & mash, fox hunts and Vauxhall cars!"

        2. DeadinSideInc Avatar

          What part of Eastern Ontario/rural Quebec are you from?

          1. Alff Avatar

            North Van

      2. citroen67 Avatar

        Could be worse…it could be the same jingle, but using the line: "Hock-ey, Pou-tine, Breakfast Scotch and Mazda 3's" ;p
        Actually…all things considered, that really doesn't sound all that bad…

  5. Tripl3fast Avatar

    Ha ha! Saw that one on Top Gear Aus. They killed it too as utterly stupid. I hope they come back to TV. More TG the better. They could use a new track though. And Pizzatti is the only decent presenter. Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie!

  6. citroen67 Avatar

    There is a dealership called Applegate Chevrolet that advertised on the radio and TV in Mid-Michigan…and their song was the same jingle…but you guessed it…it was "Baseball, hotdogs, AppleGATE and Chevrolet".
    http://www.applegatechev.com/
    and after going to their site…I see that they are still rockin out with that slogan…nothing like beating up on a dead horse for thirty plus years.

  7. FuzzyPlushroom Avatar

    I just want y'all to know that I knew exactly which ad this was as soon as I saw the headline.
    Also, the suggested New Zealand variant would undoubtedly replace the well-endowed women with more sheep.

  8. marque911 Avatar
    marque911

    As an Aussie who remembers that ad well, I can advise that it was hugely successful. Which looking back, is kinda sad really. We've moved on since then. No, truly, we have.

  9. Jarne P. Avatar

    Ja, was für ein Spiel, toller Sieg.

  10. Carola L. Avatar

    Was war das mit den Italienern? Ein dünnes 3:2 gegen Serbien !?!? Und tschüss 🙂

  11. Arnd U. Avatar

    Verrückt 4 : 1 im Achtelfinale gegen die Briten.