This commercial hints at the femininity of a driver who is not driving a Chevy Silverado truck. Discourses of masculinity and femininity are pretty common in advertising, but notice that all the spokesperson (Howie Long, Hall of Fame football player and all-around manly tough guy) has to do is hint at it here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cagPZOAtZp4[/youtube]
Comments 13
mordicai — January 21, 2009
Should be: IF YOU DO NOT DRIVE A CHEVY TRUCK, YOU ARE FEMININE (& THAT IS BAD!)
OP Minded — January 21, 2009
As one of the posters here who is pretty cynical about some of the complaints that pop up on this website, I must say that I was stunned when I saw this on tv a few weeks ago. It is a pretty disgraceful ad.
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Ben — January 22, 2009
I notice that fuel economy was never considered masculine before the economy tanked. Three years ago, fuel economy was for daisy-sniffing sissy-nannies with manicures and heated steering wheels. Now it's apparently part of the package?
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Lila — February 26, 2009
I'll actually be pretty happy if we can hitch fuel economy and/or environmental concerns to American masculinity. It takes longer to change gender hierarchy than the time we have to stop global warming.
Peter — September 2, 2009
21mpg is nothing to boast about. Double that is acceptable.
Ilsa — November 30, 2009
Wow, I'm a girl and I DO DRIVE a Chevy... so does that make me masculine?! Phhbth.
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chevy truck — February 6, 2010
This testimonial express the image of product to be manly and cool by selecting the good presenter. This is the effect of brand ambassador to the product.
monster truck toys — March 26, 2010
It's funny because the GMC Sierra, which is just a rebadged Silverado, has the option of a heated steering wheel.
LaughingTooHard — August 4, 2010
Sorry, but I don't think this is cut and dry feminine vs masculine.
Heated steering wheels are for people who refuse to touch a cold steering wheel. Or those who don't wear gloves in cold weather. Nothing to do about gender there. Obviously, it is a silly option for either sex.
The manicure comment, well if you drive a truck and used it for physical work, then maybe you'd be foolish to get a manicure.
The woman I know, who runs a gardening biz never has a manicure - it is a waste of time and money for her. Artists, sculptors, massage therapists and other 'physical work with your hands' employees, male or female hardly bother with manicures.
Again nothing to do with gender, just pointing out the driver is not working with the truck he bought. Which begs the question: Why by a pickup if you don't need one?
That is what I got out of the commercial and I am happy to have someone ask that question.
www.towtruckvictoria.com — February 1, 2023
What if it's a tow truck? Does that count?