Inside the terrifying minds of Leo Burnett

Was the driver turning up his ‘smug setting at 0:35?

People who drive Subaru’s are just lovely people!

What’s terrifying is that the story ends so lamely. The scene is dramatic, the driver stops for this suspicious character and you think “hmm what’s going to happen here” – then the character just backs away from the Liberty because it’s supposedly too “wild” or something. Assuming the strategy behind this TVC was to build up the Liberty’s “macho” image then I think it falls well short.

Very disappointing, I expect better from those guys

I prefer the 30″ spot with little or no context for the story at all.

I also would expect better from them. The ad has no context at all, I am left confused and barely remember the ad is for a car.

Surely the Subaru driver could at least have backed over this guy so he wouldn’t slaughter the next driver who comes along

Speaking of Leo’s, does The Todd have time enough away from TV land for his CEOing?

Disappointing. There is a moment there when you are genuinely intrigued as to what is going to happen when he gets in the car…but then it is like a comedic ending without actually being funny.

Fizzled out at the end.

fantastic ad. this blog is very sad. do you only exist to rip ads? pretty bad journalism, if you can even call it that, to write a headline like that for such a brave ad. truly sad.

The reason they made this ad so “dark” is because the car is SOOO goddamn fugly.

For some reason I though the “sinister drifter” was a zombie, perhaps the foot dragging and was waiting on the killer tag line that just doesn’t come. Totally forgot about the car and left scratching head for 10secs before I’d forgotten it.

Takes too long to get the message and the gag.

Sadly, a fail.

I believe the client hasn’t missed this perception either.

Credit for not just getting a helicopter and shooting on that twisty bridge near Wollongong, but I was disappointed by this one as it’s been hyped up but plays like some well shot Tropfest film with a one gag script that ultimately leaves you unsatisfied and certainly isn’t making me part with $40K for a new car.

PS – Anon@11.15am – Schoolboy error.

Yes, a pretty lame add, (sorry), but why do sinister people always have to be portrayed as having a disability or something not quite ‘perfect’ about them… ie in this case a limp…this feeds into people’s prejudicial attitudes..

I quite like this ad – it holds your attention.

The car looks sexy, but i’d argue that the plot ending needed some work – why did the drifter walk off? Was he going to mug him or did he need urgent medical attention?

Although more ‘terrifying’ than your traditional car ad, it’s much more entertaining and memorable than those horrible smug young family with ‘smart keys’ for… i dont even know or care which brand they’re for.

Another in what seems to be an endless series of indulgent “creative” ads… that completely forget that their main job is to raise awareness of the product and or (at least) the brand. If there is a saving grace – and there probably isn’t – it’s that it wasn’t one of those interminably dull “onlookers with expressions of soft awe” ads that are so much the trend at the moment. Come on people! it’s advertising. The public are supposed to know what you’re advertising. And get this, if nothing else; People don’t like ads. They aren’t sitting at home waiting for your work to unfold. They aren’t “intrigued”. They know it’s an ad from frame one and aren’t “surprised to find its an ad for (insert product name)..” Your client’s shelling out big bucks for production and bigger bucks for air time. You’ve got thirty second, stop wasting 25 of them on your indulgence – it doesn’t work. (studies have proved it – see Birds Eye Frozen Fish and Big Beer) Back to the subject of this Ad.. what the?