2007 Superbowl Ads Review: GM Car Wash Dudes

GM's Chevy HHR

Dani's Druthers: 3.0 of 5 Daisies.

As soon as I saw men coming out to wash the Chevy HHR, I knew it was a poke at last year's car wash Superbowl commercial from Godaddy.com. The Godaddy.com commercial was supposed to air twice during last year's Superbowl, but the NFL convinced FOX to pull it before the second airing. Somehow, I don't think GM's version of the car wash scenario offended as Godaddy's version did.

It was entertaining to see men in all shapes and sizes joining in on the car wash. While I normally am totally against sexist advertising, I have to admit that the way this was handled was funny rather than offensive. The passenger's reaction of covering her eyes as the very elderly man came up to her window to wash, and asking to be told when it was over was hysterically funny.

The choice of setting for the carwash in GM's version made more sense than that of Godaddy's version. New York is known for people wanting to earn a dollar by washing a windshield as drivers pull up to stoplights. To show the HHR in this setting, and to be naturally surrounded by so many men, was clever writing.

Even New York's infamous "Naked Cowboy" made an appearance in the commercial, which also was appropriate for the commercial's theme. For those who don't know, the "Naked Cowboy" is a man who sings on street corners wearing his cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and pair of brief underwear. He has been featured on various shows, and even has his own website.

I think what saved this commercial from the fate of godaddy's was that the men only took off their shirts (except the "Naked Cowboy" who was in his usual attire, so therefore didn't 'take off' anything). The men were rubbing up against the car a bit, but it was not in the suggestive manner in which the woman in the other commercial did. Less skin was shown and the whole theme of the commercial was not sex, but entertainment and humor.

For all of those reasons, this commercial gets a 3 out of 5 daisies rating from me.

Ifilms showcases Superbowl commercials on their website, and the Gm Car Wash Dudes ad may be viewed there, along with all of the other Superbowl XLI commercials.