Two Minutes Hate

Swap Your Ride

I'm sure you've seen some of Ford's "Swap Your Ride" commercials.  I can't stand them.



The thing that annoys me the most is the ending of the commercials that say something like "Visit your local Ford dealer and swap your ride now...get the Ford for only $ per month."  What?  These people get to try a new car for a week just because but for me to do it, I have buy a new car?  That's not really a swap in line with the commercials.  

I also don't like how they don't tell you all the specifics of the car they are replacing...sure they say Toyota Camry but it could be a 1982 Toyota Camry for all you know.  Obviously their "friends and family" think they need a new car, I am going to go out on a limb and say that they aren't replacing a 2010 Camry.  Let's see, you replace a piece of shit car with a new car...I wonder which one they will like?  Even if your car is a few years old, it can feel like a POS when compared to a brand new car.  I am sure you could do this with any major auto maker and have similar results.

The people don't even usually like the car itself...they like the gadgets.  "I don't have navigation, I don't have blue tooth..."  That is not really the car.  Those are options that you can get on almost every new vehicle.  Again, if they were replacing a newer vehicle I don't think you would have these types of comments.  Technology changes every year, of course a newer car is going to have newer technology.

They don't show the people actually buying the car...they don't show the reaction shot to "Oh by the way, you now owe us $400 a month for the next five years."  If they do buy the cars, I'd like them to visit them again in a year and swap their ride with their new model to see what the person thinks...and to see if they are still thrilled with their purchase.  Eventually the newness is going to wear off.

End Hate