Tag: cars

Apr112011 by Chris Holmes5 Comments
Commercials I Hate — “Honeymoon” (Subaru Outback)

Commercials I Hate — “Honeymoon” (Subaru Outback)

Advertising
I promise I'm not hyper-focused on car ads for this series, but it just seems that they irritate me the most these days. And this one is currently at the top of my list. It's the oh-so-cute and romantic "Honeymoon" spot for the Subaru Outback. Can we quit it with the sloppy hipsters in car ads already? I happen to really like the Outback, but if I saw a couple like this driving one I might just run them off the road. Of course they'd probably just say "oh, what a great adventure!" and grin like idiots. I could probably handle the sappy montage, but then the douchenozzle husband kicks in with the smugness: "We could've gone a more traditional route. But it wouldn't have been nearly as memorable." You know what, hipster honeymooner? Your special little trip in the dirt is no ...
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Feb72011 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Commercials I love: The Force (Volkswagen)

Commercials I love: The Force (Volkswagen)

Advertising
Another year, another batch of uninspired Super Bowl commercials behind us.  But wait!  There were some worthy ones this year, not the least is this awesome one from Volkswagen called "The Force": This Passat ad already won me over for the Darth Vader costume and awesome John Williams "Imperial March" Star Wars score.  But as the parent of a 10-month-old, I couldn't help but get a little misty at the kid's reaction to the car starting up.  And if you thought this ad was hokey and sentimental, well you're right.  Except that it's awesome at the same time. There does seem to be some debate as to whether or not that's a little boy or girl in the Vader outfit.  The YouTube description says it's a boy, which means he's in his sister's room trying to Force choke her doll or something. 
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Jan192011 by Chris Holmes15 Comments
Commercials I hate – Toyota Highlander and that little puke kid

Commercials I hate – Toyota Highlander and that little puke kid

Advertising
Now that the holiday season is behind us and with it, thank God, those headache-inducing Hyundai hipsters, it's time to focus on an even more insidious automotive ad campaign.  You know what I'm talking about - the Toyota Highlander commercials featuring that obnoxious little punk. At least the hipsters were trying to convey a sense of fun and whimsy.  Can anyone explain what the redeeming qualities of these ads are?  I can tell you what I see in these spots: Smart-mouthed little brat?  Check. Future status-seeking jerkoff?  Check. The most rage-inducing child I've seen on my TV since Danny Cooksey?  Check. Little turd who doesn't get the irony of calling his parents lame while wearing skinny jeans?  Check. Ungrateful twerp who should be thankful his folks don't smack t
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Jan72011 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
The ’30s and ’40s in living color, Part 2

The ’30s and ’40s in living color, Part 2

Ephemera, History
November 2009 seems like ancient history to me, but that's when I published part one of my look at some of the most interesting color photos from the 1930s and 1940s (as presented on Flickr by the Library of Congress).  I love looking at pictures like these because even with the most mundane subjects, seeing them in color brings them to life in a way we never could before (unless you were there I guess). These photos were all taken between 1939 and 1944 by the United States Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI).  Just click on a photo to see a larger version. (Part 1 can be seen here.) Even in the '40s no road sign was safe from the scourge of graffiti.  Although as one astute person pointed out, the markings on that railroad sign c
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Dec132010 by Chris Holmes117 Comments
Commercials I hate – Hyundai Sonata hipster Christmas

Commercials I hate – Hyundai Sonata hipster Christmas

Advertising
Oh look at us, we are so delightfully indie and quirky!  Enjoy us frolicking in our secondhand store clothes as we shill for a multi-billion dollar car company! OK, I'll give Pomplamoose (WTF?) a little credit - having checked out some of their other covers they do have some good stuff.  But damn these Hyundai commercials are irritating.  Although I guess it beats watching those yuppie pukes put giant bows on their Lexuses (Lexi?).
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Jul102007 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
Countdown: 10 Most Attractive U.S. License Plates

Countdown: 10 Most Attractive U.S. License Plates

Featured Posts, Listcruft
This countdown first ran in 2007, and is now updated through the end of 2012. While a few plates have changed since '07, only one was drastic enough to merit a change in the rankings -- Kansas lost the #7 spot to Nebraska. License plates are one of the most effective ways for a state to advertise itself to the world. And since a license plate design is usually much more long-lasting than an ad campaign, the choice of design is very important. This is a topic that weighed heavily on my mind as I drove home from Cape Cod last weekend, believe it or not. So in an effort to be as scientific (anal) as possible, I rated all 50 U.S. plates based on the following criteria: Typeface -- Fonts used, as well as their arrangement, are considered. Text -- Includes mottoes, slogans, or any other...
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Jun82007 by Chris Holmes7 Comments
Posters of the WPA

Posters of the WPA

Ephemera
Back in the day (1935 to be precise), President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration (WPA), an enormous government program aimed at providing employment for millions of Americans affected by the Great Depression. The legacy of the WPA is a host of public works (bridges, roads, etc.) and cultural projects. That's all well and good obviously, but what I really care about are the cool posters designed to promote many of the WPA's programs. All of these images and hundreds more are available as part of the Library of Congress's "Posters of the WPA" collection. I've simply picked what I feel are some of the most visually appealing and added my usual pithy commentary. As you'll see, these great images are very much of their time and most display an Art Deco sensibili...
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Mar262007 by Chris Holmes12 Comments
No-Go Logos

No-Go Logos

Advertising
I've always considered myself an armchair graphic designer, particularly when it comes to logos. A logo is a really easy and effective way to convey an image about your business/club/whatever. And while I'm all for modern styling, logos are one area where I'm old-fashioned. Too often, companies will update their logo for seemingly no good reason, and it's usually for the worse. So let's take a look at a sampling of logos and emblems, both old and new, and see if my stodgy views are justified. Burger King The original BK logo was simple, yet effective. A nice, quirky little font and the bun halves got the point across. Not as iconic as the golden arches, but still good. The font on the logo was made blander in 1994, then five years later BK unveiled a SLAMMIN' new look: Yeah...
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Mar162007 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
View-Master’s 1957 New Jersey – 5 of 7

View-Master’s 1957 New Jersey – 5 of 7

Ephemera
This is a shot of the RCA Laboratories building in Camden, NJ. I know there's a lot of history for RCA and this particular location, but to be perfectly honest I can't stop focusing on the parking lot full of sweet, sweet cars. Of particular note is that lovely red and white Buick wagon in the foreground. Sadly, my knowledge of old cars (or new cars for that matter) is lacking so I can't really tell what other models are in this picture. Any guesses?
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