By Daryl Lang
Is there a worse car spot on TV right now than the “Donut Action” commercial for the Nissan Juke? Take a look:
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Are you kidding me, Nissan? In just 60 seconds, the viewer has to read not 1 but 4 disclaimers warning that the behavior in the commercial is dangerous. And it is! Driving while distracted, passing city traffic using your turbocharger, leaping through a freakin’ window, skidding through a parking structure, and far more showboating than the situation calls for.
If the ad were a masterpiece of slapstick comedy—if the humor overpowered the disturbing shot of large truck about to plow into a young driver—it might be deserving of a pass. There’s almost a tragic, Office/Office Space-style mood to it. There’s something funny about having a job so lame that you’re a hero for providing donuts. But it’s not funny enough.
This ad is uncomfortably close to the kind of real behavior that sends young drivers—likely Juke owners—to the emergency room. You can easily imagine an alternate ending: Kowalczyk speeds to run some trivial errand in his freshly waxed sportcross, clips the curb, mows down a cyclist, and rolls over in a ditch, blood oozing down his forehead. (Announcer: “The all-new Nissan Juke. With dual-stage front airbags!”)
Cars are dangerous. And while it’s common to see dangerous driving in commercials, it’s usually for beauty shots—a truck bounding over rocks, or a sporty car taking a tight corner on a mountain road. Here it’s used as part of a story that echoes a real-world situation. I doubt any kid is going to smash a Juke into a truck because of this commercial, but it sends a message that aggressive driving is fun and sexy. This ad shouldn’t have aired.
https://www.breakingcopy.com/nissan-juke-commercialoldId.20110414073407427