More Superbowl

Of course, despite the way I wonder whether Treehugger's efforts to point out the environmental waste in the Superbowl is truly effective in convincing people of anything (which they aren't really trying to do anyway), I do think they make an interesting point when it comes to car commercials - specifically Toyota's. The basic point: no one's advertising hybrid, environmentalism, or efficiency.

Well, why?

It could be that the ads were conceived and made before Obama let states set their own emission standards (hey B-man, thanks for that one - owe you one).

It could also be Toyota and other car companies believe that current low gas prices mean that people don't care about fuel efficiency. Which, to a certain extent, might be true.

But personally, I'm putting my bets on them deciding that no one watching the Superbowl cares. The Superbowl ads are supposed to be slick, fast, and fancy, and there's a stereotype that football is for unintellectual, blue-collar types - the kind of people who wouldn't exactly describe themselves as environmental. True? No.

But, I'd be willing to bet that in some marketing office somewhere, one of the suits wondered if they should make a point of being environmental. And I bet he was shot down - because it's the Superbowl, man! Bring on the celebrities and sexy people (not necessarily mutually exclusive).

I mean, Toyota alone has promised ten new hybrid or electric cars in the next several years - as Treehugger points out, you'd think they'd have something to say on that score.

In the end, I think this reveals something cutting about audiences and marketing in general. It seems pretty clear, based on these ads, that either people don't think environmentalism is slick and sexy - or that marketing people don't think that people think it is.

It's all enough to make your head spin, really.

Maybe PETA had the right idea after all.