What Is It With Detroit?

I am a car fan.... I am not obsessed like some, but I can, like a lot of guys my age, discuss cars almost endlessly, even though I have never owned a very fancy or fast one.  I tend to like 'imports,' though we all realize that concept is getting slippery with the international manufacturing trends going on. It is clearer probably to describe what is 'domestic'... which means GM products, most of Ford and, up till recently, most of Chrysler. How much of their brain power is still headquartered in Detroit, I am not sure, but I use the term 'Detroit' in the title to refer to the decision makers of the domestic industry. What gets me upset, as a car fan, is seeing how long, how interminably long, Detroit keeps behaving like clueless dinosaurs. I want to be a  fan, it would make us all wealthier and prouder as a nation if we could point to American cars as world class. After decades, we've suffered through their slow catchup in practical sizing, modern styling, and efficient engines, let alone the miserable reliability that has been evident at times. Now, finally there is an offering of acceptably modern, sexy, and well-built cars, though their trucks are profitable for somewhat different reasons, and sell to a different audience than most car consumers. That is good news, what I wonder now is how long do we have to wait for the corporate mindset to catchup with what their engineers have done?

I have seen advertisements that are so off the wall as far as progressive marketing, I really have to wonder who thinks this stuff works for? Childish fantasies like this: I saw a Cadillac ad that has two of their sharp-edged sedans racing next to each other on a wild, winding road, through a tunnel.... and one of the cars is going backwards! What does this mean? It's not true, it's not a likable fantasy, it just does not make sense! I saw another ad where SUVs are racing, and Dodge is claiming 'America is back.' And another Doge truck ad where the driver is pleased to be appealing to a group of Harley riders. Isn't driving a powerful, rugged, useful truck good enough.... does it have to somehow satisfy an urge to be a biker too?

I am not an advertising genius, I am a car fan. But a lot of fairly sophisticated Americans can see there are overpaid dinosaurs approving and encouraging such childish advertising, dinosaurs that will be the last to get the news that domestic cars are not that bad.... you can market them to adults for good reasons.