7 Creative, Clever Car Ads That Always Make Us Smile

It’s easy to dismiss car ads as shameless, soulless attempts to grab our hard-earned dollars. But the truth is that the best automotive advertising, like automotive journalism, relies on creativity and imagination. This week, we decided to share some of our digital staff’s favorite car ads. Some of them we love as period pieces, others for their sheer bravado, and many for their clever humor. All of them succeed in making a for-profit company and its inanimate product feel—well, a bit more human.

We may or may not have bought a car based on these ads, but we’ll never get tired of watching (or reading) them. When you’ve had a read, let us know what advertisements spoke to you!

Awesomely Cheesy Datsun

I have ensured “there are virtually no options” for a better advertisement by picking the 280 ZX “Black Gold” advertisement from Datsun. While Datsun had plenty of awesomely cheesy ads for their flagship sports coupe during this time, none can top the mustachioed, laser beam and disco violin infused perfection created for the 10th Anniversary edition.

Go ahead, watch it. Tell me if anyone else on this list is “driven to the ultimate.”

Trust Stefan, Joe Isuzu Is the Best

In the realm of actual car advertising, I always loved David Leisure as the pathological liar Joe Isuzu. His smarmy delivery always makes me laugh. Then I started thinking about smarminess in general, and that led me to the late Phil Hartman. What a genius that guy was. So I humbly submit this pair of spoof car ads from, what I would argue, was peak Saturday Night Live: The Adobe from 1986, Hartman’s first season on the show, and the Chameleon XLE from 1993. — Stefan Lombard

Crazy People: Raunchy but Good

I spent a fair amount of time in advertising, both academically and professionally, and the whole experience left me chilly. Payback came with the 1990 Dudley Moore film Crazy People, about an advertising agency that tells the truth. Yes, this is where “Volvo—Boxy But Good” came from, but the Jaguar ad, at about 2 minutes, 20 seconds on this clip, is just classic. Beware: Strong language, but if this doesn’t make you laugh, you’re a Quaker. As in “oats.” And yes, that product is included here, too. — Steven Cole Smith

“Nobody’s Perfect”

I can’t help but think about the run of print ads Porsche had in the 1980s. Specifically, the one that will always stick in my head is the”Nobody’s Perfect” ad, where Porsche simply listed off the overall top 10 finishing order from the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans. All but one car was a Porsche. That sort of dominance is remarkable, especially at Le Mans. It feels like there was equal parts earned arrogance and tongue-in-cheek with the ad, and I’d say it certainly got the message across when it comes to just how impressive Porsche was on the race track in that era. — Nate Petroelje

Self-Deprecating Citroën

It’s charming when a carmaker doesn’t take themselves too seriously, and it’s hilarious when they poke fun at themselves. I can’t think of anybody who did it better than Citroën with their old print ads for the 2CV, which was a cheap, slow, extremely basic (but brilliant) little car that they built forever and barely updated. The ads are basically saying “yeah, it kinda sucks. And we’ve been too lazy to change anything. But it’s affordable and it’s charming as hell so, come on, buy it.” It makes me want one! — Andrew Newton

VW’s ’60s Beetle Ads

This list would be incomplete were we to overlook the VW ads of the 1960s. Whether it was “Think Small,” or “Lemon,” or the lunar rover quip that “It’s ugly, but it gets you there,” these ads have endured because of their simplicity, sense of humor, and ability to say more by saying less. These qualities are exactly what made the Beetle itself so beloved, and the harmony between messaging and product just wormed its way into people’s hearts. — Eric Weiner

When Peugeot Took Our Breath Away

Britain’s repmobile wars were at their height when Peugeot launched its 405 into the fray. It had to compete against fleet favorites like the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier, so an explosive entry to the market was just what was required. The 1989 “Fields of Fire” campaign did not disappoint, as this run-of-the-mill sedan ran the gauntlet of blazing fields, accompanied by Berlin’s Top Gun–famous Take My Breath Away. It certainly took mine away, and the 405 soon became a top-seller.