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Honda Joins Masters of Advertising Universe With Nostalgic ’80s Toy Ads

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If there is anything that advertisers have a knack for, it’s using our own childhood memories against us to get us to buy just about anything. The latest company to capitalize on the idea of using ‘80s nostalgia for cracking open wallets is Honda for their annual Honda Days sale using one of the most notorious villains of our youth, Skeletor.

Stop-motion photography aside, there is really isn’t a much better line of toys to represent Millennial childhoods like Skeletor and his arch nemesis He-Man, cleverly trying to sneak up on the popular toy mastermind on Battle Cat; only to be briefly spotted by the 2015 Honda CR-V sporting a standard rearview camera. The number of these battles that must have taken place in back seats of vehicles of all brands and types is simply staggering.

Honda wasn’t done peddling its wares to us using with Skeletor. There are also ads for the rest of the Honda sale lineup featuring a JEM/G.I. Joe mashup that is nearly dripping with sexual innuendo as well as far more innocent fare featuring Strawberry Shortcake, Little People (whatever the hell those are) and Gumby and Pokey. There really isn’t enough claymation used anymore. There was also a Stretch Armstrong offering, but that was a little before our time. It was popular in the 70s and the myth was that the toy was made of plutonium. This is obviously false, but in the pre-internet world, kids traded on rumors.

This is a pretty interesting representation of 80s-90s toys. You’d think Chevy would have been all over this considering they sold their corporate soul to be the featured vehicles in the Transformers movies. However, the automaker that will hit the biggest home run will be the one that gets Bill Murray to don his Peter Venkman jump suit to sell me a car.

What line of toys from your youth would get you most excited to buy a vehicle?

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Skeletor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79fdqgHKRA

JEM/G.I. Joe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxokHywIlEs

Stretch Armstrong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXy39bWBUcQ

Gumby/Pokey:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUZ6u81YALU

Strawberry Shortcake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t-VVXz7IpM

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Little People:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yG42XaHEqo

 

Mike Krumrei is an accomplished writer, former journalist and participation trophy recipient. Despite not driving a vehicle for several years, his theoretical knowledge of the practice allows for a more fluid discussion of the finer points of almost any vehicle including cup holders and vanity mirrors. During his brief driving career, the first car he was in that started on fire was a 1990 Ford Taurus. He currently writes for phantomcopy.com.

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Ford Continues to Please Minivan-Skeptic Soccer Moms

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Ford Aerostar Minivan Exterior Does Ford Still Make

If the words Aerostar, Windstar and Freestar mean anything to you, you know that Ford is responsible for some of the best minivans ever made. Beginning with the first model Aerostar in 1986, Ford’s snub-nosed minivan set the standard of what would be created by automotive manufacturers in this class for decades.

The Aerostar was also the first minivan in the United States to feature upgraded, luxury packages. With an XLT package, and Eddie Bauer trim levels, the Ford Aerostar allowed drivers to bring passengers, cargo and more in style. For the first time, drivers could take advantage of the versatile and reliable minivan platform, without sacrificing comfort and convenience.

Does Ford Still Make a Minivan?

The Aerostar continued in the mid-90s as the Ford Windstar. The Windstar was a complete reinvention, shifting the drivetrain from RWD to FWD, and bringing the flagship minivan more in line with current minivan design. The Windstar became the Freestar in the early 2000s, lasting until the 2007 model year, with the final Ford “Star line” minivan rolling off the assembly line in December of 2006.

While we don’t know for sure what was behind Ford’s decision to discontinue their family-marketed minivan, we can take a guess. For starters, Ford has extended their reputation for reliable cars and trucks into the crossover market. With options covering a wide range of size and seating configurations (everything from the subcompact Ford Ecosport to the boxy family hauler Ford Flex), crossovers have become the new favorite for family vehicles.

Ford’s versatile crossover line has a vehicle that can meet almost any need. Do you have a small family? Go with the popular 2018 Ford Escape. Big family with lots of stuff to haul? The 2018 Ford Expedition has your back.

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Although crossovers and SUVs provide some distinct advantages (presence of AWD, higher ground clearance, and uni-body construction), the market for minivans hasn’t completely died, and neither has Ford’s commitment to providing drivers with a competent and compelling option.

Good News: Ford Still Makes a Passenger Minivan

ford transit connect passenger van in solar color_oAlthough Ford’s marketing has shifted toward promoting their incredible range of crossovers and SUVs as family choices, they still offer a more traditional minivan in the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon. Utilizing the same body construction as the Ford Transit cargo van, the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon features up to 7 seats, and plenty of standard safety and comfort technology.

Lower ride height (easier in and out), sliding doors and greater visibility are among the reasons people still prefer vans for transporting their families. Additionally, the more contoured shape of most crossovers (not looking at you, Ford Flex) means that vans provide better cargo room! Family of four traveling cross-state with three suitcases? A Ford Explorer should be a great option.

Family of six, with a dog and 10 bags going cross-country, however, and the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon starts to look a lot more up to the job.

Ford has a sterling reputation across the spectrum of vehicles they manufacture. Although the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon isn’t among their more well-known, it’s among the most competent and best value options in the minivan class.

 

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I Wasn’t Always a Dale Jr Fan – But Now I Get It

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It was the crowning moment of the career of Nascar’s most popular driver. The 2004 Daytona 500. The chosen son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, had won the race that his father tragically died competing in only three years earlier.

Reports of the day say that everyone in the crowd was on their feet, cheering. Grown men were in tears. It was quite the moment, they say.

Well, I can tell you that there was at least one person that wasn’t cheering. That’s because I was that lone defector. (more…)

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The Essence Of 90’s Chevy Truck Commercials

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If you ever watched television for more than an hour at any time during the 90’s, you probably remember Chevy’s “Like a Rock” commercials. They aired on just about every channel, so they were pretty hard to miss—and pretty hard to forget as well. Even two decades later the sound of Bob Seger belting out those now-famous words is still shockingly memorable. (more…)

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