Hummer Commercial: “Big Race”

I was never a fan of Hummer.   My perception: monstrous, lumbering tanks, and if I were a Mini next to one, I would be very, very, afraid.  Why would anyone want to buy a quasi-military vehicle that is challenging to park most places, and horribly fuel inefficient? 
 
In 2004, I saw a Hummer commercial, which modified my perception.  It was a heart-warming story brilliantly set to music from The Who, about a boy with a vision to win a race using ingenuity – thinking outside the box.  He builds a Frankenstein-esque soapbox Hummer, stripping wood from his dog’s house, and assembling other found parts.  At the start of the race, the boy is ridiculed, clearly the underdog among all the other traditional sleek soapbox cars.  You root for him as he maneuvers off-roading, and once he takes a final look back at the competition before crossing the finish line.

I drove a Land Rover Discovery, and though this commercial did not make me a convert, I found it endearing, charming, and memorable.  This ad is a gem.  The tagline, “Like nothing else”, appropriately fit Hummer’s unique brand positioning.  Despite the fact that GM has ended production of Hummer, I have thought about this commercial over the years.  What made it so effective was the power of a compelling narrative, well executed.