Bad Advertising

I don't know how relevant this is to whatever we should be writing on this blog - but the class discussion today prompted me to really think about the target audiences in ad campaigns.  I found myself remembering some thoughts I had to myself during one ad campaign... I think it was for the Dodge 1500.  In those ads, they would have a few guys take the truck around some obstacle course which would probably destroy my humble sedan.  They would drive through fire, massive potholes, rocks, desert, and shallow lakes.  The guys in the car would be screaming and really enjoying there time in the car.  Thats great... if your marketing that car to that audience.  But I thought to myself, honestly... who honestly is going to buy a car for that purpose alone?  Granted, there might be a GREAT niche audience that campaign might've been geared towards, but I think the advertisers really missed the point that they are trying to sell VOLUME, and you can't get a high volume of sales by advertising to a tiny audience.  And, I think this was one of the great failure of the American automotive sector - they kept on pushing products in an economic environment where people weren't looking for ultra rugged outdoor sports cars, they wanted something that could get them to and from work without breaking the bank.  I'm a guy, and I do some "guy" gender roll things... ie: watch football... drink gratuitous amounts of beer,  hell, I even change my own oil... but the last thing I want is a truck which is going to contribute to the destruction of our planet and cause me to go bankrupt via my gas-card.  Its 2009, not 1959, and GM, Chrysler, and Ford don't really realize that.  I think if ad campaigns would find a way to focus on guys like me, they would find a wider audience.  

Or maybe I just over thought and overwrote this whole thing....