Is it fast? Well, it's got a lightning bolt on the side of it, doesn't it?

Is it fast? Watch to see on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtYPhBK61d0&feature=relmfu

A Volkswagen commercial is how I'll end this round of posts.

Ten speeds must be fast. Be sure to buy a helmet too, kid!

So we start with a kid with blond hair (pay attention, this will be important) asking the bike salesman, "Is it fast?" We automatically assume that he's asking about a bike since he is in a bike store. The bike salesman replies very coolly, "It's got ten speeds, my friend." Automatically, we get a sense of action by the almost action-like scene where a hero (in this case, the blond haired boy) gets equipped with something new and impressive.
For those of you who have watched movies like Spy Kids or Commando [with Arnold Schwarzenegger], there are similar scenes involving the protagonist getting a hold on something they didn't have before.
Then we see the boy again, but older?

Lightning bolts make everything faster, doesn't it?

Here we see the same kid, only several years older. He is now asking his buddy about a motorbike. Again, he says, "Is it fast?" The blond kid's friend says, "It has a lightning bolt on it, doesn't it?" This supposedly answers the hero's question about it being fast. However, I thought it was a diversion. Lightning bolts doesn't make everything faster. And just putting it on something doesn't mean that the speed of said object will increase. I also noticed the cool action music in the background going: duh...duh duh duh...duh duh duh...duh duh duhhhhhh. It grabbed my attention because I heard it once before in my life and it's catchy.

Again, with the leap in age. He certainly looks pleased with himself.

This is the final time the hero asks, "Is it fast?", and the salesperson answers in a vague way. For this round, the salesperson replies: "I don't even know if it's street legal."

I don't know about you, but when a person selling a car says that they don't know if it's legal, I would get worried. I'd go, "Well, onto the next car lot!" But this man above seems to have thrown all caution to the wind.

Finally the real purpose of the commercial is shown:

Who's the little babbi? You are.

We see who the target audience is at this point. Parents are more likely to ask if a car is safe which is what this man asks. His speech changes as well as the man who is selling the Volkswagen Jetta. The African American replies very simply with, "Oh, yeah. It's a Volkwagen." We also note the action music pauses right when that line is said.

What is the Power of German Engineering? A shiny car?

Then the final scene pops up with a phrase saying, "That's the power of German Engineering." So, I am to understand that a car being safe is due to the power of German engineering. I think the advertisers wanted me to go, "Hey, German Engineering can give me a safe car that is clean, shiny and also is the 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick." Well, this ad has failed then because I don't think one line about the car being a top safety pick and the AA man's explanation that Volkswagens must be safe is enough to get me to buy their product. I need more of the facts and figures they offer.

But until then, I will not purchase a Volkswagen based upon this advertisement.