Unexpected Truth in Advertising:

I HATE deceptive advertising. I always have. But rather than go into all of that, I thought I’d bring to your attention an ad campaign that is refreshingly honest. It’s reminiscent of the fabled Volvo ad: “They’re boxy, but we like them.”

In a totally unexpected and apparently honest ad campaign, the Kia Soul claims to be better than a toaster OR a cardboard box. That’s not just any cardboard box. It’s one you wear on your head and run around using your feet for locomotion ala The Flintstones.

Now, I’m gonna go out on a limb here. I’m betting this ad is true. I’m willing to accept, without ever having been near a Kia Soul, that it’s better general transportation than a toaster OR a box.  When Car & Driver did their annual ranking, neither the box nor the toaster received high marks for resale value or safety rating in surviving a head-on collision. The BMW Box was totally lacking in side curtain airbags while the Soctor-Prilex Toaster had a tendency to burst into flames and scorch its passengers or “Pop-Tarts” as they are more commonly known.   In fact they only surpassed the Kia Soul in one category: Mileage. Since neither the Box nor the Toaster uses internal combustion, they are both “greener” than the Soul. It’s important to note that by not having a gasoline engine, they qualify for “alternative fuel” tax breaks.

Well, I have to applaud the KIA Corporation for such a bold attempt at honest and frank advertising. I do however fear that this ad might subconsciously backfire.  You see, while they’ve made a firm case that the Soul is better than either a box or a toaster, they failed to compare the Soul to a box and a toaster. In response to this oversight, toaster manufacturers have begun giving boxes away free with the purchase of a toaster. I wonder what the F.T.C. will have to say about that.