WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA"?
This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!
Published on Wed, Jun 8, 2005
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
"YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA"?
Back in the 1960s, Honda's slogan was "You meet the nicest people on a
Honda." Volkswagen Beetle ads proclaimed "Hello," which later inspired Chrysler to run their Neon "Hi" ads. Those were the days.
That was then; this is now.
Today, the emphasis is on the rugged, the tough, the macho. Out with the jellybean look; in
with the industrial-mechanical look. Minivans are for mommies. Real men and women
drive SUVs. Ford markets its new F-Series Super Duty trucks with the slogan,
"Meet the Beast." Even the "oh, what a feeling" folks at Toyota
decide
its elliptical logo is too wimpy. Expect to see Toyota truck ads more prominently displaying the rugged new industrial
logo you see here.
All this emphasis on the aggressive has come at a price. The streets are
now a little meaner. "Road rage" has become part of the American
lexicon. The horn is used more as an expression of anger than as a warning
device.
Does this have to be? Vancouver violinist David Shih thinks not. "Why not
have an option on the horn button that says I'm sorry? It can be a soft
tone that let's the other driver know you acknowledge the error," said Shih
to LA Car.
With traffic density at an all-time high, perhaps it's time to look at ways to
ease the tension. The horn may be a good starting point. Presently, there's only
one sound that a car horn emits, and it's both loud and unsettling by design. A my
bad option on the horn could be the start of a trend to move away from
traffic aggression.
Maybe we can even convince Honda to bring back its old but endearing slogan.
- Roy Nakano
This article first appeared in the LA Car Blog.
