About that “Green Police” Super Bowl ad
Some of you think Audi’s “Green Police” ad that ran during the Super Bowl last night was brilliant satire. Others were creeped out. Count me in the creeped-out camp.
If you missed it, here it is:
Now, here is the context you need to judge which side Audi is on — from the company’s “Audi Green Police” website:
Who are the Green Police?
Green Police: Who are they? Here is a quick primer.
Every day consumers around the globe are faced with a myriad of decisions in their quest to become more environmentally responsible citizens. Paper or plastic? Bottled water or tap water? Gas or electric? Compost Bucket or Recycling Bin? So many questions; yet so many conflicting answers. It can be overwhelming.
Now consumers have help, from the Green Police.
As part of the lead up to their third consecutive Super Bowl ad, Audi has created a fictional Green Police unit that are caricatures of today’s “green movement”. The Green Police are a humorous group of individuals that have joined forces in an effort to collectively help guide consumers to make the right decision when it comes to the environment. They’re not here to judge, merely to guide these decisions.
Coincidentally, there are numerous real Green Police units globally that are furthering green practices and environmental issues. For example, Israel’s main arm of the Ministry of Environmental Protection in the area of enforcement and deterrence is called; you guess it, the Green Police. New York has officers within the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation that are fondly called the “Green Police”. The Green Police is also the popular name for Vietnam’s Environmental Police Department and the UK has a group who dresses in green as part of the Environment Agency’s squad to monitor excessive CO2 emissions.
Audi’s corporate greenies are aggressively peddling “sustainable development” programs through a multi-million-dollar non-profit foundation:
Audi AG has endowed the new Audi Environmental Foundation, an organization designed by the company to focus exclusively on environmentally minded pursuits for the common good, with a $5 million kitty.
The Foundation was established to unify the company’s globally splintered environmental initiatives, bringing them together under one department for maximum efficiencies. The company hopes that the move will allow them to streamline brand communication around the many sustainablility and environmental initiatives they have as well as focusing spend. While the Foundation will have freedom in terms of spend, Audi believes that they can create more sustainable operations by integrating the foundations work into their own corporate culture.
Audi has recently announced other sustainability initiatives as well, including reducing fleet emissions 20% by 2012 and utilizing waste heat in its headquarters. Check out some of the other Audi of America sustainability initiatives here.
Green Car Journal, which designated Audi’s TDI the “Green Car of the Year” (a plaudit featured in the Super Bowl ad), heralded the commercial and snickered at those who have decried the very real manifestations of eco-fascism that have seeped into our daily lives:
Green Police focused on ‘protecting and conserving the Earth’ are now a part of modern life, or at least that’s what a series of tongue-in-cheek public service announcements by Audi would have us believe. The end game? These teasers running on YouTube (www.youtube.com/greenpolice) are leading up to the Audi Green Police Super Bowl ad that spotlights Green Car Journal’s 2010 Green Car of the Year winner, the clean diesel Audi TDI.
The YouTube videos include one focused on ‘napkin abuse,’ which warns against taking more than a single napkin per sandwich – or burrito, or pizza slice, or fish taco – because this leads to more than a billion pounds of napkins in landfills. And those power strips in your home or office? According to these white-shirted, green-focused officials they’re nothing less than ‘Mother Nature haters’ that facilitate CO2 emissions and harm the environment.
They’re pure fiction, of course. But that seems to have escaped many viewers who have commented on what an issue it is to be told how to live their lives by the Green Police. Score one for Audi, because that buzz will set the stage for the Audi Super Bowl ad that follows.
“Pure fiction?” Yeah. It’s all just our wild imagination and hallucinations.
Audi’s bottom-line corporate message is that the Green State is here to stay and that capitulating to it — and capitalizing on it, as Audi has — is the path to survival.
It’s no laughing matter, really.
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Categories: Enviro-nitwits
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The tree huggers in Seattle were all sighing “If only.”.
Smart Balance does the same thing in one of its commercials pushing for a national ban of trans fats. And they don’t hide that fact either.
Companies dictating habits? WTF is going on?!?!
Add me to the creeped out crowd. After seeing the ad, it was clear I will never buy an Audi or any other ‘green car’.
And, it sure does look like the future if the greenies get their way.
Ugh.
I’ll skip all the Audi “Third Reich” commentary (I’ve seen enough of it already on posts elsewhere) and just say that this ad stinks a little too close for my comfort to reality.
Here in Central Florida, there’s a County which has deemed all trees (yes, you read that correctly, including those on private property) to be a “common good” of sorts and use this – ahem – rationale (cough, hack, wheeze) to require permits to cut certain ones down (I’ve just been issued one and denied another…), with stiff penalties for not following the regulations.
Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck. Funny, Audi. Not.
They’ve ruined a great song in the process. For that, they all ought DIAF.
Not kidding.
Ought to, that is.
BTW – That cute little electric (green) car in the pic has to be plugged in all night to charge the batteries. 54% of electricity in the US is coal generated. They should show a 10 lb. lump of coal smoldering somewhere to run their green car, and go balistic about that.
Fruit. Cakes.
Alternatively,
This does use Alinsky’s principle of ridicule as a weapon. Heck, I’ve been making fun of over zealous environmentalists for years.
Also,
Here in FL, you can get a sticker to drive in the HOV lanes without passengers if you have a hybrid, but not if you have a diesel. So your VW Golf TDI that gets 50 mpg is not as acceptable as a Chevy Silverado hybrid getting 20.
With the way the school system is teaching kids about this ‘green’ thing, the kids will probably be turning their parents in for not being ‘green’ enough. I think this is whole ‘green’ thing stinks!
L
I have personally hit with a $25 fine for not recycling in NYC. I live in an apartment building. There’s a trash shoot. I dump my trash in the shoot. It’s a 15 story building with 50 apartments per floor. With so much trash in one place, how did they single me out for non-recycling? The city couldn’t answer that question either, so they dropped the fine.
Still scary though.
“Now consumers have help….to collectively help guide consumers to make the right decision when it comes to the environment.”
When I need your “help”, I’ll ask you for it.
No worries. If you’re greener than Fat Al Gore, you’re green enough.
I was definitely creeped out about it. Playing “Dream Police” in the background was perfect!
I was in a room full of people and all of them were cast into a very angry mood as a result of this ad. The parody was too real. The US is too involved in our lives and that is reflected in the attitude of the people watching this commercial. One author stated that if someone is in the US two days, he has broken a law.
Many truths are told in jest…
After Obama and his communist cronies came to Washington DC, it’s not far-fetched to envision the “green” police knocking on your door. They probably would have collateral duties like “food” or “energy use” or “hate speech” police too. The list could get quite lengthy.
Rush was right. It’s a win-win for Audi. Whether or not they agree with the politics of “Green”, like any successful business they adapt and roll with it.
ALL cops will be driving the same Green Police vehicles as seen in the commercial. It’ll also be the top car in Audi’s luxury line in a few years. The rest of us peons will have to get used to walking, bicycling and mass public transit. No cars for us.
Funny thing. Running two Superbowl Spots to pimp their greeny weeny foundation cost them more than they are putting into the foundation. Hmmmmmm.
That’s the ad that I used the time for a visit to the little girl’s room….
Eviros are too ignorant to know they’ve been punked by their own scientists.
When I saw blurbs telling us to use just one paper towel to dry our hands back in the 70s, I never imagined that it would evolve to this creepy, creeping blob.
Indeed, it is not.
So Audi has decided to become a kapo….
This is yet one more example of the affinity and like-mindedness of fascists/socialists and muslims, related to what David Horowitz discusses in his book, “Unholy Alliance.”
…Reason number X not to watch the super Bowl or other professional sports.
P.S.:
Is not “capitulate” a synonym for “submit”?
If an ad mentions “Climate Change,” “Global Warming,” or “Green” it is goes on my list of companies I choose to not do business with.
I enthusiastically use as many paper towels as I need…Do it for the loggers!…
I dare you to arrest me, Greenos!
Why do I get the horrible feeling that could be plausible?
Can you imagine them, in their golf carts and sedgeways chasing Bandit, in his big, gas-guzzling Trans Am?
Liked the caricature of the Greenies in the ad.
I have a knee jerk reaction to any cause di jour though so green is not for me.
K2, Sorry you wouldn’t consider buying an Audi because of this commercial. Love my fossil fuel burning Audi. It gets terrific gas mileage and more important, is faster than stink.
Why buy an Audi? Wouldn’t it help the U. S. of A to buy a Fiat and give Chrysler a boost? Buy one for the Obipper!
So an extension cord long enough to reach the other side of the world will allow it to charge off a solar cell?
WE ARE NOT AMUSED !!
I liked the ad, I thought it was funny, and a clever satire of the “extreme green” crap we hear of, and sometimes have to contend with, every day.
Count me in the “great satire” camp.
Remember Sheryl Crow thoughtfully reminding us to use only one square of toilet tissue per “sitting”?
Come to think of it, she only eats bird seed or something, so that would probably work.
Rather appropriate that “Dream Police” was by a band called Cheap Trick.
Slightly off topic, didn’t see them all but thought every ad I saw was stupid.
Definitely creepy. I’m still wondering just how “tongue-in-cheek” Audi’s message was.
I am still trying to figure out if that was a mutant armadillo searching the car–what was that??
I thought it creepy but we made fun of it at the same time.
I thought it was a great ad — all good humor has at its core a kernel of truth, and the truth is that we are indeed being gradually corralled by the eco-extremists.
That Audi dared poke fun at the eco-totalitarians was refreshing, even if it seems they are capitulating to the same folks outside of the ad context.
It won’t put Audi on my “A” list when I’m making my next car purchase decision, but it was a clever ad nonetheless.
More like taking notes…
“I haven’t a square to spare.” Seinfeld
I would have been calling it great satire, except at the end the punchline was to work with the Greenies, not defeat them somehow.
As it was running, I kept thinking this had to have an O Henry punchline. It was too good of a satire. But then, they presented a way to be one with the greenies, not to get them out of your life.
This definitely places me in the creeped out camp. (Unlike some nerd linked over at Drudge who thought it was masterful, or some crap like that.)
Any company with a “Green” advertising program needs to go down in hard. GE stands to earn billions by participating in an outright scam. Green needs to be passe, and kill the effort before it turns in to a serious Audi moment.
note to self:
Don’t even consider buying an Audi.
I miss that band…
Audience Analysis:
Demographic: Drunk football fans & company.
Principle 1: Sex Sells
Principle 2: Stupid Sells
Stupid + Sexy = Home Run (Touchdown)
I thought the Tebow ad hit the mark…if for no other reason than to reveal the insanity of the NOW zealots.
Definitely creepy. A vision of Amerika if Gore had won in 2000.
Yeech!
It was satire. Even the greenies I work with here in Santa Cruz could see it was making fun of them and have “adjusted their thinking” to try and relax more.
It served its purpose, whatever Audi now tries to say that purpose was.
Can we all just please relax, too?
Enough is enough, I’m boycotting Audi!
Stuff like that really pisses me off. This is friggin’ America! I ought to be able to open a restaurant called “Trans-Fats R’ Us” and serve deep fried sticks of butter if I want to! Informed decisions. Let the market decide!
Audi doesn’t get it.
The Green Police will ban all cars.
The greenies are upset because the ad exposed their real agenda.
“Mommy’s alright, Daddy’s alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don’t give yourself away, ay, aaaaaaaay.”
Actually, I take that back.
I think Audi does get it, and this commercial was their attempt to be seen as green despite the fact that they aren’t.
Let’s see, green shirts, purple shirts, brown shirts (TBA), Taste the rainbow, suckahs!
Well I thought I was hallucinating when I saw a homeowner on TV talking about losing his home on the Maryland shore to erosion because the “greenies” won’t let him and his neighbors reinforce the cliffs. Why? Because of the endangered Puritan Tiger Beetle.
So why would the government endanger human life and property rather than disturb a beetle?
Short answer: They don’t care about you and me — no wild imagination required.
Swede #45: Agree with you about the Tebow ad. All the hoopla, & the obvious hypocritical position of NOW, & that ad was simple & elegent. The Focus on the Family sure got their money’s worth BEFORE the ad ran. I didn’t view the Audi ad as satire. It was just playing to the brain washed eco-droids. Creepy, nasty & stupid. Also very Teutonic, as in “we will tell you what to think, dumbkopf.”
I actually enjoyed the ad.
I was watching the game with 5 liberals (4 of whom are Indian Nationals) and 10 seconds in one says “Is this a Republican ad?”
I laughed and laughed!
A little off topic but – always remember when the Empty Suit is waving one hand – watch what the other one is doing:
“The Obama administration is forming a new agency to study and report on the changing climate.”
“The new agency will initially be led by Thomas Karl, director of the current National Climatic Data Center. The Climate Service will be headquartered in Washington and will have six regional directors across the country.”
It wasn’t a satire on the Green Movement for the love of Mike.
The rubes, the schmucks here, are the people NOT following the EnviroMinded people.
That’s the side that Audi was taking here. They were saying how they were oh so green themselves and showing in yes a CREEPY way, how those who don’t toe the line should be treated.
It wasn’t funny, it was self righteous.
Green, its’ the new Red.
I started to laugh until I actually stopped to think about it.
In California, we have “no burn” days where you can’t burn wood in your fireplace to heat your house because it’s decided that, that particular day is not eco-friendly to do so. Of course, the designation of these no burn days are at the discretion of our dear leaders and always on some of the COLDEST days of winter.
Since they can’t possibly monitor everyone – they have a hotline set up so your neighbors can now rat you out.
I think the commercial was creepy myself.
Off topic, but Rush just mentioned a news report that Jack Murtha has died.
txvet2 you beat me to it.
And some of those Dorito ads were kinda weird too I thought.
When I saw the commercial last night I thought, that’s about the way it is. In reality, that is the way it is in some places and will get worse.
Not only will I use incandescent bulbs forever, but also, if I feel like it, I’m gonna sit on my porch & shoot every one of them out with my .38.
Then I’ll just buy some more.
Because I can.
I’ll be pissing in the windows of Audis parked overnight in the wrong neighborhood. Fuc& these pandering industrialist douches.
Exactly! It was funny! Lighten up!
#69, your post is crude. Can’t you find a way to express yourself without being so vulgar?
“I laughed and laughed!”
SIGH…
And “Avatar” was just a movie.
And all the other countless pro-left PR that is fed to people is meaningless also?
No wonder we are in trouble.
Those of us with a Biblical worldview know (from Genesis 1) the order in which God created things, and that the crowning glory of creation is mankind (everything was merely “good” up until God created man, and only then was it “very good”).
Those who reject a Biblical worldview often turn that upside down. They put man at the bottom, not the top, and they put what had been near the bottom (the Earth) at the top.
That is why they put a priority on ‘protecting and conserving the Earth’ and actively support the murder of the most innocent members of mankind (abortion).
Wrong is right. Right is Wrong. Up is down. And down is up.
Audi has nothing to worry about from me. I was never planning to buy one of their cars anyway.
You just gotta love’m. Where do they think they are – France?
Now, I believe in being a good steward of everything that is entusted to you, including the Earth, but being a good steward of the Earth is a very different thing from worshiping it.
A prime example of what I mentioned in my 3:08 pm comment is:
Nancy Pelosi.
She supports abortion of innocent human beings and makes up Bible verses to support her Earth-worship.
I saw those ads with a different view in that I believe they will do more to make Americans turn on the Green Movement.
Those ads do nothing more than show Americans what they are in for if these ‘wackos’ are allowed to continue.
Woah! I just a wicked flashback of my Old Man teaching me how to drive a manual stick!
Try that on my Audi.
I’m in the creepy column on this commercial. There was just something too real about it. Made me shudder.
Foxnews.com is reporting it as well. I would have hoped he be voted out of office in November.
My condolences to his family in their time of grief. I will keep them in my prayers.
OT – John Murtha died.
It ain’t so “new“….
What Does the AGW Movement Have in Common with Jihad?
Now, if I was a member of a true “green police” I would have been arresting them for using latex gloves all the time. Plus, blocking traffic on the road. That causes more pollution.
This just after called Murtha and told him he was personally going to campaign for his re-election. Go figure.
add “After Obama called…
Bought the wife (a grandma of 2) a Ford Fusion Sport. It’s an Audi Killer, and gets better mileage.
She has punks trying to race her all the time. She hasn’t had so much fun since we had a ’69 Riviera.
Let’s see. Audi’s are made in Austria, birthplace of Adolph Hitler-check. Commercial demonstrates what a enviro fascist’s wetdream looks like-check. Same enviro fascist would have us believe they were just kidding. Yeah right!
When I was watching this, I was a bit angry. Not at the ad, at first, but that Audi was able to make this ad, and I couldn’t get funding to make an anti-Hillary-care ad that was tamer.
This ad has replaced the “Obama Youth” ad (City year) as the creepiest I have seen. Like others, the idea that I have to surrender my Freedom or go to jail is vile.
Even more disturbing is to read those who thought it was funny, and say things like:”… those who throw batteries in trash SHOULD to to jail.”
Yes they said that, and worse.
It’s amazing how they can’t see the similarity in their thinking and that of: Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Hussein, Castro, Pol Pot, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaping, “Baby Doc” Duvalier, and the list is endless.
Funny how they love Civil Liberties but think this ad is funny. Only in the Eco-fascism movement do the “criminals” have no rights.
In a sense it’s already happening. My niece says her class regularly does an oral “essay” up in front of the class to say how the family used their garbage every week as “eco-wise” currica.
Including windmills and whales (Green mascots). Green-PC’s so bad I even stopped watching a few animes as a diversion.
James Greenidge
Queens NY
Not the one with the 455 with factory Holly 4 bbl set up?? Too much torque for human operation. Man those puppies were fast. But hey, gas was only $.28/gal.
Come to think of it; if a Green Police Officer were killed, would the left take up his killer’s cause and keep him alive on Death Row like they do with Mumia?
Naw, ’69 was the last year for the 430 cu. in., which put out 365 hp. with dual exhaust and a Holley 4 barrel you could smuggle Mexicans inside. I actually got 10 mpg. in town, 10 mpg. highway, 10 mpg. uphill, and 10 mpg. at warp speed.
Audi A3 2.0 TDI… 140 hp and 0-60 time of 8.9 sec according to the audi.com website.
Meh…
My five year old V6 AWD TT is a lot quicker than that. Sorry to see Audi go down this road, but I have to say that I really enjoy mine.
Pirate…
George Carlin Flashback:
“Baby On Board … Child In Car …
Why don’t you buy a really accurate sign like:
A$$hole at the wheel !!!
They give THOSE signs out for free with Porshes and Audis!”
This is nothing new. Private companies use advertising dollars in an effort to get us to purchase their products. In doing so, they appeal to a wide variety of emotions.
I have no problem with it in the private sector. I can turn the TV off or purchase a competitors product if they offend me. The government, on the other hand, uses the police powers of the state to force decisions on our behalf. THAT, I have a problem with.
I thought it was funny because it highlights the absurdity of the totalitarian greenies. The only thing that would have made it funnier is if it had been an advertisement for Hummer.
I thought I was the only one who wasnt laughing – scared the hell out of me as I was watching it.
My daughter came home from school last year and one of her assignments was to do an “inventory” of all of our light bulbs. I only found out about it later, because she knew how I felt about all of this ‘green’ stuff. So she made up the inventory with fake data so I wouldnt flip out on the school.
I’m on the creeped out side because the ad is close to reality in what many people would like to see happen, and does today as some mentioned above, fined for not recycling.
However, since this was so close to the goals of the enviro wackos, maybe it will get people to think about thwat “green” really means and stand up. That is assuming they haven’t been too far brain washed into “feeling good” about recycling, etc.
Not sure I’d say I was creeped out, but definitely felt that it was Audi showing how they feel the world ought to be. Of course, they cover it with the big “Oh, it’s a JOKE! We’re kidding!” defense, but their actions outside of the commercial say otherwise.
It’s basically Audi saying “We bow to our new Green overlords, and offer this car”. The car is a great idea, I like the idea of fuel-efficient (yet sporty) vehicles, but that Audi would genuflect to the eco-movement is really creepy.
I think people will make good decisions in their own context (I try to reduce/re-use/recycle where possible) without the heavy hand of the state forcing them to. While Audi meant this as a parody, it really is enough of a “crystal ball” to turn more people against the eco-obsessed out there.
Strange commercial. I’m not sure why I would buy more cars after watching it. I think it was meant to be satire, but this stuff is already occurring around the country so how can that be satire? That’s what I think gave it the creepy feeling.
But then again, it may have been a direct shot at the greenie faithful who want a fascist like state without realizing it (which is how those things happen). In other words, Audi will be reasonable but lets not get carried away.
It has definitely got everyone talking about it, so in that respect it was innovative.
My new name for those types:
Greenstapo
I will not buy Audi now. I’m tired of government, celebrities and corporations trying to tell me how to live. Vote with your dollars and they are sure to get the message. Go on as usual and you will only embolden them. Draw that line in the sand now.