The Green Police

[rambone]

Audi's 2010 Superbowl Ad:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq58zS4_jvM"]YouTube - Audi 2010 Green Car Super Bowl Commercial[/ame]

Audi's 'Green Police' Super Bowl Commercial Raises Nazi-era Spectres


Its seems that Apple isn't the only company that picked an unfortunate name to promote a new product recently. German luxury carmaker Audi has introduced a number of mock public-service announcements featuring the "Green Police" -- forest green-uniformed officers who give tips about saving energy. The Green Police campaign will get its widest exposure in Audi's Super Bowl commercial during CBS's (CBS) Feb. 7 telecast, according to AgencySpy.

The problem? The Green Police was a name used in Nazi Germany to refer to the German Order Police, or Orpo, who were given the moniker because of their green uniforms. The Orpo weren't merely traffic cops, however. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, one battalion was central in sending Jews, Poles and Gypsies to concentration camps.

While the mock PSAs are humorous, with a shtick that leans more toward Reno 911! than Schindler's List, it's certainly never fortuitous for a German company to bring up reminders of the Third Reich. Still, it's likely that most U.S. viewers won't connect the "Green Police" in their history books with the ones in Audi's Super Bowl ad promoting its A3 TDI clean-diesel vehicle. An Audi spokesman didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

This will mark Audi's third year running a commercial during the Super Bowl, the most expensive advertising slots on TV. Though the price for a 30-second spot has reportedly fallen to between $2.5 million and $2.8 million from 2009's record-high $3 million, a Super Bowl commercial is still a major investment for any company: Not only must the company buy the airtime, but the cost of producing a Super Bowl commercial can reach $1 million.


No matter how the football game plays out, viewers will certainly find much to talk about on the advertising front after the telecast.

​

I saw this ad last night during the game. I thought it was sort of funny but the wit falls pretty close to the reality of what is being proposed by our environmentalist-driven government.

Life imitates art? Let us hope not.

 

[snorko]

I turned to my girlfriend who was laughing and said "I give it five years to get to this point". When she said how ridiculous it was, I explained about the TV police in Great Britain who kick down doors for watching TV without a license.

 

[ocsdor]

Alex Jones covers this (briefly) in the 3rd hour of his radio show today (Feb. 8th).

SHOUTcast Server

It can be reheared at 7pm, 11pm, 3am, 7am, 11am. The show itself starts at Noon, and rebroadcast at 4pm, 8pm, Midnight, 4am, and 8am.

 

[Clif45]

While watching this last night I was wondering just how long it would be.

 

[CarmelHP]

Anyone who has ever read Diary of Anne Frank you might remember that she refers to hiding from the "Green Police."

 

[rambone]

Anyone who has ever read Diary of Anne Frank you might remember that she refers to hiding from the "Green Police."

Talk about invoking bad imagery. These dudes seem like the type that innocent people would need to hide from too.

Good thing it is just a joke...

 

[indykid]

I lost it when I saw that commercial. That was with out a doubt the worst TV spot I have ever seen in my nearly 60 years on this earth. Between the German police connection, and the knowledge that Algore would be thrilled to have these jerks running around the street made me sick. His only difference would be the Greenies would be more like their Nazi relatives.

 

[longbow]

Got a call from corporate Audi to ask why I disliked the green police. They called me at 11 AM.

Seems they are doing damage control and I told them to make a diesel pickup truck and he said HMMMMMMMMM

 

[rambone]

Got a call from corporate Audi to ask why I disliked the green police. They called me at 11 AM.

Seems they are doing damage control and I told them to make a diesel pickup truck and he said HMMMMMMMMM

How did they get your number??

 

[Marc]

i will proudly burn tires infront of them, and dump used motor oil down the drain... F the Nazis

 

[jblomenberg16]

I was thinking the same things. Fortunately I drive a clean diesel myself (Dodge Ram / Cummins) so guess I at least am ok on that front.

 

[flagtag]

Another thing they don't get is that "green" is not functional. what can one haul in one of those? Or tow?

I guess I would be arrested because I go for function instead of "fashion".

 

[dsol]

i will proudly burn tires infront of them, and dump used motor oil down the drain... F the Nazis

I told some liberal "every time I see a Prius, I have the urge to dump a gallon of used motor oil in a wetlands somewhere".

Kinda like when I told a vegan that I like to eat just about anything as long as something had to die for it. I love the reactions...

 

[MTC]

Did you see the one where the pos approached a patrol car?
I'd like to catch on film what will happen if they pull that crap with real cops.

 

[VERT]

Thought I would be the only one that found this commercial in bad taste. The wife thought this was funny until I pointed out the obvious implications.

 

[flagtag]

I found most of it irritating. But then there was the end where the "cops" "got theirs". (Foam cups anyone? )

 

[Marc]

i wonder how many tons of coal did it take to charge one of their little scooters, along with how many tons of coal did it take to manufacture one of the scooters, and lets see exactly how green it really is. and how many tons of coal would thay have save by not even shooting that stupid commercial?

 

[ocsdor]

...Kinda like when I told a vegan that I like to eat just about anything as long as something had to die for it. I love the reactions...

I tell the vegans when they take away my ability to eat animals, that I'm going to eat humans; starting with vegetarians.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Another thing they don't get is that "green" is not functional. what can one haul in one of those? Or tow?

I guess I would be arrested because I go for function instead of "fashion".

A clean diesel pick-up (mine happens to be a Dodge powered by a Cummins) can haul or tow just about anything any of us would want to.

The diesel powered pick-ups coming out for MY 2010 are some of the cleanest vehicles from an exhaust emissions standpoint on the road of any type.


And it just so happens that the diesels for larger vocational and line haul trucks (aka Big Rigs) are also the cleanest diesels to hit the road, and make the big rigs among the lowest emissions vehicles out there.


If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of Diesel.

 

[dieselman]

as the name may suggest... i drive a diesel (2000 F250 7.3L)... when i saw that audi accelerating away from the checkpoint showing the "cleanness" of diesel all i could think about was that being me... turning up the HP on my chip and leaving a thick soot cloud on the green police lol.