Commercials

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MINI Cooper takes on human flight launch in outrageous commercial

MINI takes chances with its videos, which means the iconic brand and its BMW ownership are successful whether the commercials are raging hits or fall flat. But to attempt human flight with John Cooper Works Countryman edition? That takes the carmaker's efforts to an entirely new horizon on the desert? Is the whole thing rigged? Is it real? And could the flying man in the wing suit possibly land on the car? It's up to the viewer's imagination, right? And isn't that one more reason why MINI commercials work so well? James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding

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Toyota reinvents Camry, babies, DMV and pizza curtains in Super Bowl ad

Toyota made one of the best commercials for the 2012 Super Bowl. It's toutig the 2012 Toyota Camry, carmaker decided to do more. In the one-minute commercial, here's what Toyota has done: This is the re-invented couch. It also comes in male. This is a re-invented police officer. He's also a masseuse. This is the re-invented baby. It doesn't poop. It it also a time machine. The re-invented DMV. It's a little nicer. The re-invented blender. It plays Lionel Ritchey. The reinvented plant. It fights crime. The re-invented curtains. They are made of pizza. This is re-invente rain. It makes you skinny. And this is the re-invented Toyota Camry available with everything you could possibly want. James RaiaA sports, travel

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King Elton John gets dethroned in campy Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi

Sir Elton John has seemingly mellowed in recent years. He's a married guy now and his once flamboyant Liberace-Gone-Wild approach has transitioned into a more Wall Street-executive-with-hair-weave style. One exception is his new Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi. The over-the-top Elton is back with his one-minute commercial with X Factor winner Melanie Amaro. They act out a epic, medieval music showdown. Elton has his outrageous Kings clothes, platform heals and some oversized glasses, circa the performer's signature look from 30 years ago. Amaro's blasts out the beginning of "Respect," the epic pop tune made famous by Aretha Franklin. Amaro gets the last laugh, plunging Elton in the dungeon. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years,

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Golden Globe Awards: Chrysler shines with black & white ad

Chrysler has promoted its cars in recent years with several innovative commercials. It may have outdone itself with the primarily black-and-white commercial broadcast during the 68th Golden Globe Awards. The commercial is called “Whatever Happened to Style?” and it showcases numerous classic cars through different decades. The text begins with the words: “Whatever happened to style? Where has the glamour gone? Wasn’t too long ago. America had it. Looking and feeling like a million bucks. “It was practically a birth rite. We didn’t race from A to B. We cruised. Going for a drive was a big deal. And when we arrived . . we arrived in style.” The music accommodating the commercial is “One Million Miles Away” by the

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