The Human Bridge

Advertising in the 1950’s was pretty amazing when you think about it. Companies like Ford came up with these deep concepts of what your average American’s dream was and then they would develop these over-the-top stories about how they, the huge ass company, moved mountains to ensure that people’s dreams came true.

They never mentioned price – only value. And early on, they rarely mentioned the competition. Instead, they created their own world and then showed you, the consumer, where you fit in it.

If you have the patience, watch this:

Now, watch this typical modern day advertisement pimping the all new F-150 that was first aired during the Super Bowl last year:

My how times have changed, right? These days, Ford pretty much ignores your dreams and instead goes after your ego. This truck wasn’t built to suit your dreams, it was built to make sure you have a better truck than your neighbor. And they shout this simplified message in about 30-seconds compared to the 12-minutes it took them to explain your dreams when they introduced the ’49 Ford.

Why? Because we are stupid now… and far too busy to watch a 12-minute commercial.

But how is this contextual to The Jalopy Journal? To me, the two commercials above illustrate how cars have become an appliance in the modern era. Sure, there are some exceptions to that rule… But, ultimately, they aren’t sold as dreams any longer simply because people don’t dream about them as often as they used to.

Well, most people don’t… Then, there are folks like us. It’s easy for us to forget how much all of us here actually have in common. One guy might like radical 1960’s era customs. Another might be totally into late 1940’s styled hot rods. But, at the end of the day we are all   dreamers. In this day and age of ego and vanity, that’s pretty damned cool.