Chrysler Cordoba: Now with soft, Corinthian leather

Hot damn, I love good advertising. Done right, it can resonate like nothing else. A good ad will impale you with it's message - it will straight-up broadside you with the overwhelming urge to go for it; to step up to the more whitening toothpaste; to the cigarettes promising entree into Flavor Country; to the faster-acting topical rash cream you were [I was] considering.

This ad, circa 1977 or so, could have been one such example, but there is simply too much going on here: The stunning photography, the poetic body text, the intense font, and Ricardo "I'm Bringing Mexi-back" Montalban - and to speak nothing of the sensuous curves of "The Small Chrysler". It's sensory overload.

Make no mistake, it's all very classy, like a 70's suburban key party or jazz clarinet solo. But what is this ad selling? Is it the car? Is the ad a public service announcement, asking us to step up and use a classier, calligraphic font in our everyday correspondences? Is it an ad for an upcoming TV movie, starring septuagenarian Mex-pot, Ricardo Montalban? Is Ricardo perhaps trying to push his sports coupe-specific leisure wear? We just don't know. Best to cut to the body text of the ad to get a better understanding. Be sure to read it out loud in Ricardo's trademark, butter-pecan-smooth, Latin accent:

“This is Cordoba. The small Chrysler. An automobile in which you will enjoy not only great comfort…but great confidence. It is confidence you can see, the confidence of knowing your automobile possesses a look of great dignity. It is confidence you can feel, in thickly cushioned contour-seats available in rich crushed velour or soft Corinthian leather. It is confidence you experience when you are in control of a truly road worthy autombile. This is the confidence you will find in a most surprisingly affordable small Chrysler. Cordoba.”

Ahhh yes. I know, it's amazing - almost hypnotic. One can't help but be seduced by his sales spiel. Maybe you even start to rationalize a purchase; "Mmmm...maybe Ricardo is right? Maybe I do deserve to have the on-road confidence that comes with thickly cushioned contour-seats." And what does it say about you if you don't go for the Little Chrysler - are you conceding that you are not enough of a mack daddy to roll with Senor Montalban? That is just too depressing to fathom. A take-home question for you: If i'm not convinced enough to buy that shitbox Chrysler, but I decide I need to upgrade my wardrobe with a slew of wide-collar shirts and assorted leisure wear, has the ad still succeeded?

FS