Inappropriate Usage
I was watching this new ad for Chevy’s Silverado and right in the middle of it, I saw the well known picture of Rosa Parks sitting on a bus. It’s the first time in a while that I found myself shocked at their misuse of tragic events that have brought heroic deeds from ordinary people in our recent history. I had hardened to it in the 5 years since I saw the first “Keep America Rolling” ads telling us to go buy a new car as our contribution to the nation’s recovery from the 9/11 attacks.
So this article in Slate really cuts through the fat and reminds me how not ok it is.
“It’s not OK to use images of Rosa Parks, MLK, the Vietnam War, the Katrina disaster, and 9/11 to sell pickup trucks. It’s wrong. These images demand a little reverence and quiet contemplation. They are not meant to be backed with a crappy music track and then mushed together in a glib swirl of emotion tied to a product launch. Please, Chevy, have a modicum of shame next time.”
