Fingernails on Chalkboards

Some things just bother me more than others. I do not know why this is other than the fact that deep down, I have a debatable amount of obsessive compulsive disorder. Debatable meaning that while my wife places my OCD level very high; I like to think that I fit nicely into the mold of a moderate obsessive compulsive. Regardless of my clinical diagnosis, I have learned that normal, run-of –the-mill scenarios scratch at my core much like fingernails on chalkboards. So with my “fingernails on chalkboards” analogy in full effect, let’s discuss the latest buzz from New Zealand known affectionately as Zorbing.

For those of you who have no clue as to what I am talking about, here is what I know. Zorbing is a new craze in which the rider inflates a large ball, climbs inside, and rolls down a hill. Please don’t get me wrong, this new pastime looks awesome. Who wouldn’t want to blow up a huge orb, jump inside and careen downhill, head over heals? I’m all for that. I’ve even looked into when and where I can Zorb (http://www.zorb.com/) and (http://www.zorb.com/smoky/). My problem is not so much in the invention of a useless pastime, but in its appearance during the 2008 Toyota Sequoia commercial as premiered during the Superbowl.

Here is the commercial for your viewing pleasure:



Now that all of us are on the same page, here is the rub. At what point did a room full of Toyota Executives agree that the best way to market their SUV was by appealing to the Zorbing set while trumpeting a REM song and insinuating family harmony? Sure there are hundreds, if not thousands of Zorbers from coast to coast. Many of which may even have the $45,000.00 needed to buy one of these fine machines. So if you include everyone who fancies themselves a Zorber, and couple that with the purchasing power of the upper-middleclass, and carry the seven, let’s see…that leaves approximately 754 people who will be waiting in line to pick out a new Sequoia after tuning into Toyota’s “Superman” commercial. 754 out of 93.15 million viewers. OK so maybe 785, math never was my strong point.

What kills me about the commercial is this: How is it college educated people can come up with sure fire ways to insult logically-minded people? Insult is such a strong word, perhaps offend works better.

If I were in the meeting when this idea was pitched, I would have one simple question to ask my advertising agency (in this case Saatchi and Saatchi):

Why would I “ever” go out a buy a $45,000.00 gas-guzzling SUV in order to haul big ass round orbs up a hill, climb inside, roll down the hill, drive back down the hill, load up said orbs, drive back up the hill, and repeat? But I like the song.

Come on people. Give us logical family scenarios when trying to sell us over-priced minivans. Christmas at Granny’s, Weekend at Bernies, and summer vacations all sum up the soccer mom set way better than a good song, a New Zealand Craze no one has ever heard of, and a moron pulling a trailer. But hey, that’s just me. Just a thought.