Doesn't anybody at GM have a clue about advertising?

There were a lot of iffy performances last night on the Grammy Awards, but the one that really had me scratching my head was the new Chevrolet "Anthem" commercial launching their new theme line, Find New Roads.



An animated robot dog? Swiping from scene to scene? The Stingray being chased by an alien spacecraft that looks like – wait for it – a stingray? A digitally enhanced Sonic performing unbelievable stunts? A musical mash-up to ensure there's something for everyone? Copy that includes the phrase, "Introducing the new Chevrolet"?

Maybe the craft of advertising has passed me by. Maybe somewhere, someone in the universe thinks this is a good spot. But in my world stringing together random scenes using a played editorial technique then slapping your new tagline on the end is not effective advertising. I don't know how this is going to improve perceptions of the brand or drive showroom traffic.

What does Chevrolet stand for? What does "Find New Roads" mean? This spot should answer both of those questions. Instead it answers neither.

Let's hope the work that follows for the product lines – the work that's not trying to make a splash on the Grammys – is a little more focused and interesting, otherwise all those new products Chevrolet is launching over the next twelve months will have a lot of trouble getting off the ground.