Vintage Ad Break: Buick Brings Harley Earl Back To Invigorate The American Style
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We’re back with another trip down memory lane, taking a look at commercials and advertisements of yesteryear with Vintage Ad Break. Here’s something to think about: our commercial today is from 2002. That’s 15 years ago now. From societal standards, this ad could nearly apply for its learner’s permit to drive.
Specifically, we have a Buick commercial from 2002, highlighting its lineup for the model year. And it’s easy to see Buick was undergoing an identity crisis with this ad at this time. The ad brings the famed Harley Early back from the dead to describe why a supercharged V6 engine found its way under the hood of Buick’s midsize sedan, the Buick Regal GS.
While that’s all fine and dandy, the ad makes no mention of who Harley Earl was. Yes, we know who he was, but did the consumer at large know? Probably not.
Earl was GM’s very first head of global design, a coveted title held only by a handful to this day, and was responsible for the Buick Y-Job, the industry’s first concept vehicle. An important figure, no doubt. We think it’s great Buick attempted to play upon its American nostalgia, but the lack of clarity and the fact Earl was never really involved in powertrain (which is what this ad portrays) leaves the ad as a head scratcher.
Thankfully, Buick seems to have found its voice today with its “That’s A Buick” branding strategy. Check out the ad for yourself up above. It might be the only time you see a flock of mid-2000s Buick on a racetrack.
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damn
that car was trash
i dont know why people bought GMs 2000s car ( 90s and 80s also)
full of plastic
under zero quality
ugly
low value used market
and….
Funny then that there are still so many of these left on the road and that we routinely sell these at my friend’s dealership and they most always run perfectly, have little to no rust and have been maintained really well. Buick today could only dream of having the sales these Buick did at the time.
you liar!
I can see that marketing worked really well.
Like I have said before you should not forget the past but you still have to get the product right.
It is not so much what you did in the past but what are doing today that sells cars.
My 02 regal is still running like a top. With 163 plus on the clock. Ain’t much to look at but solid.
I have always admired the Regal and I think the ad featured was super.
Nice commercial!
Harley Earl my ass!
CAFE standards and cowtowling to the Chinese market pretty much destroyed Buick as far as I am concerned. There is some little Buick SUV I don’t remember or want to remember the name of that looks like a toy. I’m pretty much a typical 6’4″ American guy and the only Buick in which I am comfortable in is the Enclave. But it’s become such an obscure brand that I am planning on getting a 2018 Traverse High Country. And I am no stranger to Buick. I would love to be able to buy a car with the interior size of my old LeSabre, Riviera, or Park Avenue and not be relegated to a truck!
Today’s Buick lineup is pretty sorry. The rebadged Korean Chevy cute ute that looks like a high top sneaker with a previous generation Cruze engine. The Chinese built cookie cutter Envision. The 10 model year old Enclave. The Opel based cramped Verano with two generation ago engine choices, the cramped Opel based convertible with a weird engine choice that is also old, the outdated Opel Regal with cramped back seat, old 2.4 engine and forget it styling and the snail slow selling controversial LaCrosse. Sounds like a division with a real identity crisis and a clueless bean counting CEO.