Shame on Subaru!

I first showed you this commercial back before I moved over here to the TU. Sorry if you’ve been down this road with me before, but Subaru is running the spot again and it’s still driving me NUTS.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QisrG-xgbU

Let’s see if you can tell me what’s wrong here:

a. That’s a 2009 Forester, not a 2010 Forester
b. The aftermarket axles on the car in lane two are prohibited from many Pinewood Derby competitions
c. The boys are wearing Brownie vests

If you selected “c” you are correct. The boys are wearing Brownie vests.

Look, maybe this is not a big deal, but what exactly was Subaru and their ad agency thinking by depicting boys in Brownie vests. Is this supposed to be a joke? Some sort of gender bending statement on male and female roles in society? Sheesh! Maybe next time they can have the young lads going around the neighborhood in their Brownie vests selling boxes of cookies.

As a proud father of Cub Scouts who has built supervised the construction of many Pinewood Derby cars, I’m offended. Please join me in expressing my displeasure by submitting a nasty comment on Subaru’s website.

By the way, if you’ve never been involved with Pinewood Derby racing South Park does a good job of capturing its true essence.

20 thoughts on “Shame on Subaru!

  1. Rob –

    This may be more of an issue with the Boy Scouts of America than antyhing else.

    As you may be aware, the BSA, as well as the Cub Scouts, vigorously prohibit their name or trademarks from usage in commercial advertising. That’s why you rarely see any characters on TV shows or in movies as Boy Scouts or as Cub Scouts, or participating in scouting; the youth organizations depicted on television are often “Junior Woodchucks” or “Bluebirds” or something generic like that.

    Could be worse… at least they’re not dressed up like Camp Fire Girls.

  2. At least all the scouting mom and dad’s know the difference- that’s all that matters.

    ‘supervised’- wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more

  3. Chuck: True, but dressing the kids up as Brownies? They couldn’t come up with something innocuous?

    shortbus: Are you suggesting this is a conspiracy? Interesting, especially considering Scoutings controversial policies regarding homosexuality.

    PaulD: yes, we know the truth. About the uniforms AND about who builds the cars.

    Kevin: My sentiments exactly!

  4. oh man shortbus gave me a good laugh. I was wondering about their vests when I just watched it, then scrolled down to see your points….definitely interesting!

  5. Rob is right. The BSA is very strict on the usage of their trademarks and anything thing that remotely portrays the BSA. The uniforms, logos and the term “pinewood derby” are all property of the BSA. If you notice, nowhere in the commercial was the term “pinewood derby” mentioned or displayed. They also had to dress the boys so that they in no way resembled a boy scout or cub scout uniform.

  6. San Francisco is 30% gay – 30%! Realistically you know what that means? if you look to the left and then to the right – if those folks ain’t gay – YOU ARE!

    Must be a lot of suburu’s in Frisco! Wonder if Sulu owns a suburu?

  7. South Park captures the true essence of almost everything, including Scouting’s polcies on gays. Anyone see the episode in which Big Gay Al wasn’t allowed to be a Scout Leader anymore?

  8. Man, that is weird. I was going to suggest that they wouldn’t let their (bigoted) name be used but I see others already have. If Subaru is gay-friendly, maybe they didn’t want to use it (which rather begs the question of why they chose that theme then).

    Wonder why they didn’t just use Russell from Up’s Wilderness Explorer. Russell’s cool. Wait a minute… Explorer! Er, never mind.

  9. Ok, the vest look like vests the brownies wear… so what!
    What bugs me about this commercial is the lack of enthusiasim the father shows twords his son who wins the derby.
    Geez Dad give the kid a hug or at least a smile!

  10. Ellen: Very interesting; I hadn’t noticed Dad’s lack of enthusiasm. That kid’s going to have issues.

    Also, it just seems wrong to make the boys wear Brownie vests. The kid can talk to his shrink about that, too.

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