Automaker Resorts to Hypnotizing Drivers (Yes, Really) to Make Them Like Its Cars
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German automaker Opel isn’t a household name in the U.S., but in Europe it is synonymous with “extremely boring car,” “kinda lame” and “crap car.” These are words straight from the mouths of the consumers in the ad below, not ours.
To prove that preconceived notions about brands can unduly sway opinion, Opel hired a hypnotist to wipe people’s minds clean of any associations they had with the General Motors-owned brand in this Danish campaign from UncleGrey. Once they were hypnotized, the subjects were asked to drive one of the cars and honestly report their experiences. Alas, no one seemed to be concerned that they were operating a vehicle UNDER HYPNOSIS.
The people seem to enjoy their time driving an Opel, as long as they didn’t know it was an Opel. It’s kind of a neat idea, though creepy in a way—and the takeaway for the viewer is a bit muddled. Do they really like the car, or was that psychological trickery as well?
Click the CC button on the YouTube video for English subtitles.
