A television car ad with no monologue or dialogue may seem like an anachronism -- we're used to being yelled at about value or features, or told to go into some dealership to see new "inventory" that's coming in all the time. (Because everyone loves driving inventory, especially sporty inventory.)
But before Matthew McConaughey brought back the lost art of a car commercial without blabbing of any sort, selling a car through imagery alone was a little more common than today. And that's how the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was sold in some countries back in the day, with visuals and some quick jazzy music in the background.
This vintage ad for the 124 Sport Spider gets to the point without wasting time: this is the experience that the 124 Sport Spider is selling. And it's hard to argue with the appeal of this lifestyle. No voiceover was needed, and if you didn't understand the appeal of this vignette, then this car wasn't for you. (And since this is Italy of the 1960s, a cameo of a cigarette being lit was mandated by the country's laws.)
The first ads for the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider are still a few months away, but we wouldn't bet on them selling the new version through imagery alone. Fiat is aiming the modern version of the 124 Spider -- a minor miracle that its name was resurrected -- at a slightly different audience as well as experience, one that is perhaps less about grand touring on the autostrada and more about tackling corners Miata-style. Or Fiata-style, if you will.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
