“Born of Fire” In 2011 Chrysler did the longest Super bowl commercial in history. Most Super bowl advertisements are kept to about 30 seconds long. This ad was a non- traditional two minutes long. The plug was for a Chrysler 200 and it cost a reported nine million dollars to produce. The ad was titled,”Born of Fire” and was the beginning of a campaign entitled “Imported from Detroit. ” The commercial takes you on a tour of Detroit at its grayest and grimmest.
Starting northbound on 1-75, you see manufacturing and industry with shots of historic buildings as well as crumbling alluding in ruins and abandoned fields, all with the American flag flying in the background. Later, the cameras pan to iconic artful monuments then too remodeled Fox Music Theatre. These gritty images of the city are referred to resonate with the people around the country, not Just the motor city. As Solomon stated in “Signs of Life in the USA”, peg. 246, the commercial uses visual techniques of persuasion attempting to associate their product with conditions or qualities that are desirable to the consumer.
The ad is about the spirit and heart of the city and people of Detroit, their recent economic comeback and son of Detroit, Mine appears in the commercial driving the 200. Chrysler wants to stand for America and its economic comeback. Using images of the devastating decay in the motor city are inspirational and haunting at the same time. Therefore the commercial really pulls at your heart strings. It makes you feel patriotic. It’s not Just about Detroit, it’s about everyone. The narrator pulls you into the commercial by the words he uses to stimulate your sense of spirit and pride for yourself, your city, and our country.
This is what he says: I got a question for you. What does this city know about luxury, hem? What does a town that’s been to hell and back know about the finer things in life? Well, I’ll tell you. More than most. You see, it’s the hottest fires that make the hardest steel. Add hard work and conviction. And the know-how that runs generations deep in every last one of us. That’s who we are. That’s our story. Now it’s probably not the one you’ve been reading in the papers, the one being written by folks who have never even been here and don’t know what we’re capable of.
Because when it comes to luxury, it’s as much bout where it’s from as who it’s for. Now we’re from America – but this isn’t New York City. Or the Windy City. Or Sin City. And we’re certainly no one’s Emerald City. The people of Detroit have been fighting oppression for many years now because of the tanking of the industries in that city. They have been to hell and back. What Chrysler is portraying here is: as a company they are on the rebound and are bring Detroit back with them. They struggled and fought and emerged with their heads held high and proud to be who they are. There is an image, in the ad, of the Joe Louis Memorial.
A huge powerful bronze clenched TLS. It was commissioned tort the city to Detroit by Time, Inc in 1 honor Joe Louis. He was a champion boxer. He accomplished this with his fists and mighty determination. Wisped defined a clenched fist as a symbol of solidarity and support or used as a salute to express unity or strength. All throughout the commercial we see fists, more than 10+ times. This is visually communicating Detroit residents are fighting and winning. Remember the narrator says: You see, it’s the hottest fires that make the hardest steel. Add hard work and conviction.
And the know-how that runs generations deep in every last one of us. That’s who we are. Though hard work and know how they are achieving something. They are getting themselves and their city back. Amine’s fist is pictured a few times on the steering wheel, too. Detroit rapper Mine is symbolic of the city and the idea of what a comeback can achieve. He has made a point of standing up for his city and he has pride in where he is from and wants everyone to know it. He is shown driving the Chrysler 200 through the decaying city at night, only to end up at the remodeled Fox Theatre here inside there is a full African-American choir.
The only words he speaks are: “This is motor city and this is what we do. ” What he is saying with enthusiasm and motivation is they did and will continue to overcome. He himself has overcome and drug addiction problem. His song “Love Yourself” that was used in the commercial was about his own struggle to overcome those personal demons. Up until this commercial he had never licensed this song, to any company, because it was so personal to him. But when Chrysler came knocking to do this endorsement, his passion for his city was greater and won out.
The commercial was the biggest hit of the 2011 Super bowl ads and it earned an Emmy for Creative Arts at the 63rd Annual Emmy Awards. It gave serious love to the city and people of Detroit. Unlike all the other commercials this one really had meaning. Replace “city’ and “town” with “country’ and you’ve got a beautifully worded commentary about the United States. It’s been a tough ride, but we’re tough. We no strangers to hard work and difficult times, but we always come out stronger than before. Or maybe I am Just reading too much into it. But I felt like I Just attached something important and it makes me feel hope.
