5 Weird Celebrity Car Endorsements

YAHOO AUTOS

 

Posted By Keith Griffin

           

Sometimes you just have to shake your head when you see a celebrity endorsing a particular car. After all, the Kia K900 is not the first car you would associate with LeBron James, but he’s hawking them.

Some though, are just downright weird. For example — would you buy a car that a blind man recommended? Peugeot thought you might.

 

Ray Charles and the Peugeot 306 Cabriolet

Back in 1994, some marketing genius came up with this great idea. Let’s bring Ray Charles out to what looks like the Bonneville Salt Flats. We’ll have Ray singing “Georgia” while he drives with a great big smile.

After all, nothing says top-down fun like a blind man behind the wheel. Fortunately I don’t understand French, or else I might be even more offended.


Mr. Ed and the Studebaker Skylark

 

America’s favorite talking horse, of course, was a shill for Studebakers – specifically the Skylark. In the commercial he proclaims he took one for a test drive.
Of course, he did. Alan Hall, the infamous Wilbur, explains that’s the only way to appreciate the Skylark. You have to drive it. As in, don’t be turned off by its looks and reputation. Drive it. If you can’t believe a talking horse  then who can you trust?




Michael Jackson and Suzuki

Ok so maybe it’s not a car but it is weird to see Michael Jackson endorsing a scooter. One can only imagine how much money he earned in the ad, which was originally shot for the Japanese market. American celebrities make boatloads of money hawking wares in Asia because it doesn’t look like they are selling out.
Well they are – and more power to them. But I’m still perplexed why Peugeot thought Ray Charles would be the right guy for selling their convertibles.


Bob Dylan Chrysler Ad

I’m not a Dylan fan, but that’s not why I find this commercial weird. Rather, it’s the fact that one of our country’s great songwriters (in the opinion of others) had to speak this drivel, “Is there anything more American than America?”
Why did you sell out so badly Bob? The Chrysler 200 is a nice car but was it worth your musical soul? I hope it paid for college for your grandkids at least.

Ben Kingsley and Jaguar

Why is this one weird? Well, there’s the fact that it’s Sir Ben Kingsley and he played Ghandi. It’s just really tacky to have him hawking cars.
Plus, not once in the ad does he utter the word “Jaguar.” Nor does he deign (because knights deign after all) to even be seen next to, in, or driving a Jaguar. That’s what really struck me as weird.

Have any others in mind? Comment below. And, as best I can tell, Tawny Kitaen never endorsed Jaguar, even though she probably helped sales after that White Snake video.