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Video: GM's Chevy Volt Super Bowl ad

General Motors has turned to the selling power of four-armed aliens to boost interest in its Chevy Volt electric car during Super Bowl XLVI.
Written by Kirsten Korosec, Contributor

General Motors has turned to the selling power of iridescent four-armed aliens to boost interest in its Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid electric car during Super Bowl XLVI. Because what else could possibly inspire folks to throw down more than 30K for an EV than a group of bumbling aliens who -- aside from their apparent attraction to middle-aged women in bathrobes -- have the ability to conjure up holograms and travel through space and yet don't understand how the Volt works?

The Chevy Volt isn't exactly flying off car lots. The automaker only sold 603 Volts in January and its 2011 total of 7,671 was less than it had hoped. A winning Super Bowl ad could at the very least be a vehicle (pun intended) to educate the general public about EVs and maybe get them excited it.

If you remember, last year's Super Bowl featured another electric car ad, which starred a thankful polar bear. That commercial, which advertised the all-electric Nissan Leaf, was aimed directly at the environmentally responsible crowd. While it didn't address range anxiety, the No. 1 fear of potential customers, it did tug on the do-gooder heart strings. Check out the Nissan Leaf and compare. I've also included another GM Super Bowl ad, this one marketing the Sonic Anthem, which does a far better job (IMO) of reaching its intended audience.

Photo: Screenshot GM Chevy Volt ad

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This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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