VAUXHALL MOTOR CO | CAR PET | 1991
This Is a Dog's Carpet / VAUXHALL "CAR PET"
It's 1991, and the ad is called "CAR PET." It's wordplay—CAR and CARPET, PET and CARPET. And there's probably a dog somewhere in the video (just guessing here). Just the hint of that very British wit is already enough to make this fun.
The problem
This is the UK, 1991. The car in question is the Vauxhall Nova, the British version of a small car sold in Europe as the Opel Corsa. It was an affordable compact that appealed to everyone from families to young drivers.
What happened
The ad won Gold at Cannes Lions. It also made the list "50 Years of Best Car Ads," a collection of the greatest car advertising ever made—credited as Vauxhall Nova's "CAR PET," created by Lowe Howard-Spink out of the UK. It sits there alongside famous car ads from brands like Citroën and Volkswagen.
Afterthought
There's so little information available that I can only enjoy this ad in my imagination. But honestly, that's part of the fun too. The UK, 1991. An agency called Lowe Howard-Spink. The wordplay of "CAR PET." Someone, somewhere, must have grinned when that title came to them. Just picturing that moment reminds me why I love advertising.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1991
