Prius a movie star again in 'The Other Guys'

it was funny. the covered in cocaine part was the best, but the prius surviving 1000 bullets was also amusing. technically this should go in the Gen II forum because they were driving a gen II, not a gen III prius.

 

the outside was distinctly second gen =)

 

Prius GenIII (pkg V) is the car the main character of the TV show, "Lie to Me" drives. Looks like it's the dark gray color. Two weeks ago he was teaching his daughter to drive using the Prius. He told her to parallel park and she was going to use the auto park feature to do it. LOL.

 

if i remember correctly there was a few episodes of bones as well where Brennan has one with a nav and Hodgins and Angela were driving one with the ATP (they were demonstrating the lane-keep assist).

 

I loved the part where he started backing up when he was driving like a maniac and the backup beep came on.... LMAO.

 

I don't worry about the "image" that get's projected about an automobile. I either like it or not.

Really? I didn't like the latest Toyota Approved Advertising for The Prius.

I saw "The Other Guys" last night and would say that I don't care about The Prius's useage in that movie either.

But ultimately? It's not good exposure. It's using the Prius as a stereotyped humorous prop. Being presented mostly in a very negative light. Mark Wahlbergs characters first reaction is to liken it to literally riding in a vagina.

Ferrels character is revealed as a anal retentive type trying to live as controlled and "safe" and existence as possible.

The Prius is also presented as the negative "contrast" to the 70's muscle car the "cool" detectives drive. I also noted that at the very end, The Prius is abandoned and replaced with a "Vegetable Oil" powered muscle car.

Again, don't get me wrong. It's ALL presented as humor, but I would say that if you work for Toyota? That's not really the exposure you want for The Prius, OR if you are a supporter of Prius, it really isn't the stereotypes....and most of them were stereotypes..that you want attached to the vehicle.

So whether The Prius is presented as a magical car in a make-believe enviroment that awakens nature as it drives past singing plants, OR

whether it's presented as "like riding in a vagina" or a great place for homeless people to have orgies...

While I don't care? It's not really the exposure you'd WANT attached to your vehicle.

So I can't spin the Prius's presentation in The Other Guys as a positive thing, as a supporter of Prius. It was all in humor, and yes a lot of it was humorous, but STILL it was perpetuation of negative stereotypes I think The Prius has unfairly attached to it, and has struggled to overcome.

 

It was definitely a gen II. Or at least the Wall Street Journal story says so.

“The Other Guys,†their second generation Toyota Prius hybrid costar remains an unsung hero."

But it wasn't a product placement.

"The Priuses, for example, were not supplied by Toyota says Joe Tetherow, spokesman for Toyota and Lexus."

I think any exposure is good, even if just to make fun of the car. You don't really see Prius' in movies much except in the background. I like the idea that my gen II is cast as a cop car. It's not that far out. Look at the kinds of cop cars used in Europe. A lot of compact cars. Small enough to get around stuff but cheap to buy and efficient. Really, how many chases do cops get into? I bet they mostly drive fast to respond to calls and the rest of the time is on patrol.

 

Hmm...I agree that it wasn't product placement by Toyota. Certainly doesn't suprise me that Toyota did NOT provide the vehicle. If anyone at Toyota read the script, they would probably conclude that this was not something Toyota would want to support.

I guess where I disagree with most on this thread is with the contention that any exposure is good.

While I don't really care, most of the presentation of The Prius was as the butt of down putting jokes and stereotypes about not only the vehicle but owners.

To me? It's not worth worrying about one way or another, it's just comedy and humor.

But in comparison? Drag Me to Hell, had a 2nd Generation Prius simply used as the primary characters vehicle. Not a major piece of the movie at all, but imo better exposure for The Prius.

PS.
There were some very glancing views of the dashboard. It was definently a Gen. 2.

 

If toyota supplied the vehicle, it would've been a Gen III i assume. And who cares if the car was made fun of. Any kind of publicity, positive or negative, is always good. Helps gain exposure.

 

Everyone tells me that Drag Me to Hell is great. I'm going to have to rent that.

 

I loved the part where Gamble backs up and the reverse beep goes off. Hahaha!

I only wish they had shown the reverse camera but that wouldve been too obsequious to Toyota.