Now, With More Added Cost!

I've watched a little bit of football on the weekends lately, and I'm curious about the commercials, especially the car commercials. I'm particularly remembering a truck commercial series. In one, they built a huge structure whom which they hung Poe-esque pendulum thingies that alternately swing behind and in front of the truck. In another they've got a truck trying to come to a stop before a weight drags it over a cliff. And then of course there's the truck that is able to act as the breaks for some giant transport plane.

Granted that a lot of these may possibly be computer generated, but still... I wonder how much the trucks and cars might cost if they didn't spend such a god-awful fortune on advertising. Even if it is CG, that stuff ain't cheap, right? and if is is real, then what the hell? how can you legitimize building a 10 story erector set to advertise a car? What is the upside for anyone (excepting the ad agency, of course)? I mean, does anyone seriously get their information about cars from ads? It's all just setting up a brand-sexiness, right? Why in the world would you buy a car knowing that a significant chunk of your money is not going to make a good car, but to attempt a ever-more-jaded population get all hot and bothered about a new car (that looks like every other car out there).

Yeesh.