We all know the Honda City is a great car and even the British band Madness agreed with that. Even in Germany they agreed, however they all got it wrong in Germany!
First of all the Honda City is called the Honda Jazz in Europe because some German car company (Opel) complained that people would confuse the City name with their car with a totally different name (Kadett) because it featured a trim model (City) that sounded like it. Did you get that, mkay?
Well, that’s only the start of what’s wrong with this German Honda City ad:
So, apart from the name (Jazz instead of City) they decided to ditch Madness in favor of a few Germans that walk in an identical way. Then they exchanged the Madness song for some German synthpop. The original Madness commercial was shot in the US, but this German one is shot in Japan. At the end the Honda Jazz stops at a gas station to have it filled up with Super gasoline: back in 1983 Super gasoline meant leaded fuel while all Japanese cars (even exports) were running on unleaded fuel.
Now you get why everything is wrong with this ad?
(bonus points if you can come up with even more things that are wrong! ;) )
Direct link to video: Honda Jazz 1984
0:12 – 80’s fashion!