Any ‘Super’ ads? Stamp collecting; ’16’s big stories

PICKUP LINES: Most of us never will have one of these classic trucks, but we’ll be able to buy them on stamps later this year. US POSTAL SERVICE

By Bill Griffith @MrAutoWriter

February 7, 2016

4 minutes to read

Last Sunday should have been a five-star day for those of us who are sports junkies and gearheads.

The Patriots were going to win their way into the Super Bowl and, for once, the game’s interminable commercials would be must-viewing to see if one or more of the automakers’ spots could strike an emotional chord.

Now some of the luster is gone.

Not only have the Patriots gone home for the season but so have many manufacturers.

As of this writing (last Monday) Ford, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, and Nissan sat out the game, too.

But I did see some ads on next week’s lineup that are worth noting:

I’ve always been impressed when a company uses humor to get a serious message across. Mini uses a cast of A-list stars to do it impressively with its “Defy Labels’’ spot. It sure has the feel of an industry award-winner.

Honda uses a flock of singing sheep to promote its coming Ridgeline pickup. The connection? The truck has a bed-mounted audio system.

Buick melds sports (Odell Beckham Jr.) and show biz (Emily Ratajkowski) to promote its new Cascada convertible.

We’ve waited a long time for Acura’s NSX supercar. It will show up (loudly) in the first quarter of this year. I was struck by the ad’s fabulous photography and primal screams, which apparently hail from Van Halen’s “Runnin’ with the Devil.’’

Hyundai has a good Super Bowl track record and will have comedian Kevin Hart in a pre-game spot and plans two 30-second in-game spots. I’ll be watching for them.

Kia is using Christopher Walken in a “Walk-in Closet’’ to promote the 2016 Optima as a vehicle that will stand out from the crowd. We’ll see what emerges.

With low gas prices taking much of the luster off hybrids’ sales and pre-owned values, Toyota will be saying, “Don’t forget about us’’ with its 60-second spot on the new and improved Prius.

Stamps of Approval

My “muscle car’’ postage stamps are almost all used up.

The US Postal Service says those stamps are “forever,’’ and they are—for philatelists. But mine go out in circulation, hopefully being noticed by the recipients.

Having the stamps is a treat as were the hot rod stamps the USPS sold a few years back.

Coming this year (date still to be determined) is a series of pickup truck stamps. The four trucks being honored are the 1938 International Harvester, 1948 Ford F-1, 1953 Chevrolet, and 1965 Ford F-100.

We stamp both the USPS and “real’’ versions as collectible.

Story continues after gallery

Kelley Blue Book’s best car buys of 2016

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What Will 2016 Bring?

Here are some questions for the 2016 automotive year, not all of which will be answered before 2017.

1. The Genesis Brand. Adding an upscale brand has been done successfully by Hyundai’s rivals’ Acura (Honda), Lexus (Toyota), and Infiniti (Nissan). It’s an ambitious undertaking with great potential rewards.

2. EVs and Hybrids: There are exciting vehicles coming along in the form of the new Prius, Chevy Bolt and Volt, and Tesla X. There’s also a reduced demand thanks to the combination of low gas prices and improved economy in conventional powertrains.

3. Titan and Ridgeline: Nissan and Honda are sending a pair of new vehicles into a market dominated by Detroit and Toyota. Detroit loyalty runs deep, giving the newcomers an additional hurdle.

4. The luxury market. The economic realities of a middle class that’s dissolving into haves and have-nots is reflected by the growing number of luxury cars on our streets and showrooms. Will there be enough buyers?

5. The minivan. Can Chrysler’s Pacifica—seeming a mix of SUV and minivan—breathe new life into the genre?

6. Whither Volkswagen? Can it solve the diesel problem and restore its image?

7. Same for Lincoln and Buick. They’re working hard on product, but will Lincoln go the way of Mercury and Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile? We ask only because there’s only so much you can do with leather, wood, and upscale materials when cutting-edge technology is becoming available at lower price points.

8. The small crossovers. Nissan’s Rogue is making a run at Ford’s Escape and everyone is chasing the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Lots of good product here and grounds for marketing campaigns.

9. Infiniti’s QX30. The company’s naming convention—Q for cars, QX for crossovers and SUVs—is starting to be recognizable. The QX30 promises to be an interesting proposition when it arrives later this year—sort of a high-riding hatchback with AWD.

10. Used (excuse me, pre-owned) Vehicles: Today’s cars, with regular maintenance, are capable of going 200,000 miles. Many buyers are considering a good, low-mileage pre-owned vehicle instead of buying new. That’s a better proposition for dealers (after all, a sale is a sale) than manufacturers.