USA: LOBBY GROUP PRODUCING TV COMMERCIALS TRYING TO REDUCE AMERICAN PUBLIC'S DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL FOR LARGE SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES

Record ID: 645638

  • Title: USA: LOBBY GROUP PRODUCING TV COMMERCIALS TRYING TO REDUCE AMERICAN PUBLIC'S DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL FOR LARGE SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES
  • Date: 8th January 2003
  • Summary: (U1) VARIOUS UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, SUVS AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WIDE OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC SLV SUVS AT INTERSECTION SLV SUVS IN CLOSE SUCCESSION DRIVING ALONG ROAD
  • Embargoed: 23rd January 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA3NFTH3PWNA8CRPC6LUEG63RWJ
  • Story Text: A U.S. activist group dedicated to reducing U.S.
    dependence on foreign oil has produced a pair of television commercials suggesting that people who buy sport-utility vehicles (SUV) are supporting terrorism.
    Starting on Sunday (January 12, 2002), television viewers in several American cities will be shown advertisements discouraging them from driving sport-utility vehicles (SUV).
    The ads were produced by a recently-founded activist group called the "Detroit Project," which hopes to convince consumers that gas-guzzling SUVs are fueling U.S. dependence on foreign oil and thus constitute a threat to national security.
    The 30-second television ads present the argument that money for gas needed for SUVs goes to support terrorist groups. One spot closes with the question: "What is your SUV doing to our national security?"
    In a nation where millions of motorists drive an SUV, there's no doubt that this topic is quite provocative; so provocative, in fact, that several television stations have refused to air these ads.
    The Detroit Project is led by political commentator Ariana Huffington, who gave up her SUV in favor of a gasoline-electric hybrid after the September 11th attacks.
    At a news conference on Wednesday (January 8) introducing the ads, Huffington stressed that her organization wants to communicate with politicians as well as ordinary consumers.
    "We are really asking individual citizens to provide the leadership that Washington is failing to provide," explained Huffington.
    "Both political parties have failed to issue a call to action at a time when every poll showed the American people were ready to act, to do something. After all, during the Second World War, we were rationed to three gallons of gas a week, which is about what an SUV consumes in a trip back and forth to Starbucks."
    Huffington's efforts may be stymied by the fact that SUVs are more popular than ever. More than 3.5 million such vehicles were sold in the United States in 2002; indeed, SUVs are now available in more than 70 models and constitute almost one-fourth of all car and light truck sales.
    Passersby outside the Los Angeles auto show were pessimistic about the campaign's eventual effectiveness.
    "I just think people really enjoy their SUVs," said one man, Jeff Atkinson, "They'll look at these commercials and think, that's a pretty ridiculous stretch to make. Whether there's any truth behind them or not." Another passerby agreed, saying: "I thought they were funny, but I don't think they'll have much impact. I think people will probably get offended by them, actually, since so many people drive SUVs."
    Some viewers were defensive when asked about their impressions of the ads.
    "Didn't change my mind about nothing," said Charlie Keenan, "You see, if you put your money in the bank, you don't know where that money went. You go down to the drugstore and buy some aspirin, you don't know where the money went. I'm not even worried about that. I want an SUV, I'm going to buy an SUV. Because I plan to buy one pretty soon."
    A women who gave her name as "April" took issue with the aims of the Detroit Project, saying: "I don't know that I necessarily agree, because I think that it's very important for everyone in the United States, since our country is based on freedoms, people should be free to make whatever choice, purchase, that they want to make with their own personal money on what vehicle they want to drive."
    One passerby said Americans were simply not ready to be confronted about their driving habits.
    Derek Sherman, who himself is an SUV driver, expressed his prediction for the adverts' reception.
    "I would imagine they're going to be a little angry.
    Because it hits home, they're going to take it a little personally. And the fact is, most Americans are fat and lazy and they don't want to go out of their way, and we want what we want."
    The anti-SUV ads are scheduled to air in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.
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