Funny or infuriating? Ram 1500 REV Super Bowl ad

The big game always features memorable advertisements and this year, the Ram 1500 REV Super Bowl ad certainly stood out from the crowd, yet is that a good or bad thing?

This year’s trucking advertisement straddles the fine line of poking fun at sexual dysfunction advertisements with its tongue-in-cheek comedy. However, it could also be seen as an attack on EV critics’ concerns.

Do you suffer from premature electrification?

The 60-second Ram 1500 REV Super Bowl ad leaned heavy on the talents of Emmy-nominated actor Jason Jones who delivers comedic lines in a flat tone voice.

He asks the viewer if they suffer from premature electrification pointing out a variety of concerns. For example, he details symptoms like “fearing you might not last as long as you’d like” showing a couple walking down the road.

Another symptom would be “unsure if you have enough power to handle your payload” with another set of actors nervously looking at each other while a 5th-wheel camper is in the background.

Finally, a symptom of “concerned on whether or not you would be able to keep a charge” rounds out the commercial. This scene shows a bent fishing pole and a wife sharing her concerns about having to stop/start, stop/start, etc. You get the gist.

These scenes are easy to laugh about and, while they are seemingly aimed at poking fun at sexual health drugs, they could also be seen as poking fun at EV critics’ concerns of range loss — especially in the winter or when towing.

The commercial ends with Jones describing the Ram 1500 REV BEV as the solution to your needs and a call to reserve one at RamRev.com with a $100 refundable deposit.

Managing Editor Jill Ciminillo’s take

There are so many layers to the Ram 1500 Rev Super Bowl commercial, I don’t even know where to start. Yes, this is a clear knock on the Ford F-150 Lightning, referencing that truck’s recent cold-weather range issues. It’s also a knock against “macho” men who say they’ll never buy an electric truck because it can’t do truck things, like tow long distances (even though they probably only do truck things once in a blue moon – or never). It’s playing into gender roles and stereo types, and it’s absolutely mocking sex drug commercials.

Obscurely, I think this is also a way for parent company Stellantis to poke fun at itself. Remember when Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was re-branded to Stellantis? There were a ton of jokes (still are) about checking with your doctor to see if Stellantis is right for you.

So, my take? It’s funny. Maybe I can say this because I’m not specifically one of the targets of the joke. But if anyone out there is angry, I say suck it up, Buttercup. I mean, stop/start … stop/start … stop/start … It’s funny.

Publisher Tim Esterdahl’s take

At first glance, I thought it was in poor taste and a direct attack at EV critics. Then, I decided to watch it again, keeping in mind the current state of being easily offended and woke culture. I mean, if we don’t start finding things to laugh about or to laugh at ourselves, what kind of world will this turn into?

Watching it again and, watching it live with my wife, I realized I needed to focus on the sexual drug angle and ignore the pokes at the EV critics. This made the Ram 1500 Rev Super Bowl commercial much more enjoyable, yet it still turned me off (pun intended).

I did eventually put a deposit on the truck, but not because of this commercial. Rather it is just a business decision based on needing to buy the newest trucks on the market for long-term testing.

The bottom line

Whether we like the commercial or not, it doesn’t really matter. The fact is the commercial is getting people talking — like Stellantis did with the Jeep Super Bowl commercial from 2021 — whether good or bad. At the end of the day, that’s really the goal of any advertising campaign. So, end goal achieved. What’s your take on the ad? Love it? Offended by it? Comment below.