Comments on: Subaru Forester Pinewood Derby Commercial

By: Dick

Dick — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:31:41 +0000

As a Parent of an Eagle Scout and former Scoutmaster I think the commercial is cute and expresses our values. BSA policy does not allow endorsements of products, and that includes the wearing of the uniform for commercials or even “non-authorized” fund raising. The commercial portrays the values of our program and gives the Boy Scouts a good image.
I have owned 3 Subaru Outbacks; the last is at College with the Eagle Scout Son. It periodically visits home or I see it at Order of the Arrow events or staffing at camp. Great Cars, and a great program, perhaps Subaru would like to help with Friends of Scouting this year. Has anyone asked?

By: CubbinIt

CubbinIt — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:20:35 +0000

Ok I thought the commercial was great. I read all the comments though, and just wasted some great net surfin time looking at Beaver Scout and Brownie uniforms online. The boys in the commercial are obviously NOT dressed as brownie scouts. The vests may be borrowed from a brownie uniform, but the patches and such are all in the wrong places, and from my perusal it appears just as the letters from the company have stated – that it’s intended not to be a particular organization, but only to infer the boys were part of a youth organization. (BTW, the Japanese Beaver Scouts aren’t the only scout organization to have a brown vest as part of the boys’ uniform.) Do also note that no where in the commercial does it call the boys “scouts” at all. Scouts also aren’t the only uniformed youth group who hold wooden car races.

As both a Cub Scout leader and a Cub and Boy Scout parent, I’m certainly not offended, and I don’t get the negative inferences of some respondents regarding the rough car that obviously won the race. My boys have been entering their pinewood derby cars in races for the past 5 years, and we’ve always made a point of making sure the boys did as much work on the cars as possible. They have a few cars that look rather like the one in the commercial. They design their car on paper, draw the cut lines on the block of wood, my husband cuts the general design, then it’s up to the boys to sand it and paint it to match what they want it to look like. We’ve had some interesting outcomes, and one or the other of the boys usually ends up in or near the finals. Their cars aren’t as fancy and streamlined as some of the entries, but it’s not always the “perfect” car that wins the race.

By: Ken Miner

Ken Miner — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:21:17 +0000

Actually I sent an email expressing my disappointment as well about the uniform they choose. Only to have to release my own ethnocentric (wanting to see all things American) mistake when I read up on “Japanese Scouting Uniforms” – the boys are appropriately dressed for “Japanese Beaver Scouts” (equivalent to our Tiger Cubs). I can say now that I’m not proud of my arrogance – the commercial was great! It’s too bad I viewed it with my cultural binders on….

“The Japanese Scout uniform consists of a brown vest, brown pants with light blue pocket, and light blue cap for Beaver Scouts; a blue shirt, pants, and cap for Cub Scouts; khaki with green line edge shirt and pants, and a green beret for Boy Scouts; and a khaki shirt and pants, and green beret for Venture, Rover, and adult Scouts.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Association_of_Japan

By: Review: Online Eagle Scout Shadow Box and myNESA.org | Scouting News

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:12:25 +0000

[...] look at the comment left on the Subaru Forester Pinewood Derby Commercial post by ScoutAbout: Around the campfire at our recent pack family campout we asked new families why [...]

By: ScoutAbout

ScoutAbout — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:59:23 +0000

Around the campfire at our recent pack family campout we asked new families why they had joined cub scouts. SEVERAL of them said they saw the car commercial with the wooden car race and it sparked good memories and better values. They knew the actors were not real scouts, they knew the scouts did not drive Subarus, and they were reminded that there was a program out there that emphasized good old fashioned values and fun. Kudos to Subaru for helping my recruiting effort.

By: Gunner

Gunner — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:36:17 +0000

That boy is going to be scarred for life….

Boys will be girls, and girls will be boys.
–The Kinks

By: Kapt Z

Kapt Z — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:10:53 +0000

Heck, pal we ALL need to lighten up! Maybe the world would turn a little slower then and we’d all find more time for fishing.

Cheers!

By: Paul G

Paul G — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:50:48 +0000

Your right, it’s a cute commercial. It just pushed different buttons for me. I was a Den Leader and my father a Cub Master and I guess it just made me remember the kids that we or other fathers helped with their cars that either didn’t have fathers or had ones who just plain didn’t care.

I just read too deep I guess. I need to lighten up. I think I’ll go fishing!

Beleive me, I do remember the Ferraris. We used to have a seperate unofficial event just for fathers and other family members who wanted to build thier own.

I may just go test drive one of those Foresters!!!!!

By: Kapt Z

Kapt Z — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:19:21 +0000

I guess, for me, the ad did what it obviously was trying to do. It made me remember those kids who showed up with cars that looked like they were built by the designers for Ferrari’s Formula One team.

We all remember those kids. The ad was lumping the rest of us in the ‘honest virtues’ cart. But, hey if you’re offended, you’re offended. That’s OK.

With sex selling practically everything else in the media I was charmed that a 30sec spot of something ‘wholesome’ actually struck a cord in me.

That, and the fact I actually own a Subaru Forester just like the one in the ad. Great car, by the way.

By: Paul G

Paul G — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:27:42 +0000

Couldn’t agree more about the Boys Scout part and learning self reliance. Sounds like you had the same old scoutmaster as I did.

But these are Cub Scout age kids that need a little more guidance than just “Do your best.” My dad and I had wonderful hours working on those cars and so did my son and I. Each year my dad was less involved as I grew and learned.

And I’m sorry but I do take offense that those times are somehow portrayed as not “honest virtues” just to sell a car.