DaVinci Gets smart
Will the DaVinci Code do for the smart what the Italian Job did for the Mini? Mercedes-Benz obviously hopes so, for the diminutive 2-seater gets a starring role in the movie as Tom Hank's and Audrey Tautou outsmart (pun intended) the gendarmes in a chase across Paris. The smart demonstrates its qualities as an agile city car in a hair-raising chase scene, speeding backwards along a footpath, just making it across the road between two freight trucks coming from opposite directions. Sadly this clever product placement may be somewhat wasted in the US where Mercedes brass fiddled and fidgeted, unable to decide whether or not to market the smart in the land of bigger must be better. North of the border, however, we Canadians quietly accepted the car on our city streets, where it has been a surprising success. Which is why smart Canada has planned several special promotional events as the film makes its debut. A "mystery revealed microsite" lets everyone in on the fun. Note: the official brand spelling uses a small "s."
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I still have mixed feelings about small cars. While they’re slowly becoming more popular on the coasts, I honestly don’t see Americans giving up their trucks and SUVs. Both have deep psychological significance which even I have experienced when I first stepped into the smaller Mazda6. I didn’t realize how accustomed I was to “large” mid-sized sedans.