Black Keys Promote New Release With A Used Car Ad

The Black Keys have a new album called "El Camino" coming out and they've been running an auto ad in print and a commercial on YouTube featuring Bob Odenkirk. Oddly enough a Dodge Caravan is pictured in the ad and on the album cover which may or may not have significance but seems to have fans and media speculating.

The Black Keys' "El Camino" is due December 6 and is co-produced by Danger Mouse and the band. So far, the most distinctive aspect of their marketing campaign is a rather odd auto ad and commercial, said to be for a 1994 El Camino that is actually a Dodge Caravan, which also appears on the album cover.

El Camino Commercial ft. Bob Odenkirk

The auto ad has appeared in at least one newspaper, the Akron Beacon Journal, based in Akron, Ohio where the band initially formed. They've also launched a related website at wannabuyavan.com that includes what looks like a version of a print ad as well as a link to the above YouTube video as well as fan comments.

The YouTube video, a commercial for the "El Camino" (Dodge Caravan) stars Bob Odenkirk who appears in "Breaking Bad" as a rather shady lawyer. Odenkirk portrays a car salesman who is very much an Odenkirk-style character but is also reminiscent of various car commercial outtakes in which things screw up resulting in cursing and general hilarity. Interestingly enough, a search on YouTube for "cursing auto salesman" surfaces this outtake from the 60s of a car commercial shoot featuring Chick Lambert for Ralph Williams Bay Shore Chrysler-Plymouth dealerhips at, wait for it, 345 El Camino Real, San Bruno.

I'm going to be stoked if there's a connection between Chick's commercials, the dealership address and the album concept and campaign. Not even the rabid analysts at The Black Keys Fan Lounge mention that in their album-related discussion of the various auto connections to The Black Keys, including the use of their music in other auto commercials.

That may be a stretch but I think finding that made me feel a little of what hardcore fans must feel as they puzzle out such mysteries.

Among other efforts, The Black Keys will also be releasing a limited edition 12-inch of the single, "Lonely Boy" off "El Camino" on November 25th for Record Store Day's "Back to Black" event.

Hypebot contributor Clyde Smith is a freelance writer and blogger. He maintains a business writing hub at Flux Research and also blogs at This Business of Blogging. To suggest music services and related topics for review at Hypebot, please contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.