In two new commercials that are part of its "We Drive It Like It Is" campaign, Edmunds spoofs some of the "tropes" you might find in a car commercial (i.e. rugged dude hauling lumber in a pickup, couple off-roading in an SUV to a campsite) as a means to underscore some of the services it offers.

For instance, helping consumers find a car that meets their lifestyle, or appraise their current ride.

“The need for trusted consumer automotive guidance has never been greater as car shoppers struggle to navigate major market challenges such as record high prices, rising interest rates and limited inventory,” said Alison Steinlauf Anziska, Edmunds’ vice president of marketing, in a news release. “As a legacy brand bent on a mission to empower car shoppers, our tools have only grown more relevant in today's market. Edmunds’ opportunity is to reach wide-ranging consumer audiences across strategic channels to inform them of all the resources we have to offer.”

And if the ads have a “Saturday Night Live” feel to them, they were directed by Hannah Levy, whose background includes directing shorts for SNL.

“I was thrilled at a second opportunity to collaborate with Edmunds on this campaign,” said Levy. “Car commercial tropes are begging to be parodied. I sought to capture the exaggerated nuances of the genre and turn them on their head.” 

Anziska, the Edmunds marketing VP, added: “Consumers have come to expect the sexy, glossy or even rugged portrayals of products in car commercials.Using the element of surprise, Edmunds is disrupting these expected tropes to lightheartedly remind viewers that we’re also here to help them through the less glamorous process of buying or selling a car. We were thrilled to work collaboratively with Hannah and have her in the director’s chair to help guide and communicate our brand message in a relatable, humorous and memorable way.”

For more, check out the below episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast with Anziska, who discusses these new spots and shares how the company is utilizing newer media like connected TV to get its message across.