EXCLUSIVE: General Motors copies Ford Australia’s viral cane toad video

FORD’S fiercest rival has ripped off a clever, but gruesome, advertising campaign developed in Australia to promote the four-cylinder Ecoboost Ford Falcon.

Opel, the European arm of US-based global carmaker General Motors, announced overnight it had released a promotional video steeped in black humour for its Ampera-e range-extended electric car.

It features a pair of cockchafers talking about the limited range of battery-powered cars before one is tragically run over by what we can only guess is a Ampera-e – a car capable of reaching 500km before needing a recharge or refill.

The problem is, we’ve seen it before with a distinctly Aussie spin.

In 2012, Ford Australia rolled out a promotional video produced by the Melbourne-based arm of advertising agency J Walter Thompson for the Ford Falcon Ecoboost, a turbocharged four-cylinder version of the large sedan, and steeped in black humour.

In it, a couple of cane toads – exotic pests in Australia – named Les and Ralph talk about how slow four-cylinder cars can be before Les is – you guessed it – tragically and gruesomely run over by what we can only assume is a four-pot Falcon.

Opel’s ad for the Ampera-e, featuring the voice of character actor Ben Becker, follows a startlingly similar theme with the pair having a humorous discussion before one of them is unexpectedly rubbed out by a fast-moving vehicle.

However, Opel embellishes on Ford Australia’s idea, cutting to a scene of the dead cockchafer asking God why he didn’t give warning of the approaching car. “I didn’t believe it [that a range-extended electric car can have a 500km range] myself,” he responds.

J Walter Thompson has been asked for comment. Ford Australia said it would “prefer not to comment on our competitors’ advertising”.

In a press release promoting the new video, Opel’s said the ad “does not deliver a technical explanation to transport the range message but instead looks to deeply black humor – including a minor shock” – the same thing the Falcon ad was criticised for in Australia.

“The Ampera-e not only surprises the animal kingdom but also the Almighty himself: Who could expect an electric car to come along in the middle of nowhere when crossing the road,” it says.

“However, at least one of the cockchafers in the spot finds out the hard way that he should expect the unexpected: ‘You know how far away the nearest city is. Do you really think that an electric car can get this faaaaaaaa …,’ he says before meeting his maker.

“Up in heaven even God is lost for words. Even he did not think that an electric car could have such a range.”

When Ford Australia’s cane toad video was launched in 2012, then marketing director David Katic hit out at suggestions the controversial ad was made solely to win advertising awards.

At the time, it was Ford Australia’s most successful viral video it had produced, reaching around 75,000 views in its first week alone.