This is an interesting discussion, though I haven't seen the commercial. I admit to having the same prejudices - "haven't they got anything better to do with all that money??! but it's not a very well-founded idea on my part. I do feel that there is a moral limit to how much consumerism I find acceptable, that's an ecological question as well, but if you have a lot of money, it is really your own business how you spend it. Giving a good, sound car that will run for years, to somebody who really needs it, if you can afford it, is a brilliant gift when I think of it.
Anyhoo. What gets my goat around Christmas-time are the ads trying to get men to buy really expensive jewelry for their wives and playing on their bad conscience. Even the discreet kind - "Don't you think she finally deserves ... this?", which implies that the only two possible answers are "yes" or "no". *puke*
Winter riding is much less about badassery and much more about bundle-uppery. - malkin
1995 Kona Cinder Cone commuterFrankenbike/Selle Italia SLR Lady Gel Flow
2008 white Nakamura Summit Custom mtb/Terry Falcon X
2000 Schwinn Fastback Comp road bike/Specialized Jett