Oh, sorry, it’s not "rip off" is it? It’s "an homage" or "inspired by". Whatever.
Given this history, it's refreshing to see a commercial that does more than sneakily re-purpose someone else’s film, but openly acknowledges the original and makes it central to the idea.
Here's the ad for the Honda CR-V.:
The plot goes like this: Matthew Broderick, the star of 1986 flick 'Ferris Bueller’s Day Off', reprises the role as a grown-up.
This time, he's taking off in a Honda, not a Ferrari convertible.
But the teen spirit remains the same. Take some time out when you feel like it. Look around. Have fun. Connect with people – including total strangers.
It's charming and memorable. And judging from my Facebook posts, fans of the 1980s opus love it. But you don't have to have seen John Hughes’ movie for the ad to work its magic.
This cute little film from Honda should be a candidate to win the 'Best Use Of ‘80s Retro' award. And maybe some real gongs, too. Flaming Ferraris all around, I'd say.
Simon S Kershaw is a creative consultant and a former creative director at Craik Jones