• by Tanya Gazdik , May 1, 2017

Chrysler takes the expression “when pigs fly” to a new level. A new TV spot for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid actually shows gravity-defying swines.

The reference is to the 84 MPGe claimed by the vehicle.

The 60-second “Flying Pigs,” began running across digital media channels April 28. It can be viewed on the Chrysler brand’s official YouTube page, in addition to the brand’s social channels Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan is arriving in dealerships now.

It is the first full campaign for Goodby Silverstein & Partners as Chrysler brand's official AOR.

Autotrader Senior Analyst Michelle Krebs calls it a “clever ad.”

“It showcases the family-friendly features of the Chrysler Pacifica, of which there are many, with the fuel-economy advantage of the hybrid version layered on top — and the story told like a children's fairy tale,” Krebs tells Marketing Daily. “It should gain some attention.”

MediaPost columnist and advertising critic Barbara Lippert calls the ad “delightful.”

“The flying pigs were so unexpected,” she says. “But I wanted more of a build and a clever ending.”

Besides the pigs, the spot also features a glimpse of hell freezing over and a blue moon (as in, “once in a blue moon.”) The spot opens in an animated picture-book view, from the perspective of a young boy and his sister sitting in the passenger seats of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid as their parents take the minivan for a test drive. As mom and dad learn about the safety and technology features, the children see the unexpected as they gaze into the sky through the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid’s tri-pane panoramic sunroof. The moral of the story is that the all-new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid defies all conventional thinking.

Consumers first got a glimpse of the flying pigs at the Chrysler display at the Chicago Auto Show in February. Metro Detroit residents also saw a building wrap of the FCA headquarters featuring flying pigs back in the fall.