A's LF Yoenis Cespedes during the second round of last night's Chevrolet Home Run Derby "hit a Chevrolet truck showcased beyond the center-field wall, cracking its window," according to Susan Slusser of the S.F. CHRONICLE. Chevy was "oddly delighted to have Cespedes crush one of the models on display at the ballpark." Chevy VP/Marketing Chris Perry said, "It was exciting for us. That's the reason why we put it out there, to give him a target to aim for." Cespedes won the Derby with 32 home runs and also "won a Chevy Silverado truck for his troubles -- not the one with the cracked window" (
S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/16). Several balls hit the truck on the bounce, but only Cespedes hit the Silverado on the fly. ESPN's Nomar Garciaparra said after Cespedes' homer, "I asked for one. I said, 'Can he get the window?' And he got the window." ESPN's Chris Berman said, "You have to love that. Like a rock, the Chevrolet truck. It's taken a beating out there" (
"Chevrolet Home Run Derby," ESPN, 7/15).
HORSE POWER: In Michigan, Michael Wayland reported a new spot for the '14 Chevy Silverado titled "Her Horse" is scheduled to air tonight during Fox' broadcast of the MLB All-Star Game. The ad is the "first in a series of spots about the journeys men and women take with their Silverados." Additional spots will "join the rotation in August." This comes after a three-and-a-half minute ad for the Silverado aired last night during the Home Run Derby. The ad featured an "original song by Grammy-nominated recording artist Will Hoge." Chevrolet has been the Official Vehicle of MLB since '05 and is a "first-time sponsor of the Home Run Derby" (MLIVE.com, 7/14). Arkansas-based Martin-Wilbourn marketing firm's Brent Gambill wrote, "Nice to have the #HRDerby in the middle of the Chevy commercial." NBC News' Luke Russert wrote, "A candidate should use this song playing in the Chevy truck commercial for the '16 race."
