For a high tech advanced mobility company that hasn't actually sold any mobility yet, Canoo has had a surprising amount of time in front of the camera. Now, Canoo isn't the only pre-production EV to get some screen time head of release, but the strategy being deployed behind it feels very insidious versus just hype brand building. I'll come back to this point later but lets continue forward and review the Canoo Filmography
LIDO
In March of 2020, when Canoo was still a fledging subscription only EV start up, singer/song writer and record producer Lido(Peder Losnegård) released the music video for 'postclubridehomemusic' (note, this is to be read as post-club-ride-home-music and is in fact not some weird long Norwegian word for fermented salmon pancakes.) It's a pretty chill beat for easy listening and fun video for those who don't suffer from epilepsy. I think this comment on the video sums it up pretty well:
VERIZON
This one is more of an honorable mention, since it was never aired, but there was a Verizon commercial around the same time that the Lido video came out. I'm assuming it was geared toward making some ESG commercial about the EV future and Verizon's commitment to sustainably over charging you for internet for years to come. I don't know if this signaled a pending partnership or if it was just a feel good yay for the future advertisement. Whatever it was about, it died.
Here is a little Easter Egg for you, the green bridge seen in the background is the same one later seen with the MPDV
Jay Leno's Garage
Prior to making the pivot away from the subscription model, Canoo hosted Jay Leno. Even though some of the information is outdated it's totally worth the watch if you haven't seen it yet. I come back and watch this one often.
HBO's Search Party
Alright - I'll admit I haven't watched Search Party, but I have heard its a pretty wacky fun adventure and worth the journey. In some episode during Season 5, Jeff Goldblum makes an appearance riding an autonomous Canoo LV. Is there anything that man doesn't just instantly make better? I never knew I needed to see Mr. Drip himself in a matching Canoo until I actually saw it. Production note: The LV is obviously on some trailer being towed and not actually driving - I'm assuming the super bumpiness of the scene is just to visually tell the viewer: "look! its driving autonomously".
Marvel's She-HULK
We are 3 episodes in and while She-HULK isn't a great show destined to be remembered as timeless, it's also not terrible. It also has some Canoo sightings of the MPDV dressed up with some CGI which makes it infinitely better. So far episode 2 and episode 3 have them at the super max prison location. It will be interesting to see if any more MPDVs or other models appear during the rest of the season - I don't think the plot will return this prison facility.
What I am most excited about is the fact that Canoos now exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Which means the potential for every Marvel movie yet to be released, to also have Canoos. I need to see Thor in a LV - make it happen Disney!
Apple TV's Extrapolations - Directed by Scott Z. Burns
Sorry, you won't find a good summary of what Extrapolations is about. The best I can come up with is its 8 individual stories that are interconnected and relate to how the planet is changing and humans change their behaviors along with it. I believe at least one Canoo LV will make an appearance and be self driving - beyond that I don't want to spoil anything plot specific. The show has wrapped shooting and I believe is even done post-production as well. but there isn't a release date yet other than sometime this year.
Initially there are two reactions to someone seeing their first Canoo - it's either they love it, or hate it. It's rare for someone to have a lukewarm feeling to them. But beyond the initial reaction, those who hate it tend to start hating it less and less....until one day it turns out they love it too.
The trend I've noticed so far with Canoo's strategy is getting featured in futuristic settings as autonomous vehicles, almost setting the stage and implanting it into the minds of viewers: this is the future, and it doesn’t look like an ICE. Most vehicles following typical ICE design cues will look outdated next to any Canoo model - once the public adjusts to just how different they are. Shows like Extrapolations will help supplant Canoo as the superior future of mobility.
#movies #marvel #HBO #searchparty #jeffgoldblum #shehulk #MPDV #canoo #jayleno #lido #fermentedsalmonpancakes
Authors disclosures: I am long Canoo - I own common shares, warrants and call options.