Subaru owners can wash filthy selves off with Outback detergent

Subaru, the auto brand that seems uniquely positioned to withstand a recession, is now getting into Procter & Gamble's turf with a detergent line. The Japanese automaker quietly released Outback Detergent with an infomercial. The line is aimed at Subaru's rough-and-tumble fans, who soil their clothes on rugged mountain treks and such. OK, the detergent line isn't real, but it is a funny and flattering portrayal of people who buy Subarus. The infomercial, created by Carmichael Lynch is pretty spot-on. "Shelly, do me a favor, smell this," says the host, handing off a pair of shorts. "Smells great," Shelly coos. The host beams: "I wore these exact shorts on a 50-mile mountain bike ride before coming in here today!" "I want this in a perfume," says Shelly, who then hands the shorts off to the audience to sniff. Other vignettes show a nature photographer doing his thing ("Who's a sexy bird?" he calls to a fake sparrow) and a guy rappelling off a cliff who ends up in a neck brace. The weird thing is, a detergent for Outback types isn't that bad an idea. Maybe L.L. Bean should look into it.

—Posted by Todd Wasserman