Grizzly Bear Penetrates Peugeot's Hot-Track Lineup

It mesmerized us, it inspired fan art, and now Grizzly Bear's Two Weeks makes its debut into banality.

Say hello to "The Doors," an ad for the Peugeot 5008. After a day at the fair, a dad packs his family into the car and swings open the drivers side door repeatedly, only to find that someone else -- circus performers, his kids, his wife, a double of himself, a sad clown -- has commandeered his seat.

Slogan: "La meilleure place est aussi celle du conducteur." (The best place is that of the driver.)

While the spot itself may be a little "meh," French blog Mixedtape says Peugeot is well-known for introducing some solid ear candy in its TV spots. Some examples: Bhangra Knights' Husan for the 206, The Film's Can You Touch Me? for the 407 and The Caesars' (I’m Gonna) Kick You Out for the 407 SW.

Suitably eclectic company for Grizzly Bear. And knowing Peugeot has an indie ear gives the brand a streak of appeal it previously lacked -- for me, anyway.

What's in a Face? Grizzly Bear Illustrates.

I give you the music video for "Two Weeks," the first single off Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest -- a very nice album, btw. The track is dreamlike, distant and nostalgic, as if you're listening from a great distance; but what really gets me is that the video focuses entirely on the slow strange movements of four faces, which have an unsettling quality that hits you from moment one.

Whenever I put this on I can't help but sit still, my eyeballs ravishing what feels like the miles of data conveyed by the slightest change in their expressions.

Everybody I've shown this vid to is creeped out after the first :15 without really being able to explain why. Toward the end, light starts pouring out of the characters' eyes and mouths all sinister-like, and we suddenly feel validated: "I knew there was something off about these guys!"

If I ever doubted the adage that 90% of communication is nonverbal, I certainly believe it now.