Advertising has always been imbued with a sense of a product being able to give you a better life; or a better outlook; or very often a better sex life. We all know that specific tampons will lead previously reticent girls to go skydiving; eating at McDonalds will make for happy well-behaved children; and getting rid of that grey hair will make you a demon in the sack.

Car adverts always hinted at this, but never seemed to grasp the concept wholeheartedly.

Until now.

There seem to be a raft of adverts appearing which attribute to the car which you drive the capacity to turn you into some sort of active, happy, impressive individual. Some messages are subtle, but others are very much in your face.

A Nissan Navara advert announces that the car 'Gets Respect'. It doesn't have to try, by god it commands it! Who could resist being seen to be so important? The macho image is one which permeates, taken on-board by Mitsubishi amongst others.

One morning I was passed a big black Mitsubishi Warrior. All urban growl and bluster. Blacked out windows, an aggressive 'me me me' vehicle flexing the muscles and shouting superiority. Just like the advert says.

With a little pink t-shirt in the back window declaring 'Princess on Board' and a small crown pictured. Respect of the school run? Well the roads are dangerous out there, it wouldn't do to drive little Jessica to school in anything smaller...

Aggressive ideals to protect your children, even if, in the case of the Dodge Caliber, you protect your children by being 'anything but cute' and able to scare stuffed toys.

Where do I sign?