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Have you seen the viral “Date our son” classified ads? They promise a 2004 Buick Regal in exchange for help bringing a shy 19-year-old out of his shell. The ad had many folks wondering, What’s the story? Then it was finally revealed as a guerilla marketing campaign for an upcoming Jennifer Lawrence comedy movie. 

The ‘Date our son’ for a Buick classified ad started on Facebook

 My brother first texted me the “Date Our Son” ad. One of his friends–an automotive enthusiast and photographer–was among the first to re-post the classified ad on Facebook.

Naturally, my brother and I had many questions. But the most pressing was, Is that car the infamous sleeper, supercharged Buick Regal GS? If so, a few dates might be a darn good bargain!

The Buick Gran Sport high-performance badge debuted way back in 1965. Throughout the years, the Gran Sport has been based on various models. From 1988 through 2004, it was a variant of the Regal.

This car had a supercharged 3.8-liter V6 which made 240 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. That was reportedly enough power to rocket it to 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds and through the 1/4-mile in 14.9 seconds. A smaller pulley was all it took to upgrade this car to a seriously fast sleeper.

So what does ‘date’ actually mean?

Promo photo of the 2004 Buick Regal GS sedan.
2004 Buick Regal GS | General Motors via Getty Images

Obviously, the “Date our son” classified ad left my brother and me with many other questions to discuss, beyond the specs of the Buick in question.

Almost as pressing was, Does this young man know about his parents’ classified ad? If not, he might be confused about why his summer girlfriend suddenly drives his grandma’s old Buick.

And of course, the real question is, Why is the word date in quotes? It would seem the parents’ ad is actually a thinly veiled request to show their son the ways of the world.

I watched with amusement as the classified ad went completely viral. Considering it included an email address, I imagined that the parents were inundated with serious responses and lots of prank emails. Then I forgot all about it.

‘Date our son for a Buick’ was a clever guerilla marketing campaign

Actress Jennifer Lawrence getting out of her white, 2012 Volkswagen EOS, Whole Foods visible in the background.
 Jennifer Lawrence in a Volkswagen EOS | Bauer-Griffin/GC Images via Getty Images

I have a confession: I love movie trailers. When a week’s batch of new trailers drops, I often watch six back-to-back. I’ll watch trailers for movies I never intend to see just because their editing and storyline are often so darn good.

So there I was, watching trailers, when I stumbled on an upcoming Jennifer Lawrence film called NO HARD FEELINGS. She plays an Uber driver whose car gets repossessed. So what does she do next? Answer a “Date our son” classified ad promising her a 2004 Buick–according to the Independent.

Yup, the “Date our son” ads are just a guerrilla marketing campaign for this upcoming comedy movie. So if you have been dying to know what might happen if someone answered this zany post, you can at least watch a fictionalized version of how it might go down this summer.

You can watch the trailer for yourself in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.