AskPatty.com's blog editor talks Chevy's coolest job

Kaeli Gardner from AskPatty.com – the trustworthy site for women-friendly automotive advice – took some time to share with Best Cars Guide what is currently on her radar screen. Read what Kaeli has to say about the coolest job she thinks exists at Chevrolet, and why she wishes she could have a piece of the Department 180 action. Dept. 180: Still the Coolest Job at Chevy As the blog editor at AskPatty.com, some days I feel like I spend more time talking about one particular brand or another. That isn’t the goal, honest, I really do try to keep my content as universal as I can – but when Chevy is doing such a great job releasing consistently great videos on their Youtube channel, I can’t let them all go by without mentioning them.  Chevy’s really using social media to the fullest in their marketing department, and while I certainly don’t cover all of them,  when something leaps out at me it’s my duty as your faithful blogger to inform you of it. Today’s video comes from Dept. 180, which has already proven to be the coolest job at Chevrolet, where engineers spend their days destroying cars in clever ways and watching footage of the events in super slow-mo.  I can’t even imagine how much fun that office is.  This video is full of the requisite slow-motion shots of crash tests in progress, this time focusing on the Chevy Traverse (which was recently named IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2011, no less) and features a couple of lucky employees in a mock interview discussing the various safety features highlighted in these tests.  That’s all wonderful and good on the Traverse for the accolade, but it’s not the whole reason I’m sharing it with you today.  Want the scoop?  Head past the jump for it. The thing about this video that leapt out of the frame and proved to me yet again why Dept. 180 is the job to have is right here in the lower right hand corner of the frame.  A little trinket, sitting unobtrusively, yet deliberately included in the shot to tantalize nerd girls like me. Observe:  THAT, my friends, is a crash test dummy bobble-head, and is almost certainly an exclusive offering to employees of 180 because googling for one has turned up a complete blank save one short one (named “DENTON”) which is clearly not the same, and a long-closed auction for a GM Crash Test bobblehead with no photos.  It sits there, as if to say “Hey, this Larry guy may be full of engineering jargon and technical know-how, but at the end of the day, this place is FUN.” Once again.  I recognize the important work that Dept. 180 does.  These tests keep our families safe when the unthinkable happens.  The Traverse has earned top marks in safety, and if you’re looking for a family auto, you can feel confident choosing this one thanks to the 180 team.  I am glad that experts like Larry can examine and understand the results of every spectacular slow-mo crash, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an absolutely awesome day at the office!  Here’s that video again.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.Congratulations on the award, and keep up the good work, 180.  And please send me one of those bobbleheads.  Really.  If anyone over there sees this, contact me at kaeli-at-askpatty.com, and we’ll talk turkey.