Comments on: The Problem With Your Clients http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/ lurking around the watercooler Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:15:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Martin Calle http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1665 Martin Calle Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:15:32 +0000 http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1665 I found most of the ads at General Motors are generated by General Motors, to talk to General Motors, about General Motors. If they put it out over the airwaves I think their hope is that some of it might stick. They never have gotten to consumer-driven advertising. Their last gambit heaed by a hired Deputy Director of the US Census resulted in the launch of products such as the Chevy Lumina-definately not a consumer driven concept. Both are now gone. Halo effects, JD Power rankings, etc. actually has them confused about what actually motivates people about its products. I found most of the ads at General Motors are generated by General Motors, to talk to General Motors, about General Motors. If they put it out over the airwaves I think their hope is that some of it might stick. They never have gotten to consumer-driven advertising. Their last gambit heaed by a hired Deputy Director of the US Census resulted in the launch of products such as the Chevy Lumina-definately not a consumer driven concept. Both are now gone. Halo effects, JD Power rankings, etc. actually has them confused about what actually motivates people about its products.

]]> By: Walter Graff http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1624 Walter Graff Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:44:53 +0000 http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1624 The last poster said: "But it sure does seem strange that car marketers don’t know how to sell cars" As a person who successfully advertises one of the largest auto groups in the east, I can't agree more. It's as if many advertisers/marketers never drove a car but are trying to sell them based on what they think a car is like to drive. Then again the title of this thread; "The problem with Clients" speaks larger on the fact that most advertising is broke and most advertisers think that they are in business for their own benefit, their own self-recognition, and that clients desires/needs are simply annoyances. Sad! The last poster said:

“But it sure does seem strange that car marketers don’t know how to sell cars”

As a person who successfully advertises one of the largest auto groups in the east, I can’t agree more. It’s as if many advertisers/marketers never drove a car but are trying to sell them based on what they think a car is like to drive. Then again the title of this thread; “The problem with Clients” speaks larger on the fact that most advertising is broke and most advertisers think that they are in business for their own benefit, their own self-recognition, and that clients desires/needs are simply annoyances. Sad!

]]> By: Martin Calle http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1574 Martin Calle Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:22:20 +0000 http://agencyspy.wordpress.com/2007/08/31/the-problem-with-your-clients/#comment-1574 Was working with Buick and McCann-Erickson on the Buick Regal. It's principal competitors were/are the Ford Taurus, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry - to better or worse extents these vehicles offer the bread and butter auto segment a nice synthesis of conservatism and sportiness. Their appeal is obvious and proven by their sales. I had the bright idea of debadging a black Regal and showing it at the auto show in Germany. I made an agreement with Porshe to test the vehicle as a German entry by Porshe into the mid sized US car market. People FLIPPED. European owners of Audi, BMW, Mercedes; Japanese owners of Acura, Lexus, Infiniti couldn't wait to get their hands on one. People were writing us advance checks we had to decline at the show. With blacked out windows the car was a sleek runway and runaway success. Paula Travenia was head of Buick Communications at the time. Maria Shoemaker was in charge of strategy. Where the Regal only sold 40,000 units per year (including units going to rental fleets) versus rivals Toyota, Camry and Taurus sold 1.2 million each - quantification for the debadged Porshe-impersonating Regal revealed a domestic market of 800,000 units! And this was top flight top two box intent to purchase of 97%! All people wanted was for us to name the car MUNICH - and please use italics. We were stunned. Upon returning to the states McCann unleased the entirely forgettable "Regal. Its a fine line between sport and sedan." ad series with a Pierce Brosnan type driver. No consumer ever asked for one of these. And the character or "brand character" as GM calls it on their positioning statements was totally out of synch - unbelievable. The campaign died as did the Regal soon thereafter. Did the refs or players get payed to throw the game? We'll never know. But it sure does seem strange that car marketers don't know how to sell cars, once again proving that portholes remain potholes at Buick. Was working with Buick and McCann-Erickson on the Buick Regal. It’s principal competitors were/are the Ford Taurus, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry – to better or worse extents these vehicles offer the bread and butter auto segment a nice synthesis of conservatism and sportiness. Their appeal is obvious and proven by their sales. I had the bright idea of debadging a black Regal and showing it at the auto show in Germany. I made an agreement with Porshe to test the vehicle as a German entry by Porshe into the mid sized US car market. People FLIPPED. European owners of Audi, BMW, Mercedes; Japanese owners of Acura, Lexus, Infiniti couldn’t wait to get their hands on one. People were writing us advance checks we had to decline at the show. With blacked out windows the car was a sleek runway and runaway success. Paula Travenia was head of Buick Communications at the time. Maria Shoemaker was in charge of strategy. Where the Regal only sold 40,000 units per year (including units going to rental fleets) versus rivals Toyota, Camry and Taurus sold 1.2 million each – quantification for the debadged Porshe-impersonating Regal revealed a domestic market of 800,000 units! And this was top flight top two box intent to purchase of 97%! All people wanted was for us to name the car MUNICH – and please use italics. We were stunned.
Upon returning to the states McCann unleased the entirely forgettable “Regal. Its a fine line between sport and sedan.” ad series with a Pierce Brosnan type driver. No consumer ever asked for one of these. And the character or “brand character” as GM calls it on their positioning statements was totally out of synch – unbelievable. The campaign died as did the Regal soon thereafter. Did the refs or players get payed to throw the game? We’ll never know. But it sure does seem strange that car marketers don’t know how to sell cars, once again proving that portholes remain potholes at Buick.

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