Categories: marketing

Darth Vader Works His Mojo for VW, but Mini Misses the Mark

Posted by: David Welch on February 11

After my last missive gave a 'thumbs down' to Chrysler's 200 ad, which aired during the Super Bowl, one reader asked for my take on Volkswagen's "Darth Vader" spot...

Eminem earned Chrysler some buzz. Sales may be tougher get.

Posted by: David Welch on February 07

It can only be a good sign that Detroit carmakers have the cash on hand to advertise in pricey venues like the Super Bowl. But in Chrysler's case, the money...

Cadillac and Audi Ham It Up in a Battle of the Hippest

Posted by: David Welch on January 27

There's a subtle rivalry brewing in the luxury car business. Audi and Cadillac are both hamming it up with television advertising to make the case that they're the hip...

GM Mulls a New York Showroom to Woo Wall Street

Posted by: David Welch on June 28

General Motors realizes it has a nagging little marketing problem as it prepares for an initial public stock offering. The analysts, portfolio managers and potential investors that they are...

A coup for Subaru

Posted by: David Welch on December 29

Well, it is the holiday season so I figured I would take a break from the woes at General Motors, Honda’s hybrid malaise and Toyota’s quality snafus to pen...

GM's 60-day guarantee seems to be working

Posted by: David Welch on October 14

General Motors encountered plenty of skepticism when the company launched a 60-day buy back guarantee on its new cars in September. Some critics said it wouldn’t get many shoppers...

Advertising: Ford Turns Back To Owners To Tell Its Story

Posted by: David Kiley on October 08

Ford Motor Co. is sticking with its “Drive One” ad campaign launched in 2007, but infusing a little more emotion into the effort. But don’t expect to see people gushing...

Google Says The Old Sales Funnel Theory Is Dead For Car Marketers

Posted by: David Kiley on September 20

Google is out to change the way automotive marketers think about their basic business, and they have new data that just may do the trick. Ask most garden variety auto...

Hyundai At The Crossroads

Posted by: David Kiley on March 07

It didn’t take long for Hyundai COO Steve Wilhite to start making changes at the Korean automaker. In the last few weeks, Wilhite has initiated a review for the...

Will Ford's Milk Shake Bring Anybody to the Yard?

Posted by: Matthew Vella on December 21

As part of Ford's reportedly $80 million marketing push for the new Edge crossover, the company has inked a deal with hip hop singer Kelis to star in the...

It Was Only A Matter of Time. Now BBDO is on Firing Line for Chrysler's Problems.

Posted by: David Kiley on December 12

Automotive News reports that Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda said late last week that he is unhappy with some of the advertising created by the automaker's ad agency, BBDO...

Silverado Ads Getting Better

Posted by: David Kiley on November 28

I hated...HATED....the opening ad for the 2007 Chevy Silverado--the one that showed images of Rosa Parks, Ground Zero, Vietnam soldiers, Richard Nixon's farewell and California forests ablaze. The subsequent...

MKZ on Amazon a Perfectly Good Publicity Ploy

Posted by: David Kiley on November 17

Ford Motor Co. is about to start offering its Lincoln vehicles on amazon.com. Search, click, and it takes you to a pagte where you can start optioning. The car...

What's In A Name For Ford?

Posted by: David Kiley on November 09

Ford executives have apparently decided to come up with a different name for the Fairlane concept when the final vehicle comes to market. This is the same braintrust, mind...

Introducing the Lexus phone

Posted by: Ian Rowley on October 16

Will a branded mobile phone help Lexus ring up more sales in Japan? According to reports in the Japanese media, Toyota is working with telephone company KDDI to produce a...

A Slash from the Past

Posted by: David Welch on October 11

This past Sunday, I was watching the Steelers turn in what is fast becoming a typically limp performance, and on comes the latest Volkswagen ad. They have Guns 'n...

Do Rental Fleet Cars Hurt Brands...GM?

Posted by: David Kiley on October 05

Forced to rent a car this week after the head gasket on my Subaru went South following a botched radiator flush and fill (i'm withholding the name of the chain...

Message to Ford: Show us the Car

Posted by: David Welch on May 05

Here we go again. Another advertisement from a car company that shows us everything but the car. Ford Motor Co. has launched a new advertising and marketing campaign entitled...

Dodge Caliber and the Case of Fairy Dust

Posted by: David Kiley on April 19

So, is Dodge offending gay people or not? Ad Age columnist Bob Garfield wrote this week that a new Dodge ad featuring a fairy was disparaging to gay people....

Another New Campaign for Saturn

Posted by: David Kiley on April 18

Next month, GM's Saturn division kicks off a new ad campaign. The slogan, "Like always, like never before" will replace "People First." Saturn didn't show the new ads at...

A Car Called Smart. Maybe Too Smart For The U.S.A.

Posted by: David Kiley on March 30

It's hard to imagine that a brand called "Smart" would do well in the U.S. After all, we are the dumbest country on the planet when it comes to...

Trying to Make Lincolns and Mercs Cool

Posted by: David Kiley on March 17

Net films have become an interesting genre. But with BMW having set the bar for excellence so high, only those prepared for harsh comparisons need enter the fray. Enter,...

Vanzura Shaking Things UP at GM

Posted by: David Kiley on March 03

It didn't take Liz Vanzura long to leave her mark on Cadillac. Just a month after taking over as global marketing director at Cadillac, she sent about half the...

And Then There's Gaul

Posted by: David Kiley on January 31

While we're on the subject of auto companies and their corporate communications chiefs, it seems a good time to wish BMW AG's Richard Gaul good hunting after he rides...

Too Much Information Bill

Posted by: David Kiley on January 25

Ford, going through a rought time of it, is leaning a bit on its advertsing to maintain goodwill with customers. But does the company really know how to use...