GM: "Dare to compare*" (* - but only when we stack the deck)

I know Hyundai has improved a lot as a brand, but I still think it says quite a bit about GM's aspirations when they pit themselves against Hyundai... and then still have to resort to unfair comparisons.
 
^ they'll be comparing themselves to proton and tata next
 
You would have thought by now that the use of random attractive spokespersons would be somewhat outdated by now given how many ads/marketing these days are saturated by it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'd much sooner trust the marketing message if it came from someone like Bob Lutz or at least someone reputable within the automotive review community. Does marketing still think in this day and age of the Internet/social media and dozens of sites/forums, this strategy still works as before?

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Could this have possibly been filmed before the newer one was available as a test car? When did the new Elantra become available?
 
Could this have possibly been filmed before the newer one was available as a test car? When did the new Elantra become available?

Good point, but still, they should have compared like for like cars. IE a Cruze LS verses an Elantra GLS ($16,895) or Blue ($14,865).

New Elantra sold the first 192 cars in November 2010: http://www.hyundainews.com/Corporat...12-01_Hyundai_November_2010_Sales_Release.asp

It looks like it was filmed earlier but come on, GM HAD to know this car was coming....

The bad thing is, this really makes GM look like they're bumbling around still to most people, and doesn't paint the car (which is actually quite decent on it's own) in a good light. If the car's good, it should be able to "vouch for itself" in a way, without the need to be benchmarked against an aging design. If they HAD to compare cars, they should have waited for the 2011 Elantra.

I wen't on Edmunds to compare the base cars side by side: http://www.edmunds.com/car-comparisons/?veh1=101213141&veh2=101286105&show=0&comparatorId=1213302

In the end I'd still end up with the Elantra.
 
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You would have thought by now that the use of random attractive spokespersons would be somewhat outdated by now given how many ads/marketing these days are saturated by it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'd much sooner trust the marketing message if it came from someone like Bob Lutz or at least someone reputable within the automotive review community. Does marketing still think in this day and age of the Internet/social media and dozens of sites/forums, this strategy still works as before?

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*ahem*

https://pic.armedcats.net/b/bl/blind_io/2011/01/27/mike-rowe-ford-image-e1287499442430.jpg

Ford has it down with Mike Rowe as a spokesman. He appeals to men because of his show "Dirty Jobs" and his narration of other shows such as "Deadliest Catch." He's old enough to have that innate air of wisdom, but not old enough to be your dad. He's good looking enough to appeal to women but not "Hollywood" enough to be resented by men as a pretty-boy talking head.

Find me a better spokesman for a car company.
 
You would have thought by now that the use of random attractive spokespersons would be somewhat outdated by now given how many ads/marketing these days are saturated by it. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'd much sooner trust the marketing message if it came from someone like Bob Lutz or at least someone reputable within the automotive review community. Does marketing still think in this day and age of the Internet/social media and dozens of sites/forums, this strategy still works as before?

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Have you watched the Ballon Boy networks (Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc)? Most of the anchors are attractive women. Physical attraction never goes out of style.
 
I'm watching a documentary right now called "The Science Of Sex Appeal." It's pretty interesting stuff.

As for the news anchors, I think there was a story earlier this week that showed that men pay more attention to an attractive female news anchor but can't remember what she said. From the institute of N. S. Sherlock.
 
Companies are always doing things like that. Car companies always say things like "More power than the Audi A4. More interior room than the BMW 3 Series. Better Fuel economy than the Mercedes C-Class." What they don't say is that the Audi has the least power in its class, the BMW has the least interior room in its class and the Mercedes has the worst fuel ecomony (not real stats, just using it as an example). They make it sound like the car is better than all of those...but it in fact better than some in certain categories, worse than others in certain categories.

Also saying things like "Most legroom in its class" but not mentioning that it's got the worst hip and headroom in its class.

*shrugs* Par for the course for any automaker, really.
 
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*ahem*

Ford has it down with Mike Rowe as a spokesman. He appeals to men because of his show "Dirty Jobs" and his narration of other shows such as "Deadliest Catch." He's old enough to have that innate air of wisdom, but not old enough to be your dad. He's good looking enough to appeal to women but not "Hollywood" enough to be resented by men as a pretty-boy talking head.

Find me a better spokesman for a car company.
Mike Rowe has a sexy voice. That is all.
 
Mike Rowe has a sexy voice. That is all.
Hell I'm straight and Mike Rowe's voice turns me on ;)

BlindIO said:
I'm watching a documentary right now called "The Science Of Sex Appeal." It's pretty interesting stuff.
Its a good docu.


GM Has always done this crap. About the only thing they can go head-to-head with are their full size trucks (even then, I'd rather have a Ford or Nissan) otherwise, they are always a gen or two behind in their cars.
 
*ahem*

Ford has it down with Mike Rowe as a spokesman. He appeals to men because of his show "Dirty Jobs" and his narration of other shows such as "Deadliest Catch." He's old enough to have that innate air of wisdom, but not old enough to be your dad. He's good looking enough to appeal to women but not "Hollywood" enough to be resented by men as a pretty-boy talking head.

Find me a better spokesman for a car company.

Yes but I don't think he's going to influence my decision one way or the other, especially on such a significant purchase as a Ford/Chevy/etc. At the end of the day the majority of my decision is still going to be research/forums online, test drives, and comparing the pros and cons of each vehicle to my needs, and not solely on his own merit and deep, hynotic voic...OK must snap out of it.
 
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Companies are always doing things like that. Car companies always say things like "More power than the Audi A4. More interior room than the BMW 3 Series. Better Fuel economy than the Mercedes C-Class." What they don't say is that the Audi has the least power in its class, the BMW has the least interior room in its class and the Mercedes has the worst fuel ecomony (not real stats, just using it as an example). They make it sound like the car is better than all of those...but it in fact better than some in certain categories, worse than others in certain categories.

Also saying things like "Most legroom in its class" but not mentioning that it's got the worst hip and headroom in its class.

*shrugs* Par for the course for any automaker, really.

Yeah, that's pretty much the way I see it too. The only possible practical use this comparo could be is for those in the market for one of the 2 cars in question. For everyone else it's completely useless. But it's really just a way for them to show off their product by comparing it to something else. Of course, if they compared it to something better or even something that's an even match, then it kinda defeats the whole purpose of the advertisement. "So if you're in the market for a compact car, the all new Chevrolet Cruz is just as mediocre as the new Hyundai Elantra." I doubt that ingenious advertising campaign will sell any cars.
 
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Speaking of spokesmen...I think Chrysler is trying to corner the 'bad guys' market. Using Dexter as their narrator for ads and the cars themselves. You don't see a blacked out Ford Taurus or Chevy Malibu going down the street ever. 300C...yes.
 
GM Has always done this crap. About the only thing they can go head-to-head with are their full size trucks (even then, I'd rather have a Ford or Nissan) otherwise, they are always a gen or two behind in their cars.

That is a VERY debatable point (Corvette, Camaro, Cobalt SS/TC, TBSS, CTS-V). While I would agree that most economy/family cars are nothing more than par (or less), when performance is on the table, they step up their game tenfold. I just wish they would bring that attitude to the rest of the brand(s).


Great car, but not a great picture to base an ad campaign off of.

Your retort is a piece of plastic engine cover? Blind's point is still better.

Feel free to try again though.

You're right, the ZR1 is a terrible response. I mean, it only offers world killing performance at a fraction of the price. Unless you are strictly speaking of that picture...in which case, yes, the picture isn't a good base for a campaign. GM is in this weird "thing" for plastic engine covers.

Actually this rolls into my next point(s) quite nicely...

I LOVE when companies use their hyper models to show off. GM is doing great with the CTS-V sedan/coupe commercials, and of course this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcHOSqC1IUk
I hear nothing but excellent reviews of these commercials. It doesn't just pertain to GM either, anyone pushing "cool" cars makes a good impression in a lot of people's books, beyond car people even. Those Challenger commercials? Awesome. (Run Brits, run!) Obviously you can't run a company's marketing campaign solely on the badass models, but they keep it interesting...if nothing else, a little kid may say. "daddy, let's go see that ____ at the ____ dealer."


Also, Tim Allen = Mike Rowe in my book.
 
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That's hardly a GM thing. How many Sentra/Altima/Rogue/Maxima ads had GTRs in them. How many A3 ads have R8s in them? Honda talks about their racing heritage in ads for the Accord coupe. Also, none of those are really any different than building flagship concepts that will never get built. Even within the same model, the one shown in the photos is never the base model. It's always "Starting at $19,995* model shown includes options extras, MSRP $67,438"
 
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