Car sense

Here are a couple of quick trends in the auto industry over the past few months:

Ford: Not Asking, but Doing

Ford is a classic name in cars. But in an age when most people want new cars, ‘classic’ is not a good association. Ford released an advertising campaign aimed at showcasing the ‘new’ Ford, with greater quality, fuel economy, and added features. You may remember the little jingle at the end of their commercials, “Have you driven a Ford lately?”

The problem with the jingle is that it only asked a question. Viewers would answer either ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Ford has since amended its campaign with a call to action, encouraging viewers to do something after watching the ad. The ads feature testimonials of non-Ford drivers who tried a new Ford and were pleasantly surprised by the results. The action message at the end of the commercial now reads “Drive One.”

Mercedes: Targeting Those Who Can Afford

In a sports arena, there are hundreds of places to advertise-on the Jumbotron, on the wrap-around digital banners, or over the public address system. These ads are aimed at everyone in the audience. But Mercedes found a place to advertise at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH that targets only their ideal customers.

Mercedes has a permanent display on the base of the Jumbotron-the large scoreboard suspended in the middle of the arena-featuring their three-point star and the locations of Northeast Ohio dealerships.

What makes the ad particularly interesting is that the only people who can see the ad are the ones on the lower levels of the arena. Mercedes’ logic is, if these customers can afford the most expensive seats to Cavaliers’ games, then they are more likely to also purchase a Mercedes.