Advertising is POOR or NON-EXISTANT

[davidzog]

I have been a Ford guy since my first 1959 Ford Galaxy 500....bought it for $135 in 1967 and have driven mostly Fords adn Lincolns since....

 

I was amazed at the two page ad in the lastest edition of Popular Mechanics magazine...I open the cover of the magazine, and I see two speed bumps with tire marks burned through them....

 

There is NO VEHICLE in the add, only a mere reference to the Super Duty (which I just ordered). If I was on the line between a Dodge or a Ford truck, this ad sure would not have swayed me....maybe toward the Dodge, because I could not SEE a Ford of any kind....not even a part of one...

 

I thought, "holy cow".....no wonder Ford is having trouble...fire that advertising team. :shrug:

 

I teach business and marketing at a college and took the ad into class....NOONE in the entire class had any idea what the ad was about by just looking at it....that is what most people do...BROWSE the ads....no one wants to have to READ the ad to see what is being advertised.....FIRE the advertising team and I will send you a couple of students that got a "C" on the last exam...they could sure do a better job.

 

Also, I love the Mark VIII Lincoln....quit production due to lack os sales...again, poor or lack of advertising.

 

Has your advertising team every heard of focus groups???? I volunteer!!!!!!! :happy feet:

 

 

I just ordered a brand new Super Duty....I really don't you guys going bankrupt so I can't get replacement parts or service.....HELP!! :shrug: :shrug:

[J-150]

I teach business and marketing at a college

 

 

 

you teach marketing and yet you do not understand "teaser" ads. You don't understand market research and focus groups?

Do you have any concept of readership profiles? You knew it was for the SuperDuty. How? Any reasonable expectation that the average PM reader is car savvy enough to also see the name "Super Duty" and know exactly what it means?

 

 

 

Do your students know you are a hack? And you have the nerve to say that JWT doesn't know their job.

 

Maybe you need to go back and learn a little more about marketing first and more importantly, the process by which an ad becomes a reality.

 

Sorry if I sound like a dick, but next time, dont go around bragging on being a marketing prof when its obvious you dont understand how modern advertising works. Time to retire guy.

Edited April 13, 2006 by J-150

[davidzog]

Well, j-150, you must work for J Walter Thompson or own stock or ???? (actually, who cares).

 

I really appreciated your personal slam and criticism....sure made my day.

 

Of course I am aware of teaser ads....just that I think there should be content that would let the reader have an insite as to what the ad might be for....

 

To make another point (that I am certain you will not agree with), I received the new issue of "Trailer Life" magazine. Again, inside the cover is a two page ad for the Ford Super Duty. It shows a ranch style house with an outline of tire indentations in the yard next to the garage...obviously from some sort of trailer or RV. That's it!!!!

 

There is a small Ford Tough logo in the bottom right corner of the ad.

 

I took the magazine over to my neighbor who owns both an Rv and a HD truck...I showed him that ad and asked him what he though it might be trying to sell....his response was "grass seed"......so much for the teaser ads....

 

And yes, I do teach market research principles and have conducted focus groups....I am NOT bragging about it, just indicating that I might have a valid background (Ph.D.) from which I might make a suggestion to a company that is in financial trouble.

 

And, yes, you do sound like a dick.........

 

Now you know my background....wonder if you would share yours????

Edited April 13, 2006 by davidzog

[IPITYDAFOOL]

I have been a Ford guy since my first 1959 Ford Galaxy 500....bought it for $135 in 1967 and have driven mostly Fords adn Lincolns since....

 

I was amazed at the two page ad in the lastest edition of Popular Mechanics magazine...I open the cover of the magazine, and I see two speed bumps with tire marks burned through them....

 

There is NO VEHICLE in the add, only a mere reference to the Super Duty (which I just ordered). If I was on the line between a Dodge or a Ford truck, this ad sure would not have swayed me....maybe toward the Dodge, because I could not SEE a Ford of any kind....not even a part of one...

 

I thought, "holy cow".....no wonder Ford is having trouble...fire that advertising team. :shrug:

 

I teach business and marketing at a college and took the ad into class....NOONE in the entire class had any idea what the ad was about by just looking at it....that is what most people do...BROWSE the ads....no one wants to have to READ the ad to see what is being advertised.....FIRE the advertising team and I will send you a couple of students that got a "C" on the last exam...they could sure do a better job.

 

Also, I love the Mark VIII Lincoln....quit production due to lack os sales...again, poor or lack of advertising.

 

Has your advertising team every heard of focus groups???? I volunteer!!!!!!! :happy feet:

I just ordered a brand new Super Duty....I really don't you guys going bankrupt so I can't get replacement parts or service.....HELP!! :shrug: :shrug:

I think r advertising dept is located in England. They have been in charge of Ford advertising for over 20 years. Do some research and u may find out what the need for a foriegn firm to advertise an American car. ?????/hmmm

[J-150]

I think r advertising dept is located in England. They have been in charge of Ford advertising for over 20 years. Do some research and u may find out what the need for a foriegn firm to advertise an American car. ?????/hmmm

 

 

 

 

you mean the fact that WPP is British owned? These days there are very few agency networks that are large enough to handle international clients like Ford.

 

WPP

Interpublic

Omnicom

Publicis

 

Problem is, there are account conflicts. Omnicom handles DCX. Interpublic and Publicis handle GM. I guess Ford could hire someone else, but then they run the risk of hiring the same agency that work for a major competitor.

 

 

 

 

Well, j-150, you must work for J Walter Thompson or own stock or ???? (actually, who cares).

 

I really appreciated your personal slam and criticism....sure made my day.

 

Of course I am aware of teaser ads....just that I think there should be content that would let the reader have an insite as to what the ad might be for....

 

To make another point (that I am certain you will not agree with), I received the new issue of "Trailer Life" magazine. Again, inside the cover is a two page ad for the Ford Super Duty. It shows a ranch style house with an outline of tire indentations in the yard next to the garage...obviously from some sort of trailer or RV. That's it!!!!

 

There is a small Ford Tough logo in the bottom right corner of the ad.

 

I took the magazine over to my neighbor who owns both an Rv and a HD truck...I showed him that ad and asked him what he though it might be trying to sell....his response was "grass seed"......so much for the teaser ads....

 

And yes, I do teach market research principles and have conducted focus groups....I am NOT bragging about it, just indicating that I might have a valid background (Ph.D.) from which I might make a suggestion to a company that is in financial trouble.

 

And, yes, you do sound like a dick.........

 

Now you know my background....wonder if you would share yours????

 

 

 

well, I dont have a PhD... so I guess you are right and I'm wrong.

[Evil95GT]

Couldn't agree with you more, David. My biggest bitch regarding their advertising (or lack of) has always been dealing with the Mustang. I remember seeing ONE TV ad for the Fox body Mustang (I think it was 1987 or 1988, I know I was in middle school at the time), and again seeing ONE TV ad for the SN95 (which was super cheesy might I add). It was for the 4.6L Cobra, I believe it was around 1998, and it had a group of guys who were about to "shaving cream" a guy's car. Just as one of them raised the can, another one stopped him. They then panned to show the Cobra. :rolleyes: Enter the 2005 Mustang. They finally decide to advertise the crap out of that car. Just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

I think their advertising has been sorry for a very long time. The last good ones I remember were in print anyhow, and were seen in the early 90s for their Mustang, Thunderbird SC, Bronco, and F150 Lightning.

[cheri/ck]

I agree that most major car manufacturers seem to have a much better advertising campaign than does Ford. Advertising seems to be either non-existent or hard to understand - a far cry from pushing the positive points of the products to the public. I wonder if most of the public even knows much about Ford's car products any more. With all the weird new names and no brand recognition from them and then no advertising.

 

The only advertising Ford gets is mostly negative from the press. Just like so many things at Ford, this is another area that needs major attention and repair - quickly.

[moefuzz]

I have always been a Ford Fanatic But......

 

 

The ad for the Ford 500 was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. (I'm just telling it like it is here)..

 

..Show a car in slow motion driving down a street where all other cars are spinning past out of control while some snide all knowing voice over guy tries to sell me the virtues of the Ford 500?

 

 

Fords Advertizing Nailed the lid on the coffin in that scary ad. (excuse me, How many 500s are flying off the shelf???)

 

I wouldn't buy a car based on eery and dark dangerous street scenes. How creepy.

 

 

 

Fire the ad agency that came up with that and every other pathetic Ford ad.

 

 

How long are you going to use the same pathetic announcer (his know it all attitude is awful) and the same pathetic ad agency and allow Henry Fords company to continue it's slow blood letting.

 

 

Don't you people get it?? Your ad agency is awful and does not hit the mark and has not hit the mark for many many years.. They aren't gonna change as they obviously don't understand the product or the customers who would have bought one. A new broom sweeps clean.

 

 

You are allowing the ad agency to push potential customers toward the other Brands.(*maybe they have been accepting bribes from GM to sabotage Ford ads. I wouldn't put it past GM..)

 

 

Wake up and smell the coffee Because you have to do something other than closing factories and killing car lines.

 

How many factories do you have left to close?? How many Car lines do you have left to kill??

 

 

When will you be down to just the F150?? When will you kill it??

 

 

Is killing of car lines and closing factories the ultimate answer to your ADVERTIZING DELIMA???

 

wake up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I have been a strong Ford Motor Corp follower for many years.)

 

.

.

Edited April 16, 2006 by moefuzz

[DSenstad]

Ford does not get advertising, period. Everyone has done such a fine job that it really makes Fords dismal performance in that field stick out like a sore thumb. I liked the dog that jumped from one truck to the other but that was about it. (That was Ford wasn't it?)

 

Look at the hemi comercials with those two morons, they re-entroduced a new generation to the hemi. Look at the Toyota commercial, guy thinks with his head now... what is he claim is so great? Mileage? resale value? Ford can't come up with some thing?

 

The Ranger gets up to 29 mpg, where is that advertised?

The 150 has one car and drivers truck of the year for 3 straight years... hasn't it? I wouldn't know since it hasn't been advertized much... at all.

 

There was some information going around that in a test without the badges on the cars the new Mercury/Fusion/Zepher kicked some butt, however when they found out it was a Ford product they didn't want to buy it. What does that mean? It means the product can compete, the image can't. Who is in charge of the image? If it isn't the advertizsng firm than who is it?

 

Who says the firm has to be big to handle Ford? They only have to be good, the size will come.

[sparks will fly]

I have always been a Ford Fanatic But......

The ad for the Ford 500 was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. (I'm just telling it like it is here)..

 

..Show a car in slow motion driving down a street where all other cars are spinning past out of control while some snide all knowing voice over guy tries to sell me the virtues of the Ford 500?

Fords Advertizing Nailed the lid on the coffin in that scary ad. (excuse me, How many 500s are flying off the shelf???)

 

I wouldn't buy a car based on eery and dark dangerous street scenes. How creepy.

Fire the ad agency that came up with that and every other pathetic Ford ad.

How long are you going to use the same pathetic announcer (his know it all attitude is awful) and the same pathetic ad agency and allow Henry Fords company to continue it's slow blood letting.

Don't you people get it?? Your ad agency is awful and does not hit the mark and has not hit the mark for many many years.. They aren't gonna change as they obviously don't understand the product or the customers who would have bought one. A new broom sweeps clean.

You are allowing the ad agency to push potential customers toward the other Brands.(*maybe they have been accepting bribes from GM to sabotage Ford ads. I wouldn't put it past GM..)

Wake up and smell the coffee Because you have to do something other than closing factories and killing car lines.

 

How many factories do you have left to close?? How many Car lines do you have left to kill??

When will you be down to just the F150?? When will you kill it??

Is killing of car lines and closing factories the ultimate answer to your ADVERTIZING DELIMA???

 

wake up

(I have been a strong Ford Motor Corp follower for many years.)

 

.

.

 

Well I think Bill's line of B.S. is the worst of all, hell wall street doesn't trust him, his workers really don't trust him, he thinks the American public will?

I think he would do better with a three ring circus, him in one ring, Mark in another, and bring back Jac for the third. Hear no evil see no evil speak no evil, but we will stick it to you because quanity is job 1.

[DSenstad]

It doesn't matter if anyone trusts Bill. The advertizing agency should be able to sell sh@t to a pig, and the vehicles out there right now are not bad in any way, shape, or form.

[davidzog]

I sure hope that J-150 is reading this...... :bandance:

[J-150]

I sure hope that J-150 is reading this...... :bandance:

 

 

 

hey Mr. PhD... did you know that most award winning ads belong to agencies that lose the business within 2 years of winning the award.

 

Did you also know that "yeah, I liked that one" is no indicator of commercial success of the ad. That is to say, sales lift due to advertising has nothing to do with liking it or not.

 

Surely with your vast knowledge of marketing research you would already know this.

 

 

Or do I have to dig out Milward Brown, Ipsos, MMA, et al for you?

Edited April 17, 2006 by J-150

[IPITYDAFOOL]

hey Mr. PhD... did you know that most award winning ads belong to agencies that lose the business within 2 years of winning the award.

 

Did you also know that "yeah, I liked that one" is no indicator of commercial success of the ad. That is to say, sales lift due to advertising has nothing to do with liking it or not.

 

Surely with your vast knowledge of marketing research you would already know this.

Or do I have to dig out Milward Brown, Ipsos, MMA, et al for you?

DEREK JETER HAS A NEW FORD ADD. U GUYS, I THINK THEY R LISTENING. I could actually see the logic in Derek from MMICHIGAN Jeter endorsing FORD's Products.. A YANKEE GO YANKEES GO

[DSenstad]

Did you also know that "yeah, I liked that one" is no indicator of commercial success of the ad. That is to say, sales lift due to advertising has nothing to do with liking it or not.

 

How about people remember the ad, does that have anything to do with people buying a product? If not, why do they have advertising? I'm really surprised to see anyone arguing on behalf of Ford in this thread. I have long complained about Ford's ad's without ever encountering a single argument. My only conclusion is that davidzog hit a nerve with someone involved with Ford's advertising department or that J-150 have family involved with this somewhere.

 

How about a TV show... making of a TV ad. First season is the Ford products with a group of college students from different campus's competting against each other. If Ford can't see how this would benifit them in so many ways I'm sure Toyota will, they will probably be on the phone with the networks tomorrow.

[DSenstad]

I saw a commercial that started, "If there were no badges on the vehicles...." and I thought for sure it was a Ford ad based on the results of the testing they did with the Milan and all those other vehicles where they debadged them... It was for Honda, they stoled Fords commercial while our people were asleep at the wheel.

 

On a side note I finally have seen some commercials tauting the fact that the Ranger has best in class fuel economy. Finally!!!!

[cheri/ck]

I wonder too how many people out there realize how little that 4-cylinder (very good engine) Ranger sells for and how good the mpg is on it. It's better than a lot of "economy" cars. I have not seen that ad but surely Ford is thinking they have some weapons that might win some buyers back in terms of gas mileage even in North America.

[DSenstad]

Just a thought, who does Budwiser? The frogs, the lizards, and of course the clydesdales... Most people can probably come up with a half dozen "classics" anytime you bring up the budwiser commercials.

[DRODMOTORS]

I can't recall the name of Bud's ad agency, I participated in a focus group for them on commercials that began airing in this year's Super Bowl. Apparently the "Tangor" ads never made the cut, probably a bit too questionable for them.

 

Ford has had some great ads out lately, what are you guys smoking?

 

Mustang: Ad blitz galore, from nationwide, to regional FDAF stuff, like the Carolina's "BEEP" ad.

Fusion: Trendy, hip ads, fast action, and yes they're touting the specs on the car, even misleading, "221HP! 32MPG!" Jill Wagoner is doing the same with Milan. She goes on about how fun the car is, how critics say it's great at handling and gets "32MPG highway."

F-Series: F-150 ads galore, from the fire ad, to the hauling the semi, to the lab techs getting out of the truck after it's been crushed. Super Duty to the rescue as it receives a little work truck thing that was retrieved from the ocean....tons of F-Series ads.

Ranger: Touted as a price/value leader and economical on gas

Five Hundred: Yeah I keep seeing the ad of the cars spinning out of control, it makes a good point, the FH is safe.

Escape: Has some real good funny ones, like the wife that blasts out of the garage over the snow and her husband has this "WTF" look on his face after he tells her his parents said they can stay another night...the boring professor being sent downriver...and Kermit the Frog ooohing over the Hybrid.

Lincoln has their Reach Higher blitz going on, I see those all the time. Mercury keeps showing that hottie. And I'm an under 30 male, a demographic that is watching less and less TV. I see this stuff all the time. Yes I do see the others, from the Altima "Love me" to Nissan's "A to Z" and Mitsu's "Driven to Thrill" to GM's "America's #1 Brand" and the stupid "Corvette and Cobalt" ad where some gay guy in a lisp is trying to mix Spanish and English together, horribly done commercial! VW has done a great job lately in theirs, from the "Safe Happens" to the "Unpimp der Auto"

 

So to conclude, there are tons of ads out there, not just on TV, but I'm hearing them on the radio, seeing them on the internet as well. Some of Fords are doing pretty well. Could they be better? They always can get better. Part of "Way Forward" is a performance review of advertising of JWT. Other agencies are being tapped for some spot testting. If anyone of them can't cut it, they too will face the axe. Nothing was sacred in this plan.

[DSenstad]

How about a TV show... making of a TV ad. First season is the Ford products with a group of college students from different campus's competting against each other. If Ford can't see how this would benifit them in so many ways I'm sure Toyota will, they will probably be on the phone with the networks tomorrow.

Well it isn't the making of a TV ad but rather the making of a reality TV show. Something concerning making of a concept car.