Ford Rolls out BoldMoves - Urban Marketing Campaign

[igor]

Link - Ford Media

 

 

 

Igor

Edited June 29, 2006 by igor

[J2D]

If Ford really wants to make a Bold move. it would bring the Bronco concept to life.

 

It's time for Ford to make something other than another cute-ute for the femine side.

 

How long must we allow Jeep to control that end of the market?

 

With all the high ass gas prices everywhere I need something about the size of the Wrangler, and the Escape just doesn't do it for me. make it more fuel efficient though.

[RangeRover]

If Ford really wants to make a Bold move. it would bring the Bronco concept to life.

 

It's time for Ford to make something other than another cute-ute for the femine side.

 

How long must we allow Jeep to control that end of the market?

 

With all the high ass gas prices everywhere I need something about the size of the Wrangler, and the Escape just doesn't do it for me. make it more fuel efficient though.

 

Can you make a better business case for why Ford should make such a vehicle? The fact that a Wrangler type vehicle is what you need does not make for a strong argument.

[J2D]

No, there is no real case for bringing this type of vehicle to market. Nor will there be when DCX continue to release more and more new models like the Jeep Compass or Dodge Nitro etc. etc.etc.

 

If Ford needs a business case just to bring a vehicle to market, then I guess they'll just be in the same position their in now. Years behind in everything and all things in order to be competitive. I hate to bring this up but bringing out a limited edition supercar ( Ford GT) designed only for the few makes no case either. especially when none of that development went into any of the other vehicles.

[RichardJensen]

No, there is no real case for bringing this type of vehicle to market. Nor will there be when DCX continue to release more and more new models like the Jeep Compass or Dodge Nitro etc. etc.etc.

 

If Ford needs a business case just to bring a vehicle to market, then I guess they'll just be in the same position their in now. Years behind in everything and all things in order to be competitive. I hate to bring this up but bringing out a limited edition supercar ( Ford GT) designed only for the few makes no case either. especially when none of that development went into any of the other vehicles.

Hey. DCX is not a model to follow here. The Commander is killing the Grand Cherokee. Combined those two vehicles are not even matching Cherokee sales alone last year. Do you think the gutless Compass is going to be a hit? It's a Jeep for people that don't WANT Jeeps. Just like the X-Type is the perfect Jaguar for people who don't WANT Jaguars. The Phaeton, the perfect VW for people that don't WANT VWs. The Nitro, similarly, is an illconceived beast. Just what gap in Dodge's lineup does it fill?

 

You don't want to be taking lessons from a company that is DROWNING in inventory, a company that is pushing employee pricing AND thousands of dollars in rebates AND 0% financing, AND is doing so all by itself. GM and Ford have managed production so they don't need to do this. DCX apparently ramped up production in expectation of marketshare gains that never materialized.

[igor]

regardless .... this is about advertising - Bronco is approved and is coming - but Fields found it less than satisfactory when he took over, so Bronco went back to the drawing board, along with Fiesta, and Mustang redesign .

 

Now onto the marketing .. the one thing I like about this is that this campaighn is the toned down - human emotion of the campagin - no racy boxer, a tough jogger, a crazy mouse or thumbing hiphop in the background or any other cheap marketing trick to shortcut their way to "tagetting" some stereotype.

 

I am very impressed, that this is the first time, the scenes shown are human, and compassionate and along the lined of American Dream - like so many other marketing sories featuring white actors and targetting white audiences.

 

I really love this campaign

 

Igor

[J2D]

I beg to differ, the Dodge Nitro will fit well into the Dodge lineup ( if priced right) and will become a direct competitor and possibly a threat to the Ford Escape.

 

As mentioned by Dodge's own spokesman the Nitro will be catered more toward the Male end of the market.

 

Lets not under estimate what Dodge is capable of. This is the company that released the hot selling Caliber that no one thought would sell.

[RichardJensen]

I beg to differ, the Dodge Nitro will fit well into the Dodge lineup ( if priced right) and will become a direct competitor and possibly a threat to the Ford Escape.

 

As mentioned by Dodge's own spokesman the Nitro will be catered more toward the Male end of the market.

 

Lets not under estimate what Dodge is capable of. This is the company that released the hot selling Caliber that no one thought would sell.

I don't see how the Nitro fits into the Dodge lineup. I mean, theoretically it slots in between the Caliber and the Durango (which is, BTW, a h-u-g-e hole). However, I fail to see why a Jeep based ute makes more sense than a more sane reconception of the Magnum.

 

Let Jeep have the Liberty, as the 'real man's' Escape, and leave Dodge with an LX based crossover that will actually appeal to human beings capable of using simple tools and multi-syllable words, as opposed to the Magnum.

 

Sure the Nitro will sell. Heck, you throw any amount of crap up against a wall and some of it will stick, but will it meet DCX expectations? Not hardly, IMO, Dodge's "hooo-weee check out our funky styling" exercises have been uniformly unsuccessful (ask Dr. Z if the Charger, Magnum, Durango, and Dakota are selling up to expectations). By contrast the more conservatively (and elegantly) styled Caliber is selling like hotcakes. If that thing looked like the Magnum, Jr., you couldn't give it away.

Edited July 11, 2006 by RichardJensen

[J2D]

It all broils down to ones preference. some people prefer to drive SUV/Truck based vehicles while others may choose to drive car based vehicles such as the Magnum. As for myself I need something with a high roof.

[RichardJensen]

It all broils down to ones preference. some people prefer to drive SUV/Truck based vehicles while others may choose to drive car based vehicles such as the Magnum. As for myself I need something with a high roof.

The Magnum is useless, that is the key difference between it and the Caliber, etc. There is no reason why the LX platform could not spawn a USEFUL crossover with a fair amount of cargo space and a high roof. It would be a darnsight better than the Nitro. IMO.

 

I should clarify, though that my objections to the Nitro are that 1) it will be too Jeepish, and not appealing to a typical Dodge buyer, and 2) that there are a great many Jeep connoisseurs who have been thus far more or less satisfied with DCX (and Chrysler) ownership because they haven't screwed with Jeep---however, the screwing has now begun. A Hemi in the Grand Cherokee? A FWD Jeep on a unibody? A Dodge built on a Jeep platform?

 

This seems like it will sit about as well with Jeep purists as the X-Type did with Jag purists, and once you lose your base...

Edited July 11, 2006 by RichardJensen

[J2D]

This seems like it will sit about as well with Jeep purists as the X-Type did with Jag purists, and once you lose your base...

 

Please don't tell me that Jaguar days are numbered because of the X-type. Do you mean that this cat has been declawed.

[calypsocoral]

The Magnum is useless, that is the key difference between it and the Caliber, etc. There is no reason why the LX platform could not spawn a USEFUL crossover with a fair amount of cargo space and a high roof. It would be a darnsight better than the Nitro. IMO.

 

Dodge in a nutshell...

 

1) Durango- originally meant to compete against both the Explorer and the Expedition-- it neatly split the two, in terms of size. It has since grown to Expedition/Tahoe size. Dodge needs something smaller.

 

2) The Nitro-- will probably compete with the Explorer and the Escape. It is a RWD uni-body with true 4WD capability (locking differential, 2-speed transfer case, and all that good stuff). Only the Cherokee, Liberty, and Suzuki Grand Vitara share this format, which boasts off-road and on-road capability. Make no mistake, this vehicle has a future.

 

3) The Magnum-- why, exactly, is it useless? It corners better than any "crossover," and it is fast as all get-out, for a car its size. The rest of the world gets a 300C "Estate" or "Touring." Chrysler knew that would never sell in the US, so they gave it to Dodge to give it more truck-y styling, to suit the American preconception of what something with a rear hatch should look like. And it worked-- I see these things all over the place! Not to mention the fact that it also re-defined the American Muscle Car, like it or not!

[RichardJensen]

Please don't tell me that Jaguar days are numbered because of the X-type. Do you mean that this cat has been declawed.

It is in serious trouble because of it. Canning it and the new XK and SType go a long way toward fixing the problems the XType created.

 

Dodge in a nutshell...

 

1) Durango- originally meant to compete against both the Explorer and the Expedition-- it neatly split the two, in terms of size. It has since grown to Expedition/Tahoe size. Dodge needs something smaller.

 

2) The Nitro-- will probably compete with the Explorer and the Escape. It is a RWD uni-body with true 4WD capability (locking differential, 2-speed transfer case, and all that good stuff). Only the Cherokee, Liberty, and Suzuki Grand Vitara share this format, which boasts off-road and on-road capability. Make no mistake, this vehicle has a future.

 

3) The Magnum-- why, exactly, is it useless? It corners better than any "crossover," and it is fast as all get-out, for a car its size. The rest of the world gets a 300C "Estate" or "Touring." Chrysler knew that would never sell in the US, so they gave it to Dodge to give it more truck-y styling, to suit the American preconception of what something with a rear hatch should look like. And it worked-- I see these things all over the place! Not to mention the fact that it also re-defined the American Muscle Car, like it or not!

2) Why would you buy a Nitro instead of a Liberty? You say the Nitro has a future. I say it will not meet DCX expectations. It may be kept around simply because Dodge has nothing else, but it--like the Magnum--will be a huge disappointment.

 

3) The Magnum is 'fast as all get-out' in Hemi trim. Apart from that it's a squatty beast with little cargo room for its size. Friend has it as a work vehicle. Thought it was pretty cool at first (lots of 'that thing got a Hemi' jokes), now he can't stand it--the only choice his company offers is this or a Focus ZTW which is too small. Check out the sales numbers. This thing is not selling well at all. Last year when the thing was new Chrysler had 60 days of inventory for the thing. I'm guessing the numbers have not shrunk. The Magnums you see are probably fleet vehicles. I see next to none sitting on the lot of the local Dodge dealer. "re-defined the American Muscle Car"? Have you spent too much time reading DCX press releases? Who, not in the employ of DCX, would ever suggest such a thought? How many competitors has the Magnum spawned? Who has rushed to bring concept cars to the stage that mimic the Magnum?

 

People thought the Charger was going to outsell the 300 because 1) Chrysler was making the Charger the de facto fleet vehicle and 2) the Hemi powered Charger is even cheaper than the 300C. Check out the sales numbers. Charger is a disappointment. Look at Chrysler's gigantic inventory problem. none of their vehicles have sold up to expectations. That's why they're drowning in inventory.

Edited July 11, 2006 by RichardJensen

[calypsocoral]

It is in serious trouble because of it. Canning it and the new XK and SType go a long way toward fixing the problems the XType created.

2) Why would you buy a Nitro instead of a Liberty? You say the Nitro has a future. I say it will not meet DCX expectations. It may be kept around simply because Dodge has nothing else, but it--like the Magnum--will be a huge disappointment.

 

3) The Magnum is 'fast as all get-out' in Hemi trim. Apart from that it's a squatty beast with little cargo room for its size. Friend has it as a work vehicle. Thought it was pretty cool at first (lots of 'that thing got a Hemi' jokes), now he can't stand it--the only choice his company offers is this or a Focus ZTW which is too small. Check out the sales numbers. This thing is not selling well at all. Last year when the thing was new Chrysler had 60 days of inventory for the thing. I'm guessing the numbers have not shrunk. The Magnums you see are probably fleet vehicles. I see next to none sitting on the lot of the local Dodge dealer. "re-defined the American Muscle Car"? Have you spent too much time reading DCX press releases? Who, not in the employ of DCX, would ever suggest such a thought? How many competitors has the Magnum spawned? Who has rushed to bring concept cars to the stage that mimic the Magnum?

 

People thought the Charger was going to outsell the 300 because 1) Chrysler was making the Charger the de facto fleet vehicle and 2) the Hemi powered Charger is even cheaper than the 300C. Check out the sales numbers. Charger is a disappointment. Look at Chrysler's gigantic inventory problem. none of their vehicles have sold up to expectations. That's why they're drowning in inventory.

 

And you will, no doubt, post some sources for your little rant, correct?

[RichardJensen]

People on this board thought the Charger was going to outsell the 300 (Traveler and Intrepidatious, IIRC), Chrysler executives have suggested that naming a sedan "Charger" was a mistake, and while you won't hear them calling the Charger a disappointment, it seems fairly clear that by pricing and fleet volume they expected the Charger to outsell the 300. It did not. I believe DCX's upper target for the Magnum was 60,000 units. With current sales numbers being pumped up because of Chrysler's grossly bloated inventory, 60,000 is still not going to happen.

 

Fortunately for Chrysler, the 300 was a far bigger success than first expected, and it has smoothed out these other disappointments.

 

Chrysler's inventory problems are also common knowledge. I'm not going to post links because you'll find a discussion of Chrysler's inventory in EVERY article about their brand new 'give away the farm' incentive program which is not being echoed at GM or Ford.

Edited July 12, 2006 by RichardJensen

[JAAF150]

Hey. DCX is not a model to follow here. The Commander is killing the Grand Cherokee. Combined those two vehicles are not even matching Cherokee sales alone last year. Do you think the gutless Compass is going to be a hit? It's a Jeep for people that don't WANT Jeeps. Just like the X-Type is the perfect Jaguar for people who don't WANT Jaguars. The Phaeton, the perfect VW for people that don't WANT VWs. The Nitro, similarly, is an illconceived beast. Just what gap in Dodge's lineup does it fill?

 

You don't want to be taking lessons from a company that is DROWNING in inventory, a company that is pushing employee pricing AND thousands of dollars in rebates AND 0% financing, AND is doing so all by itself. GM and Ford have managed production so they don't need to do this. DCX apparently ramped up production in expectation of marketshare gains that never materialized.

 

Where DCX is drowning in inventory are in the same segments that have clasped for GM and Ford as well. Sure, Ford doesn't what to take lessons from a company that has managed to make money in North America for the last few years. In fact, DCX isn't sitting on any more inventory than Ford or GM. July's numbers are not out yet but June and May are as follows:

 

May June

DCX 77 74

Ford 79 73

GM 86 84

 

And please do not reply with that crap about "Ford and GM's higher inventory levels due to more rural dealers". I have asked all three companies and they have said that this is not true.

 

Gutless Compass? Have you driven one? I doubt it. I have and it really isn't that bad. I will admit it different from what Jeep has built in the past but that may end up being a good thing.

 

But you right, Ford should just keep coming out with more new underwhelming products that keep reducing it's market share. It's worked so well for the past 4 years!

[RichardJensen]

Where DCX is drowning in inventory are in the same segments that have clasped for GM and Ford

Yeah. Except DCX has tons of vehicles that aren't even in dealer inventory yet.

[JAAF150]

People on this board thought the Charger was going to outsell the 300 (Traveler and Intrepidatious, IIRC), Chrysler executives have suggested that naming a sedan "Charger" was a mistake, and while you won't hear them calling the Charger a disappointment, it seems fairly clear that by pricing and fleet volume they expected the Charger to outsell the 300. It did not. I believe DCX's upper target for the Magnum was 60,000 units. With current sales numbers being pumped up because of Chrysler's grossly bloated inventory, 60,000 is still not going to happen.

 

Fortunately for Chrysler, the 300 was a far bigger success than first expected, and it has smoothed out these other disappointments.

 

Chrysler's inventory problems are also common knowledge. I'm not going to post links because you'll find a discussion of Chrysler's inventory in EVERY article about their brand new 'give away the farm' incentive program which is not being echoed at GM or Ford.

 

You like to pick and choose facts. I have yet to talk with anyone at DCX who considers the Charger a failure, the choice of name a failure or the inventories of this car out of hand. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO POST DCX INVETNORIES BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SUPPORT YOU CLAIM! Fact is, the Charger inventory stood at 56 days on June 1 (vs. 83 days for the 500) and the Brampton plant still runs three shifts (how many Ford plants are on three shift). The car sells over 10,000 units in most months, something the 500 cannot claim.

 

You let you jealousy of the DCX's success cloud your judgment. DCX is not perfect. Fact was June was tough for everybody but Toyota. However, DCX has taken an approach that has been far more successful than Ford's. The problems that they have had in the last few months are mild compared to the ones that Ford has had for the last few YEARS. You need to look no further than the fact that DCX's marker share has held it's own while Ford's has fallen of the table. DCX has closed (or announced) two plant closures (Piellet Road in Windsor and Toledo - which was replaced) while Ford has closed (or will close) Ontario Truck, Edison, Lorain, Twin Cites, Wixom, Atlanta and St Louis while adding Dearborn Truck.

 

Lastly, you quote the articles discussing the DCX's "giving away the farm program". Given that you are so well read, you must have caught the one last week in the Wall Street that called the Chrysler Group the most successful of the "big three".

 

 

Yeah. Except DCX has tons of vehicles that aren't even in dealer inventory yet.

 

But they are still counted in the number. Days on hand are not just what are at the dealer. It includes plant inventory, in transit and dealers. Add to that, 90% of this is made up of 1500 Ram trucks (2500's and 3500's are still selling well) Dakota's, G Cherokee’s and Durango’s. Same segments where Ford has bloat.

[RichardJensen]

So the company that already had the highest incentives of the Big Three BEFORE their crazy eddie discount program doesn't have an inventory problem? Your DCX reps may tell you one thing, but corporate business decisions say otherwise.