Auto ads sell a new image

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Posted 8:00AM on Thursday, April 4, 2002

DETROIT - Over the past several months automakers have produced numerous ads that promote brand reputation or seek to enhance their corporate image, not sell a specific car or truck. One of the most well known examples are the Ford Motor Co. commercials featuring William Clay Ford Jr., talking about the company and what it means to him and the history of the automobile. Earnest, photogenic and pedigreed, Chairman Ford provides the family business with a "unique advertising property," University of Michigan marketing professor Christina Brown told the Detroit Free Press for a Thursday story. "He can stand for Ford the way that Dave Thomas used to stand for Wendy's or Lee Iacocca for Chrysler." Ford's approach is not a unique one. General Motors Corp., Volkswagen AG, DaimlerChrysler AG also are touting the positive attributes that define their brands. Ford spokesman Jim Vella said many people did not know that a member of the Ford family was running the company before the commercials began airing. The last image many people had of a Ford chief was Jacques Nasser defending the Explorer to Congress. But some critics said that the new chief comes off as conceited or goofy. "Ford has been a part of me since the minute I was born," he says in one spot. "Well, duh," retorted Ad Age magazine columnist Bob Garfield. Rich Stoddart, Ford division marketing communications manager, shrugged off the criticism. "I don't think there's anything wrong with standing up and saying what you believe," he said. "To me, what matters is how people respond." GM has created ads that emphasize its position as the world's biggest automaker. Since Sept. 11 and the prospect that war and recession would bring auto sales to a screeching halt, GM has gained momentum by stressing simple messages: "Keep America Rolling" with zero-percent loans, and "GM Overdrive" with $2,002 cash back. Over the track of "American Band" by Michigan's own Grand Funk Railroad, GM's most eye-catching vehicles -- Corvette, SSR, Escalade -- flash across the screen with the words "No. 1 in car sales. No. 1 in truck sales." C. J. Fraleigh, GM's marketing chief, said the new plan is to roll out ads with a corporate scope, then rework them as brand ads, regional spots and dealer promotions, but he stressed that GM won't lock itself into a formula. DaimlerChrysler commissioned filmmaker Roland Emmerich to shoot more than 40 Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, Freightliner and other vehicles forming the mathematical symbol for infinity. The short film is titled "Infinite Possibilities," which could describe the list of those it aims to impress. "The long-term campaign is designed to appeal to decision-makers from business and politics, investors, financial analysts, opinion-makers and the media, as well as employees, suppliers, business partners and customers," a DaimlerChrysler news release said. Another German automaker, Volkswagen AG, is touting the drive and passion of its engineers, whose genes compel them to keep tinkering. The animated "DNA" spot describes the engineers as "smart but kooky," which also fits the well-educated, well-heeled buyers of Beetles and Passats. Karen Marderosian, director of marketing at Volkswagen USA, said that while other spots praise features of specific models, they all come back to Volkswagen. "All of our ads emphasize the brand," she said.