prepare to wet yourself, most amazing thing ever

Someone thought at because a company spent 30 million dollars on commercials that they must know what they are doing. I can give you a laundry list of companies that spend just that only to have zero return on the investment. The question I ask you is do you think an advertising agency is going to turn down work? Or maybe tell a potential client that advertising would be useless for them? Advertising is one of most misunderstood things for many people including those that make the advertising. I know, i consult with some of the big ones and when i ask the tough questions, they really don't often like my honest answers.
 
Walter, I was wondering what you considered effective advertising? Is there anything out there that you can point to and say, "They got it right"?

When I saw that "The Ringing Movie" commercial on TV and went to the website (http://www.theringingmovie.com/movie.shtml ), your prior posts came to mind. I think that this campaign is a big mistake. Oh, it will lead to a lot of hits on their website, from folks like us, film geeks. There target audience would seem to be business owners and large corporate types, not film geeks. How do companies make such a mistakes?

Thanks.
 
The advertising company will make a presentation that shows how many hits the site has and it will be like 20 million and they will say the campaign they created was a success. BUt success is measured in how many of your hits carried through to actual purchases, and that is a number they eihter don't show or show after ten other confusing numbers so no one really gets it, they just figure, wow 20 million hits. So you've actually spent ht time to go to the web site and what do they show you? Buried in the page in small letters that almost blend in with the background is the click though of "More about COvad". It took me about nine seconds to find it. The average person spends three seconds on a webpage. How many do you think noticed it or cared once they got there and saw a deceptively movie looking title page that confused people even more? This is not advertising, its art and as I said, art doesn't sell anything, have a call to action, or make you remember a brand, rather it belongs in a museum. What will people say? Remember that funny commercial that was like a horror film? Yea, what was that for? I don't remember.
 
Yeah, you are right, this is crazy. Like I said, a lot of people at the production company just updated their reels with this one, at the expense of this company that is expecting results. Telecom services is a very competitive and with this, I wouldn't buy COvad stock right now.

What do you think is a good ad campaign? I mean currently.
 
The reason I say that is because on a national level I really don;t know of any campaigns that are so great off the top of my head. i think on a local level there is more advertising. On a national level more art. In one day Oprah Winfrey has more pull on what people buy than all the advertising on TV. So does PR work better or old fashion advertising? A lot of folks are now giving up advertising and turning to PR. If they are not they should in many cases.
 
Honda Ad

Honda Ad

Walter, I really agree with you about most advertising. Some is not only a waste of money but actually counter-productive to the product!

However, I think this Accord commercial is excellent and WILL sell cars, not just Accords but all Hondas.

It may be different in the US from here in the UK, but Honda is trying to improve its image. The new Accord is considerably more expensive than the old model and therefore must been seen as "higher status" if it is to be successful. The UK commercial market in more subtle than in the states and especially for car manufacturing is all about IMAGE. People buy cars that they think convey a good image of themselves.

I think that this commercial succeeds in making all Hondas (not just Accords) seem classy and appealing, just like the ad. Largely due to this campaign, the image of Honda has shot up in the UK. In fact my next car will be a Honda.

So to say:

"Fun spot but art not advertising and will not sell a single car. "

...is incorrect. Sorry, I hate making fact statments, but this isn't just IMO. Ask any Honda dealership in the UK... this commercial played, more people walked through their doors.

Maybe a different culture in the US... Has the commercial ever played there???
 
05/01/2005 - Record breaking year as Honda (UK) hits 40

Record car sales of 91,000 units
Accord and Jazz head sales growth
Civic still the best selling British-built compact car
CR-V remains top selling petrol SUV
Record production achieved by Swindon car plant
For the first time in its history, Honda (UK) topped 90,000 car sales and breached 3.5% market share. The record results pre-empt celebrations for the marque’s 40th anniversary and coincides with record car production at the firm’s Swindon car plant.

This year’s star performer has been the Jazz, with sales up more than one third on last year and the model established as the UK’s second best selling 5 door supermini among private buyers. Single-handedly the model took more than one quarter of Honda’s UK car sales.

But the Civic remains the company’s strongest selling range of cars, virtually replicating last year’s 35,000 total, but with sales of the 4 door IMA rising by a quarter. Numbers of Civic 3 doors rose slightly, helped by buoyant sales of the Type-R - offsetting a slight decline in Civic 5 door popularity. The Civic remains Britain’s most popular British built compact car (C-sector).

Strong growth has also come from the Accord whose sales have increased by more than 50% following the introduction this year of the 2.2 i-CTDi diesel models.

CR-V numbers declined slightly, though the model remains easily the top selling petrol SUV in the country. Much stronger sales are expected in 2005, following the launch of the revised model with diesel option.

Popularity of the S2000 roadster has continued, with the model enjoying its most successful year in Britain - with sales running neck-and-neck with the Audi TT Coupe in 2004.

While Honda’s sales go from strength to strength, this has been matched by record production at the company’s Swindon car plant. This year’s output of 193,000 cars represents an increase of around 4.5 % on last year with a more equal split between Civic and CR-V models - mainly in response to increasing demand for Civics in mainland Europe.

"We’re really encouraged by this success, which is testament to a strong product line up, backed up by enthusiastic and hard working dealers," says Honda’s David Strangeway. "More important than this, is that we have considerably raised Honda’s brand status in Britain and made big improvements in customer and dealer satisfaction levels. We have raised the company’s awareness through clever advertising, made huge progress in corporate sales and we have won awards too numerous to mention."

Strangeway continues: "For 2005, our main targets will be to work with our dealers to continue to raise customer satisfaction until we are number one in the market. A happy customer will invariably buy again and encourage his or her friends to do likewise, plus it’s more efficient to retain existing customers than it is to win new ones. We also want to make people aware about the wider attributes of Honda, which include world class expertise in the fields of aviation and robotics, a huge commitment to environmental responsibility and improving safety for all road users - and of course our passion for motor sport.

"I would prefer to regard Honda as a quality-driven company rather than one which is sales-driven - and I am confident that if we are successful in these areas, our sales will rise inexorably. So don’t be surprised to see Honda breaking a few more records in 2005!"
 
Honda Ad

Honda Ad

I take it that the article is from a UK site.

I was wondering if your comments were refering to the US market? I am sure you know far more about the US industry than I do.

...but I would put my life savings, er.... actually my camera on the fact that the Cog Commercial has sold many Hondas in the UK; maybe indirectly and not all Accords.

Shame that their new campaign seems very tacky to me, as if they are trying to undo all their hard work! But that is only MHO.
 
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