Black Diamond Run in San Francisco for AUDI Ad in Germany
Audi’s agency in Germany, Kempertrautmann in Hamburg, has created one helluva an exciting commercial for the Quattro. Spectacular footage, outstanding production values, music and talent. See how good and creative a commercial can be because it will not be seen on television in the U.S. This is a don’t miss ad.
Click here to see ad.

Is This Time For An Automotive Retail Revolution?
For posing this question, I’m probably at risk of being called an automotive marketing heretic … again. The first time was at the dawn of international brands, some 30+ years ago, when, as director of marketing services at Campbell-Ewald, I suggested auto dealers should be renamed and known as retailers. I was asked to leave the meeting.

The ensuing years have transformed this prescient statement into marketing fact. And while Webster doesn’t differentiate between the two nouns, I do. Granted, the distinction is subtle but the difference obvious. A dealer is seller of a specific brand or manufacturer within a designated market or area. Whereas a retailer can pick and choose the brands sold almost wherever they want.

But let’s face it, calling car dealers stores or retailers today is about all that has changed in the selling of automobiles to consumers. Look at national automotive advertising today versus the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties – for the most part it’s repetitive and derivative. All that’s changed is the mix of media.

At the local level, where the sale is made, architects have created vast venues with expansive space to showcase four-wheel products. Prospective buyers enter through a front door of a benign and boring structure with limited character or style.

Once inside, the prospect sees various vehicles solidly waiting to be inspected, often banners, signs and danglers are strung from the ceiling, while other signs on walls proclaim the brand logo in bright, often neon signs. Hands-on, interactive displays are rare. Where is the excitement, the thrill, the entertainment in looking at new cars?

Or is it only found on an annual basis at local car shows — possibly an endangered species too — where families go for the show biz atmosphere, games and pretty girls while their kids stuff shopping bags full of stuff which someday will become valuable ephemera on the Antique Roadshow.

The man or woman approaching you with hand extended and phony smile ranks last in the list of respected vocations. Uh, oh. Customers know they’re gonna be screwed, but don’t know how. Even really good salespeople with extensive product knowledge sound like adult chatty Kathy dolls – there’s a lack enthusiasm and use price as the motivation. The entire process is equal parts of mistrust, boredom and inattention.

And service, the key component of customer satisfaction is through the backdoor, please. That’s the dirty part of the business, but the most important because it represents the value of the second most important purchase made by most families.

In this, the worst automobile business in the industry’s history, isn’t it time to reinvent how cars are sold? I believe the automobile industry needs to take a bite of the Apple retail business model!

Clean, uncluttered, stores in major malls or big city venues with hands-on exhibits, colorful displays, bright signing and graphics, packed with destination focused customers of all ages talking, comparing and discussing technical products with knowledgeable sales and service people who really give a damn. Business is good too for Apple computers, iPods and iPhones. Check it out yourself.

The once mighty U.S. manufacturers are now humbled and meek, and international brands have problems too. Most really didn’t and don’t have all the marketing answers did they? They design, engineer, build the vehicles, but dealers sell them. It’s time for the business owners who sell the cars to move to a position of power and assume command of their own destiny by reinventing the way the products they sell are sold to consumers. Take the loss, absorb the financial hit, but make changes to how automobiles are sold and serviced to vastly improve the future of the industry.

The era of the modern automotive retailer could be dawning; the question is will someone be the first to start the retail revolution? To make the purchase of an automobile exciting, fun and interesting. But then I could be a heretic.

The Reign of Radio’s Commercial King Is Over
Paul Harvey, perhaps the most trusted radio pitchman in America, died last weekend at his home in Arizona. For more than six decades, Harvey’s idiosyncratic, slightly nasal Midwest twang was broadcast over 1,200 radio stations to 22 million radio speakers in cars, homes and offices every day.

These daily news broadcasts of the famous, infamous and just plain citizens delivered with pauses and voice intonations that became Harvey’s signature delivery were interrupted by his equally distinctive commercial pitches for products he approved.

No product approval, no commercial from Harvey. And sans copywriters too. He wrote his own material for the commercial. If Paul liked it and sold it, Americans bought it. And that included automobiles.

I distinctly remember Chevrolet and Plymouth commercials he delivered, unrestrained by the: 60-second radio commercial length rule. If it ran over, no one cared. It was a Paul Harvey commercial. Like most icons, he will be remembered, but not replaced. Goooood byyyyyye.

Popular, but Dumb Show Premieres Smart New Ford Commercials
I watched the new Ford commercials on You Tube just one time. This is a departure from my standard of not watching a commercial in an isolated environment like an agency or company meeting room with state-of-the-art sound and projection equipment. I prefer to see ‘em live on the air first, just like prospective customers do and make my conclusions and observations from that one time shot.

The new Fusion commercials could be just another iteration in a long list of recent bland and boring Ford advertising campaigns – but they are not. They punch all the relevant motivation buttons – fuel economy, hybrid technology and infotainment technology — with excellent graphics and nice design elements, but come up a bit short on the important attribute of value. I do like the new theme line.

Another admission is I am not a fan of American Idol, and really don’t understand its denigrating, demeaning appeal or success with millions of Americans. Obviously Ford  people believes this is their audience and introduced three new Fusion commercials on the popular show this week.

Lincoln’s Signature Special Zero Lease Offer
Zero in this review too.

No Strike at Jaguar
Smart, very smart of union workers at Jaguar to back union proposals to reduce work weeks to four days and freeze pay for one year. Ensuring production was good idea given China’s recent order for 3,000 Jaguars.

Brazilian Collection of Mercedes-Benz Classics
For pure eye candy click to and a view of a private collection of every Mercedes-Benz SL:
Click here for the SL collection.