"It's a big deal," declares the new advertising tagline for the 2011 Ford Fiesta.
It’s the goal of every automaker, to turn a new product into something that rises above the rest of a crowded market, and Ford is hoping to turn the 2011 Fiesta subcompact into an American idol by launching the new car with a high-profile ad campaign centered around the show, American Idol.
The markting campaign is a critical step in introducing the market to what one senior Ford offical describes as “the biggest launch of the year” for the company, during a preview of the new Fiesta advertising.
Such an effort might have been unlikely in years past. Indeed, the 2011 Fiesta will be the first subcompact Ford has offered in the United States since 1977. Traditionally, small cars have been money losers for American manufacturers, and only offered if a company like Ford felt they were needed to lure new, young buyers into the corporate
“family.”
The maker is betting Fiesta, which starts at $13,994, is different. For one thing, it was developed as a global vehicle, rather than just for the U.S. market, so that helped hold down R&D costs. About 80% of the components used on the American version of the subcompact are shared with the model sold in Europe, significantly improving economies of scale. And Ford is hoping to break the traditional link between vehicle size and price by offering a range of up-market options that can push the actual transaction price for a well-equipped Fiesta to well above $20,000.
Still, one of the big selling points is likely to be fuel economy, which Ford announced will be as high as 40 mpg Highway, 29 City.
But Fiesta nonetheless will go up against a tough tangle of competitors, from import leaders like Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit to some new small cars from General Motors, like the upcoming Chevrolet Spark. So, getting word out and building a hip image for the 2011 Ford Fiesta will be critical.
The Detroit maker has been using a variety of tools to reach hip, youthful trendsetters, including social media. It signed on an assortment of young enthusiasts to act as product disciples, or “Fiesta Agents.” And, now, it is going more mainstream with the new ad campaign centered around American Idol, the most popular show on television.
The whimsical opening ad is in sharp contrast to the traditional automotive ad, more likely to feature a single car rolling down a quiet stretch of rural roadway or blasting through a city street scene. Two people sit inside a Fiesta and, when the driver presses the car’s Start button, they are greeted by sky divers and acrobats.
“It just feels very spontaneous,” suggests Toby Barlow, executive director at Team Detroit, the ad agency that created the new campaign.
A key challenge for any automaker is not just developing an effective ad campaign but deciding when to set it in motion. Too early and the buzz can begin to fade by the time the car actually reaches showrooms. That happened with the last-generation Ford Thunderbird, which already seemed old when it first went on sale.
Ford has been a bit more careful with the roll-out of its new subcompact, though it has been slowing ramping things up for more than a year, starting with viral media, such as videos the 100 Fiesta Agents have planted on well-trafficked sites like YouTube.com.
Hip bands like Magnetic Zeros and Edward Sharpe are being used for the ads, but while Millennials are a key target, so are Baby Boomers, many of whom are either downsizing their lifestyles after the kids move away, watching their budget, or looking for greener, more fuel efficient vehicles.
So far, company officials claim that 60% of the American public is at least vaguely aware of Fiesta, a phenomenal number, according to industry analysts.
“It’s more than five times more efficient than anything we’ve done before,” said Ford’s U.S. marketing communications chief, Matt Vandyke. And it’s likely to be something the maker will use as a model for other product launches, going forward.