Dealers A bumpy road for Fiat 500
11-22-11, 01:11 PM
#31
Having a celebrity hawk your product does not automatically add value to it. There are lots of attention-getting ads but that's only the first step. You cave to get people to do something. In this case there doesn't seem to be any reason to follow through other than to react... "oh... there's Jennifer Lopez on TV". You see her but do you remember the car... or the company... or why you should care?
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11-22-11, 01:16 PM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
I am surprised that they are charging 26k for a new one with lots of features. The mini cooper sales died pretty quickly after the hype faded. Putting your car in a block buster movie (Italian job) will only get you so far. Fiat's attempt to use J LO in their commercials isnt going to work either. She is yesterdays news and totally talentless ( *** not included lol). I love this little car and high hopes for it in the US but with pricing like that they arent going to go very far. Its a niche vehicle, like the mini, but they should have known that the pricing will only get them so far with hip yuppies buying them as city commuters
11-22-11, 02:48 PM
#33
I believe they're called studios. My bet is that within a year, Fiat-Chrysler will do the same thing as Smart who allowed MB dealers to sell Smarts in a corner of their regular Mercedes showroom.
Somehow, I knew this link would show up here eventually. Thanks. I think the ad exemplifies their Italian roots - which is what they're selling for the premium price. (Heck, Sergio made Bill Clinton look like a choirboy.)
..
This video, for example, of trying to sell the Abarth with a borderline-sexual-content ad (and marginally NWS) just makes the Fiat marketers look like morons.
http://vimeo.com/32318970
This video, for example, of trying to sell the Abarth with a borderline-sexual-content ad (and marginally NWS) just makes the Fiat marketers look like morons.
http://vimeo.com/32318970
Last edited by caddyowner; 11-22-11 at 02:52 PM.
11-22-11, 05:49 PM
#34
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
i am not surprised at all this is a dud. it's an answer to a question no one in the u.s. was asking. 
e.g., "wouldn't it be great if there was a tiny gutless car with no room tarted up a bit and made by a lame government run italian car maker?" - what could possibly go wrong? 
why wouldn't someone take a prius-C or a loaded new yaris over this?
e.g., "wouldn't it be great if there was a tiny gutless car with no room tarted up a bit and made by a lame government run italian car maker?" - what could possibly go wrong? why wouldn't someone take a prius-C or a loaded new yaris over this?
11-22-11, 11:17 PM
#35
Lexus Test Driver
The Abarth is a performance model with brand recognition like Evo, JCW or STI. All three of which the parent companies had doubts about introducing in the U.S. but did so with great success.
Naming it anything other than Abarth would be a travesty, it is after all the equivalent of TRD for Toyota. There is nothing else it can be called.
Naming it anything other than Abarth would be a travesty, it is after all the equivalent of TRD for Toyota. There is nothing else it can be called.
11-22-11, 11:26 PM
#36
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Your point is?
11-22-11, 11:41 PM
#37
Lexus Test Driver
Already made my point. TuRD also sounds bad- they are out there. Barf would be another and would not help the brand in a positive way.
11-23-11, 12:47 AM
#38
I think selling 2k/month is pretty good for Fiat 500... if their expectations were double of that, they were being unrealistic.
2k/month for small fashionable car with poor mpg and relatively high price, is simply good sales.
2k/month for small fashionable car with poor mpg and relatively high price, is simply good sales.
11-23-11, 07:20 AM
#39
Fiat screwed the dealers by coming with only one model
The 500 is too small for most Americans
Once they add a dew models to the US line up and most importantly bring the cool Alfas the play can be viable
I drove a 500 rental
It is fun and nimble in the city
It lacks power and and has terrible body roll for highway off ramps
The 500 is too small for most Americans
Once they add a dew models to the US line up and most importantly bring the cool Alfas the play can be viable
I drove a 500 rental
It is fun and nimble in the city
It lacks power and and has terrible body roll for highway off ramps
11-23-11, 08:34 AM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
I also disagree with the notion of it being a "chick" car. We hear the same thing (mostly from the auto-press) about the VW Beetle, VW Jetta, Mazda Miata, and base-level Mini-Cooper.......but more males actually drive these vehicles than is generally perceived.
11-23-11, 09:33 AM
#42
Nobody with an ounce of sense is going to buy a 500 based on J-L strutting herself on TV. Like I said earlier, the 500 is going to sell (or just sit on the lot) by its own merits.
I also disagree with the notion of it being a "chick" car. We hear the same thing (mostly from the auto-press) about the VW Beetle, VW Jetta, Mazda Miata, and base-level Mini-Cooper.......but more males actually drive these vehicles than is generally perceived.
I also disagree with the notion of it being a "chick" car. We hear the same thing (mostly from the auto-press) about the VW Beetle, VW Jetta, Mazda Miata, and base-level Mini-Cooper.......but more males actually drive these vehicles than is generally perceived.
There's no doubt Lopez in the ad brings attention to the 500 to many people.Especially the 18-25 age group.Most in that group would never see a 500 if it wasn't for Fiat hiring JLo.
The 'chick car' stigma may be silly but it does apply to some vehicles.
My IS being one as well as the wife's CR-V..
11-23-11, 11:43 AM
#43
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The Fiat ads have no credibility. Apparently others agree.
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/jennif...es-fiat-135716
http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2011/0...car-spot-years
http://jalopnik.com/5839502/fiats-j+...t-500-shoppers
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/jennif...es-fiat-135716
http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2011/0...car-spot-years
http://jalopnik.com/5839502/fiats-j+...t-500-shoppers
11-23-11, 11:54 AM
#44
another one from yahoo saying a body-double was used and the FIAT broke down
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifi...182135716.html
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifi...182135716.html
11-23-11, 12:00 PM
#45
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The 500 is a "me too" MINI minus the fashion icon status from a successful movie product placement (therefore losing the female market) minus the superb driving dynamics (therefore losing the male market). That's all.
Last edited by ydooby; 11-23-11 at 01:26 PM.