mmarshall

Ads can be entertaining, but, in the end, I'm a firm believer that they don't really sell vehicles.....not unless potential buyers don't do their homework. There is simply no substitute for a proper review/inspection and test-drive.

Johnhav430

Seriously, what would your typical 22-30 y.o. want to drive, they're all over those Buick ads like white on rice....I have never seen a person in their 20's drive a Buick. I don't think that's realistic. Now when I was in my 20's I test drove a Buick wagon--my buddy went with me and said I don't get it, why would you want this car? Then when I got the Maxima he thought that was more appropriate. He himself had a 2nd gen Maxima and that thing was a heap but ran and ran and ran and ran....I don't think Buicks would fare that well on test drives either for the young...

Toys4RJill

You are wrong. Marketing absolutely sells vehicles. Emotion as well. Reviews and inspection is third on the list.

The ads must be working. They wouldn't do them if they weren't

mmarshall

I covered that part of it in my post.

Toys4RJill

Most people don't do much homework. They do a little. Emotion and the desire of a new car coupled with the pressure of a salesperson gets to sign on the dotted line. The marketing has to work first and formost.

oldcajun

I'll have to disagree with Mike this time. Marketing is key in selling cars. My favorite example is the intro of the original LS400 and the Q45. Most of the reviewers at the time rated both cars pretty close with many actually preferring the performance of the Q. Lexus marketing concentrated on showing what a luxurious car it was, how well it was built, and that it was the equal of any luxury car. Infiniti showed videos of lakes and streams with soft music playing in the background. It was a marketing disaster that they never recovered from.

If I were doing the marketing for Buick, I would focus on how beautiful the Lacrosse is, how much room it has, and how quiet and smoothly it rides. Better than a Lexus at a Buick price. For the Avenair, market to those who are at a financial point they could afford any car, but choose the Buick comfort and the added luxury of Avenair.

To sell to this buyer, you have to get them into the showroom. Unlike most of us on this forum, they don't go to a dealer or test drive a car for fun.
Steve

Toys4RJill

well said. I don't see many Buick ads. There are many different ways of marketing cars. The current trend is less on the car (like that Ls400 example) and more on the brand and the lifestyle that could come with it. Almost all ads are going to have young good looking people. The idea of having old folks in a Buick ad is not going to sell anything.

mmarshall

Hey, I certainly respect your view...no problem.

See, though......I didn't need TV or Internet ads (or NFL / NBA athletes) to tell me that. I got off my a**, went out, compared the Lacrosse to its MKZ, G80, Cadenza, Impala, Azera, ES350, and Avalon competitors, carefully examined and test-drove all of them, and made a decision. I even did a couple of Car Chat threads to get other CL members' views on it....got quite a few responses. I figure that if I give advice, I should be willing to listen to (and consider) that of others.

I also find that some people simply live with their heads in the sand....or with pre-conceived biases. One of our Condo Board members, for example, wanted some advice this past summer (we were in the condo's pool, swimming on a hot afternoon).....and asked about a (what else?) new small SUV. I told her to at least consider a new Kia Sportage. She grimaced, and looked at me like I was nuts...."There's NO way I'm buying a Kia". Didn't say why, or seem to want to discuss it any further, so I didn't press it. (But I did advise her to avoid the Ford Escape, which I thought was loosely-built and had several interior and seating flaws). She ended up with Honda CR-V...certainly an excellent vehicle, no question about that. But I still thought the Sportage was just as well-built, and a better value for the money.

Toys4RJill

you seem a bit offended that he wouldn't buy a KIA. I wouldn't either. And I don't want to even test drive one

Johnhav430

I love the Porsche way, imho they are a cut above BMW/MB. They simply invite you to meet up around their cars, which probably sell themselves. But they are for profit so this seems to have been cut (or I got cut). This method is you go home and figure out how you're going to pay for our product, you already want it. I haven't been invited to a MB event in about 9 years. Lexus? 2006 was the last time. Buick? Had to have been maybe 5 years ago, I think I mentioned my wife and I met Chef Ming Tsai and did the social media pic, he's not a small guy. The crowd was definitely over 70 as a general rule, with some that were younger. Now I believe GM officially states the mean age is in the 50's. When car cos hold these events, people have to make a decision if they would want to give up at least an afternoon to attend. Even BMW maybe not, I'm bagging the autocross at Citi Field and I bagged an golf outing, but Porsche? I'm there....

mmarshall

It was a she. And, no, I wasn't offended....it's not my money, but hers. And, of course, what you do with your money is also your own business.....even after asking us for advice, which you sometimes do. But there are a lot of very nice vehicles out there today for the money, and to (willingly) refuse to even look at some of them, IMO, is to unnecessarily box oneself into a corner.

mmarshall

I can't remember the last time I saw a Porsche TV ad. In fact, they don't seem to spend much on advertising, period. They haven't had a display at the Washington D.C. Auto Show for at least several years now, and, if my memory is correct, even skipped the big Detroit North American International show once or twice.

LexBob2

Porsche always has a good presence at the Chicago Auto Show, but for the most part their marketing/advertising is different from most mainstream high volume brands. It's definitely targeted towards a specific audience.

Johnhav430

I was last invited to their 2015 Roadshow. There was zero sales present. Instead, autocross and a lead/follow exercise. My wife had to watch our then 1 1/2 y.o. so she only took one spin--so guess what happened? I got to drive 2X through 4 cars = 8 lead/follows or basically double my turns less 1. I don't think there's any harm sharing this link, it says the program was discontinued. I can't imagine how much money it cost to do this nationwide. Pushing a 991 GTS and having an instructor telling you to step on it through your helmet? May seem like common sense but my takeaway was never coast, always on the gas or the brakes:

http://porscheworldroadshowusa.com/index.html

Something dawned on me, I used to get invited for every launch, and suddenly there was a 718 for which I had no invite. (*&*()@#&$(*)@*&#*($&@(#$&@#$ why didn't I check my spam folder......

GM has tried to do these events and imho failed. My buddy (pretty sure there are some on this forum who attended) said the Cadillac CTS-V event wasn't organized and not worthwhile...my time slot was all out canceled, thanks GM!

LexBob2

I wonder if fallout from the VW diesel scandal has forced some cutbacks at all of their divisions? The buybacks, fines etc. have been very costly.