NEW!! Voice Your MARKETING Suggestions/Input for Focus Group on 2010 Camaro.

[theholycow]

Okay, seems like a lot of people in this thread didn't really read the OP, which asked for advice not on how to change the car, but how to market it -- and not how to market it to people like us, but marketing it to the sort of people who really deeply have nothing in common with those of us on this forum.

I think the demographic groups in question are the snooty import crowd and the ghetto crowd. Sorry to put that in such offensive plain english, I don't know the proper marketing terms for them.

I say, more product placement. Have it win in the next "Fast & Furious" movie. Get Akon and 50 Cent to bling them out and show it in their videos. That sort of stuff might work pretty well for the ghetto folks, and should work really well for the wannabe-ghetto white suburbanite kids (especially those whose parents fondly remember their Camaros).

Also, since the car will sell itself so well once you convince people to step into the showroom, it should compete well for the snooty import crowd simply by playing their own game. Some copycat marketing, imitating BMW's marketing, ought to be enough to draw in some curious folks. Talk about the things that are important to them -- modern suspension, upscale interior. I think these sort of people also put a lot of stock in what magazines say, so make sure that Car & Driver/Motor Trend/whatever gives a good report.

Those are my thoughts, for the moment, in glorious offensive disrespectful plain english.

[Captain Awesome]

If this car is as good as the insiders are saying, then you should be able to sell PILES of them just by getting them out and into the hands of people. In theory, it should sell itself.

Figure out some ways to get the cars out and exposed to the public in person so they can see how good it is. Maybe do a promotion where you give away a few of them in a contest or something. Put them on tour with popular bands so the people can see the things. If you do a contest you have to get some real cars out where people can see how good they are.

You could also capitalize on the fact it's a new model by having a contest where people get to win one before they are available to the public. That kind of thing works well.

[z28camaro2471]

It would also be a good idea to lay off the advertising until production has been ramped up to meet demand. See the new Malibu for historical reference.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Oh, and don't be afraid to flat-out say "We're better than **insert competitor's name, preferably an import**"

Think back to Aura, and the side-by-side comparisons. THAT type of bold, in your face marketing...after all - no matter whcih model you look at, Camaro is a bold, in your face type 'a car.

[garfin]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Also, since the car will sell itself so well once you convince people to step into the showroom, it should compete well for the snooty import crowd simply by playing their own game. Some copycat marketing, imitating BMW's marketing, ought to be enough to draw in some curious folks. Talk about the things that are important to them -- modern suspension, upscale interior.

Take a look at this Pontiac G8 commercial - I think you'll get a kick out of it!


Best regardSS,

Elie

[ihc95]

Not sure about the V6, but make a commercial revving the V8 engine. Trust me, that should be enough

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by ihc95

Not sure about the V6, but make a commercial revving the V8 engine. Trust me, that should be enough

You can get a similar sound from a mustang, challenger, charger, a G8, or number of other vehicles. It won't be enough. Remember, most enthusiasts are already sold. GM needs to figure out how to draw others in, the people that are considering an Eclipse or a Genesis or other similar cars.

[CatiaJockey]

random thought... Show an SS doing a massive burn out, fade to mom pulling up in grocery store parking lot, caption "a little muscle, a little mizer"

[1fastdog]

Originally Posted by Z284ever

Hopefully the base engine(s) will have available manual transmissions. I think that's important for this car, regardless of the take rate.

AFAIK there will be a manual trans option for v-6 Camaro.

I think it's important to offer the choice as it's often a must have for some buyers. Might also show a better MPG rating, although some of the new automatics being built have have come along way in narrowing the gap.

[TFord]

I havent read this thread, right now the hands down best car advertisement is the Caddy ad..."when you turn your car on does it return the favor?" not saying thats the route to go, but that commersial makes me want to go buy one!

[LadiesMan217]

I like the idea of "Mom"

Why not show kids playing soccer...one kid is on a breakaway...just as he's about to score...they all look in that typical "Hollywood UFO is about to crash and everybody just stands in awe as time seems to stand still."

They show "Mom" pulling up in the new Camaro and one of the kid's teammates says, "Wow, you're mom is cool!"

Or...

How about a commercial showing a V8 drifting. Get it on the cover of a Need For Speed Game case.

Or...

Put it into a show like Desperate Housewives. (Although I think Nissan has that show all wrapped up).

Play up the "Power + Economy" aspect...and the "Green-ness" of it. Show the Aveo, the Volt, etc...and then say something along the lines of... "Oh yeah, one more thing...an old family member has come home."

This next one may be a home run...

Have the marketing done by the people on the Apprentice. They are always showing the "teams" coming up with marketing/advertising ideas for a certain product. Why not have it on the show...then you can display the car, and have them come up with different ideas and basically get two trains of thought at one time.

[The_Blur]

These are my posts from the commercials thread.


OPTION 1—I want an ad without any sound except motor drive-by sounds. There should be a line of all the generations and renditions of the Camaro. First, the original should quickly drive by the camera. Then the next one from a different angle, and so on. The last car should be an F-body that stops, spins its tires until it is surrounded by smoke, and finally peel out as a Zeta Camaro from the smoke.

OPTION 2—There's a long road in the middle of some barren desert. It's sunset, and there's a small house with a couple of old men sitting on the porch. There's an old first generation Camaro in the driveway, but it's hard to make out. Someone leaves without saying a word. You don't see his face, but he's wearing a leather jacket, classy shades, and just seems like a tough guy. He leaves in a fourth generation Camaro SS that's parked outside. One old guy says to the other, "Do you think we'll ever see him again?" The screen goes dark. The next morning, they're sitting on the porch again, and down the road there's a cloud of dust. At breakneck speed, a Zeta Camaro SS tears down the street. You hear it roaring, and then the other old man says, "I told you so."

[MattG]

For the masses, I think it's all about the interior quality - "fit and finish", as it's often called. The performance enthusiasts (like most of us here) don't really care about that near as much as we do about the performance, but your mainstream consumer wants a car that looks good, feels solid, and SOUNDS well-made. My buddy had a '94 Z28 and the interior had about a dozen squeaks and rattles before it was a year old. He hasn't bought a GM product since. I've heard great things about the Malibu's interior; follow through with the same quality on the Camaro, and the mainstream will be far more interested than they are by the 400+ hp v8.

[AirGoya]

I think you should really go for selling its style and good looks. Also throw in there how great of gas mileage it gets. Do something kinda like those Impala SS ads I've seen. "But officer, i'm getting 30 mpg..." or something like that.