As a marketeer by trade and nature, I often wonder why an entire demographic is sometimes left out of an ad campaign. Obviously, you don't sell Scotch to toddlers (although TEETHING toddlers are 'sorely' under-represented in the hard liquor industry). But then there are campaigns that seem to preemptively say, That group won’t buy this, so why waste dollars trying to sell it to them?
But does anything about that sentiment make sense? Hey, let’s spend lots of money trying to get the attention of people who already buy it. Hmmm? I really do get it. I do. But I'm too scrappy not to go after the elusive fish. And I feel like writing this ad 'outside the demographic' so I'm just gonna do it. This is my land. The land of 'off brief.'
Take Ford’s F-150, my all-time-favorite vehicle. And I’m a girl. And I’m a girly girl. And why, then, might I like this truck? Because it’s manly. Duh.
Imagine what you could do with an ad campaign that sold the world’s greatest ‘man’ to women, complete with a key.
I call this The Trade In:
Ext. Ford Dealership sales lot
Salesman
(Standing with man and woman next to new F-150, addressing the man, of course)
It has the new Tailgate Step. You open the tailgate, pull down the step and it helps you climb in.
Pan to woman. V.O. of her thinking
Woman
Help me into the truck? What a gentleman.
Woman climbs into the cab, shuts the door and rolls down the window to hear more.
Salesman
(To man)
It has a 5.4-Liter, 3-Valve Triton V-8 engine.
Pan to woman. V.O. of her thinking
Woman
And he’s strong . . .
Salesman
It has Voice-Activated Navigation
V.O. of woman thinking
Woman
And he’s good with directions. . .
This continues for roughly 15 more seconds of the spot.
Woman
(leans out window and addresses salesman)
Didn't you say you take trade ins?
Salesman
(beaming at the scent of a sale)
Absolutely.
Woman
(Pointing to the man still standing in lot with salesman)
Fantastic. Then you can keep him. I’ll take this one.
Woman and F-150 peel out of lot.
Salesman
(A bit confused, to man)
Um, I did't see that one coming. Did you?
Man
(Shrugs) Well, sort of.
5 comments:
I think there's a copywriter in your head!
I'm looking for directors right now...
Let's shoot it!
John Johnson
Miss Ive,
Your comments today reminded me of a few years ago when I was looking to buy a new car. I wanted a Mid-Size SUV. As it was going to be mostly used by me DH decided I should be doing the research & test driving & make the decision.
I narrowed it down between the Mazda Tribute & the Hyundai Santa Fe. As luck would have it a dealer here sold both brands so we went there to see & test drive & the vehicles. This is were we had the problem ~
The Sales Guy was an older gentleman (like 60) he kept addressing my husband & gave him the keys for the test drives, when my DH handed the keys to me the guy said I thought you wanted to drive it. DH said no my wife is she is the one who will be mostly driving it. We tested both cars & I decided that I like the Santa Fe better. So we get back to the dealership & I ask the guy to show me how the seats fold down & he stated that I already had enough room in the back of it there was no need to for a women to fold the seats down as there was already plenty of room in it without having to learn about that.
I looked at DH & said looks like I can't buy this vehicle because to me it looks too small to handle all the shopping bags & Luggage I need to haul when I take my shopping trips to Minneapolis & Chicago. The guy than showed not ME but DH how the seats folded down & told him the room specs of the Santa Fe. We let him finish & left.
2 days later he called the house & ASKED to talk to my DH. He wanted to know when we coming in to start the paperwork on the Santa Fe. DH said you need to talk to my wife. HE asked what color I had decided on & then to let him talk to DH again. I told him that I couldn't buy a car from him as I seemed not to exist when I was there person so how could I possible do so on paper.
a few weeks later I bought a Santa Fe from a dealer who goes down to Auctions & buys cars, got it for 3,000 less than the other place had it for & the guy running this dealership actually treated me as the person who was buying the car rather than the wife who just was there to pick out the color.
It's AMAZING that some people still have no Idea that in today’s world you have to PAY ATTENTION to ALL Demographics because it may be the one that you're overlooking that can make or break you.
Erika,
Loved this story! Glad we're on the same page. Hope you're loving your truck.
Miss Ive
That's brillaint 'miss ive'!
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