ADVERTISING STRATEGIES IN THE AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE …
Transcript of ADVERTISING STRATEGIES IN THE AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE …
ADVERTISING STRATEGIES IN THE AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY:
AN ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION CONTENT IN TELEVISION
ADVERTISMENTS
A THESIS
Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Economics and Business
The Colorado College
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Arts
By
Jessica Lynne Velasquez
May 2012
ADVERTISING STRATEGIES IN THE AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY:
AN ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION CONTENT IN TELEVISION
ADVERTISMENTS
Jessica Lynne Velasquez
May 2012
Economics
Abstract
The automotive industry is a critical component of the American economy. The success
of the industry is largely dependent upon the effectiveness of the advertising strategies
and brand messaging of each company. The purpose of this thesis is to examine
advertising strategies employed by three American automotive manufacturers through the
analysis of informational content in television commercials. Furthermore, this thesis will
address possible changes in advertising strategies as a result of an economic recession.
This study found that there is a greater focus on general brand imaging during periods of
economic recovery.
KEYWORDS: (Automobile Industry, Advertising, Big Three)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………… iv
1 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………… 1
1.1 Government Bail Out………………………………………………………… 6
2 BUYER DEMOGRAPHICS……………………………………………………… 10
3 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………... 16
4 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS……………………………………………. 22
4.1 Ford Motor Company………………………………………………………….. 22
4.2 General Motors………………………………………………………………… 26
4.3 Chrysler………………………………………………………………………... 29
4.4 Ford Analysis…………………………………………………………………... 35
4.5 General Motors Analysis………………………………………………………. 36
4.6 Chrysler Analysis……………………………………………………………… 36
4.7 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….. 38
5 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………... 41
LIST OF TABLES
3.1 Evaluative Criteria Rubric For Commercial Content Analysis ……………... 18
3.2 Modified Evaluative Criteria Rubric For Commercial Content Analysis…… 19
3.3 Summary of Commercials Under Analysis………………………………….. 21
4.1 Summary of Results…………………………………………………………. 34
5.1 Proportion of Television Advertisements Evaluated as Informative………... 42
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my advisor Professor Esther Redmount for all of her guidance and
support throughout this whole process. I would also like to give a very special thank
you to my family for their unconditional love. Thank you for supporting me in
everything I do!
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The American automotive industry is an absolute critical component of the U.S
economy. The success of the industry has significant financial and social implications,
on both a national and global level. A large portion of the industry’s success is
dependent upon its ability to attract and retain consumers through the use of
advertisements. The purpose of this thesis is to examine advertising strategies in the
American automotive industry through the analysis of informational content found in
television commercials. Furthermore, the goal of this thesis is to discover if
informational content, and thus advertising strategies, changes after a recessionary
period has disrupted the economy and the subsequent industries affected.
Black. You could have Ford Motor Company’s Model T in any color, so long as
it was black. At the time of production for the Model T, the American automobile
industry was characterized by high competition but few consumer choices. As time
went on, the competition decreased and the number of consumer choices sky rocketed.
The industry became a classic tale of survival of the fittest. It was not long before three
strong contenders emerged and dominated the market share for U.S. total vehicle sales.
The American automotive industry is no Cinderella story however. It is not immune to
the trials and tribulations of the American economy. With skyrocketing gas prices and
increasing unemployment, those same industry giants were forced to reorganize and
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refocus their business plans. Since the most recent economic recession of 2009, the
American automotive industry has undergone major restructuring while attempting to
move forward and set the stage for future production. This thesis will focus on how the
automotive industry, specifically three American based companies, is using television
advertisements as a means to position themselves within the market and convey specific
messages representative of their brand. This thesis will analyze if and how those
messages have changed over time, using the most recent recessionary period as a
measuring point.
Beginning in the 1930’s, the United States automobile industry became
synonymous with the “Big Three” automakers. The big three refer to Ford Motor
Company, General Motors Corporation and Chrysler Corporation. In 1961, their U.S.
total vehicle sales market share equaled a combined 85.34 percent.1 No other
automotive company came close to matching that sort of dominance during that time
period. This was due in part to the ability of these companies to mass produce, a method
first used by Ford.
“Built Ford Tough”
The first of the Big Three American automakers is Ford Motor Company. Henry
Ford founded Ford Motor Company in 1903 in Dearborn, Michigan. Henry Ford used
1 Wards Auto. U.S total vehicle sales market share by company. 2010. Internet on-line. Available from
<www.WardsAuto.com>. [December, 2011].
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the knowledge he obtained from building race cars and his passion for performance to
establish himself and his company in a highly competitive and saturated automobile
industry. Ford set the stage in 1907 with the introduction of the Model T. The Model T
was a family car, a car that the average man earning an average salary could afford.2
The Model T was not only made for the masses; it was produced in masses. Ford
capitalized on the conveyor belt assembly line method to produce the Model T’s. The
company quickly recognized the need to diversify their selection and in the 1920’s the
company not only added more models but it acquired Lincoln, creating an opportunity
to offer luxury vehicles to its customers. This helped to keep Ford competitive in a
market with several other major competitors, like General Motors.
“Chevy Runs Deep”
General Motors is the second company of the Big Three American automobile
manufacturers. General Motors was established in September of 1908 by William
Durant with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. Durant was initially a horse drawn
carriage salesman and went on to form his own carriage company before becoming the
general manager of Buick. He eventually went on to form General Motors, which
became a holding company for Buick. In a span of only a few years, General Motors
also acquired such companies as Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac, GMC and Chevrolet.
2 Wicks, Frank. 2003. The Remarkable Henry Ford. Mechanical Engineering.
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“Grab Life By The Horns”
The third American automotive company included in the Big Three
classification is Chrysler. Walter P. Chrysler, the founder of the Chrysler Corporation,
ironically began his career at Buick where he started off as a works manager. It wasn’t
until June of 1925 that Walter Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corporation after a
reorganization of the Maxwell Motor Company. The Chrysler Corporation soon
launched its Chrysler automobile which helped drive Chrysler into the number two spot
for U.S. sales after only ten years. Soon after, Chrysler introduced several new brands,
Plymouth, DeSoto and Dodge. Today, Chrysler now encompasses the Dodge, Ram and
Jeep brands.
While not the case a decade ago, it is now necessary to look beyond the Big
Three American automakers to fully understand the industry as a whole. There are
several other major players in the automotive industry that deserve recognition. Those
competitors include Toyota, Nissan and Honda. Toyota is a Japanese-based automobile
manufacturer that was founded in 1937. It began operations in the United States in
1957, setting up shop in Hollywood, California. The company found success in the U.S.
market quickly with the Land Cruiser and Toyota Corona, followed up shortly
thereafter with the even more successful Toyota Corolla. Toyota went from having only
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0.06 percent of the U.S. market share in 1965 to 15.01 percent in 2010, coming in third
behind General Motors and Ford. 3
Nissan Motor Company was established in 1933 in Japan. Like Toyota, Nissan
found it crucial to export to the United States. The company made its entrance into the
U.S. automobile market with the Nissan Datsun. Nissan formerly established itself in
the U.S. in 1960 with the establishment of Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.
Honda is yet another example of a Japanese automotive manufacturer that is
now grounded in the American marketplace. Honda was founded in September of 1948.
It became the first Japanese manufacturer to release its own luxury brand, Acura. The
company experienced success in the U.S. marketplace since the vehicles it produces
range from small to mid-size and include fuel efficient options. Honda has grown from
having only 0.04 percent of the U.S. market share for total vehicle sales in 1970 to
10.45 percent in 2010.4
A much smaller section of the U.S. market share for total vehicle sales is held by
German companies such as BMW and Volkswagen. BMW was founded in 1917 with
its headquarters in Munich, Germany. Associated with BMW are Mini and Rolls Royce.
In 2010, BMW accounted for 2.26 percent of the market share for total vehicle sales in
the United States.5 Volkswagen was founded in 1937 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The
company belongs to the Volkswagen Group, which today now owns Audi and Bentley,
3 Wards Auto. U.S total vehicle sales market share by company. 2010. Internet on-line. Available from
<www.WardsAuto.com>. [December, 2011]. 4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
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among several others. In 2010, Volkswagen owned 3.04 percent of the market share for
total vehicle sales in the United States.
Government Bail Out
In 2009, the government provided over 25 billion dollars in aid to the Big Three
automobile makers. Trouble began brewing much earlier for these companies however.
Between 1973 and 1975, automobile sales dropped almost 30 percent as a result of
OPEC’s oil embargo against the United States.6 Despite the market recovering, a shift
in consumer preferences occurred. The demand for smaller, more fuel efficient cars
increased. It was the Japanese automakers, like Honda, that were producing these cars
though, not the American automakers. Between 1972 and 1980, the percent of imports
making up the U.S. market nearly doubled, increasing from 15 to 27 percent.7 During
that same time frame, the Japanese automotive companies Toyota, Nissan and Honda
went from having a combined total of 4.38 percent market share of total U.S. vehicle
sales to a combined 15.01 percent market share.
Over the next 30 years, things didn’t get much better for the American
companies and on April 30 of 2009, Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection. Through the bankruptcy filing, an alliance with Italian automaker Fiat
emerged as part of a restructuring and reorganizing plan for Chrysler. “It’s a partnership
6 Rothstein, Jeffrey. 2006. The Uncertain Future of the American Auto Industry. New Labor Forum 15,
no. 2: 65-73 7 Ibid.
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that will give Chrysler a chance not only to survive, but to thrive in a global auto
industry,” said President Obama of the alliance between Fiat and Chrysler.
Soon thereafter, on June 8 of the same year, General Motors filed for
bankruptcy. General Motors sought to “resolve issues permanently” after being more
than 100 billion dollars in debt, according to the CEO at the time, Fritz Henderson.
When asked about General Motors declaring bankruptcy, Henderson said the company
would be focusing its attention around the customer and the products and that is is “our
job to deliver the results so [the consumer’s] confidence in us is both proven and
restored. In GM’s 2009-2014 Restructuring Plan, the company outlined plans to
concentrate on fewer, better entries by focusing on only four core brands; Chevy,
Cadillac, Buick and GMC. It is important to note that Ford was the only company of the
three to not declare bankruptcy, instead requesting a line of credit from the government
as well as a loan from the Energy Department. All three companies pledged to expedite
the development of energy efficient vehicles while also consolidating its operations as a
result of the assistance they were receiving.
In February of 2009, the Presidential Task Force on the auto industry was
formed. It was an ad hoc group that consisted of United States cabinet level officials,
including the Treasury Secretary, Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of
Commerce. The purpose of the Presidential Task Force on the auto industry was to
manage the financial bailout of the two American automobile manufacturers who filed
for bankruptcy, Chrysler and General Motors. Through this task force, the U.S.
government became involved in day to day operations and decisions of GM and
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Chrysler. In just a few months, both companies emerged from bankruptcy and the
presidential task force was able to scale back their involvement.
The Big Three automotive companies will continue to be the focus of this thesis
for several reasons. American automobile manufacturing is an absolute critical sector of
the economy. These companies do not just provide automobiles, they provide jobs and
through the employment of millions of Americans, these companies are providing the
financial stability critical to not only succeed, but survive in today’s world. Because of
this, there is a strong desire to buy products that are “Made in America.” By doing so,
consumers are not just supporting an American company; they are supporting the
American dream. It is absolutely imperative for those companies, such as Ford, General
Motors and Chrysler, to recognize the new opportunities to create customer loyalty. In
order to be successful, now and for decades to come, these companies must earn the
respect of its customers with the hope that over time that respect will grow into love.
And it will be that emotional connection that will keep customers coming back for
generations to come.
To target the customer, the companies must understand the customer. The next
chapter of this thesis will serve to address some of the characteristics of car buyers and
how those characteristics have emerged as patterns and trends over time. Chapter 3 will
discuss the application of methodology used for this extended case study. Twelve
commercials were selected for analysis and a standardized rubric of evaluative criteria
points was used to evaluative each commercial independent of each other. Chapter 4
will focus on the analysis of each of the television advertisements for Ford, General
Motors and Chrysler to see if the content contained within those advertisements
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changed after the economic downturn. An individual analysis of each commercial is
provided along with an analysis of each company’s selected commercials. Comparison
of advertising strategies will then be made across the companies. The fifth and final
chapter sums up the results obtained through this extended case study. Additionally, the
chapter discusses the problems encountered over the course of this thesis and provides
suggestions for future research on the subject matter.
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CHAPTER II
BUYER DEMOGRAPHICS
This chapter will discuss a number of the demographics and buying patterns
characteristic of car buyers over time. This information is critical to understanding how
content is chosen for an advertisement and to which target audience the advertisement is
trying to appeal to.
We are what we drive. Be it subconsciously or not, we portray so much about
who we are as a person through material objects. Purchasing a car is no exception. The
car we drive conveys many messages about who we are and what we value in our life.
There are plenty of stereotypes present about what different cars say about a person.
There will always be the typical soccer mom vehicle or the car sought after by status
seekers. But there are also patterns and trends of car buyers that can provide key insight
into the industry as a whole. In 1990, there were 13,890,000 total new vehicle sales. In
2001, that number was at an all-time high of 17,250,000 total new vehicle sales. But by
2010, that number had fallen to only 11,580,000 total new vehicles.1 One way to
1 Bureau of Labor Statistics. National transportation statistics.Internet on-line. Available from
<http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2011/auto/>. [December, 2011].
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increase total new vehicle sales is to better understand the players in the marketplace.
Who is buying cars today? What do they value most in their vehicles? Is it a particular
car they are after or is brand reputation more important to them? To understand the
buyer, automobile companies must recognize and understand the patterns and trends
that characterize car buying behavior and then cater to those needs in their
advertisements.
The first demographic under consideration is gender. Gender has proven to be a
key demographic in terms of car buying trends and patterns among consumers. There
are several substantiated differences in vehicle type choice between men and women.
TrueCar.com released a study on gender demographic trends in 2010. It revealed that
women were more cost-conscious and preferred vehicles that were more fuel efficient.
Men, on the other hand, chose vehicles that were bigger in size or made for
performance. The number one brand with the highest percentage of retail sales to
women was Mini with 47.9 percent. Kia ranked second highest with 46.8 percent of its
retail sales being to women. Honda followed in a close third with 46 percent retail sales
to women. These results differed slightly from 2009 when it was found that Saturn and
Kia were tied for the top brand with the highest percentage of retail sales to women.
Males in the market for a new car exhibited different buying trends. In 2010, they
primarily purchased foreign luxury brands. 93.6 percent of retail sales for Ferrari were
by males. Lotus and Lamborghini came in second and third with 92.8 percent and 92.6
percent, respectively.2 Even when women are not purchasing a car on their own, their
2 Study reveals men go for looks; women opt for practicality. April 7, 2011 2011. Internet on-line.
Available from <http://blog.truecar.com/2011/04/07/study-reveals-men-go-for-looks-women-opt-for-practicality/>. [December, 2011].
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opinion still matters and carries a great deal of weight in the decision making process. It
has been found that women influence 80 percent of all vehicle purchases made in the
United States. The vehicle purchases made by women looked slightly different
approximately ten years earlier, according to a study by Choo and Mokhtarian. In their
study, they found that minivan drivers and mid-size car owners were more likely to be
females.3 The shift in consumer preferences for female car buyers may very well be
attributed to a desire for both style and practicality, not just one or the other.
Age is also an important demographic to consider when examining car buying
patterns and trends. One study identified the average age of owners for six different car
brands. Cadillac and Lincoln tied for the highest average age of its owners at 62 years
of age. At the opposite end of the spectrum were BMW and Audi, with the average age
of its owners at 49 years old. Lexus and Mercedes-Benz fell in between that range. The
average age of a Lexus owner was 56 years old while the average age of Mercedes-
Benz owners was 53.
TrueCar.com looked at the buying patterns for the generation of Baby Boomers,
or individuals between the age of 46 and 64. A study of more than 200,000 car buyers
in this age range was done between 2009 and 2010. It was discovered that these baby
boomers were choosing vehicles that are considered more luxurious. An automotive
analyst for TrueCar.com attributes this trend to a shift in lifestyle. “Baby boomers
buying preferences have shifted as their lifestyles have changed and can now afford the
luxury vehicles they have desired, but were unable to purchase due to priorities with
3 Choo, Sangho, Patricia Mokhtarian. 2003. What type of vehicle do people drive? The role of attitude
and lifestyle in influencing vehicle type choice. Elsevier.
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raising a family.” The top three brands for baby boomers in 2009 and 2010 were
Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Porsche.4 Different results were obtained by Choo and
Mokhtarian in 2004. They reported that there was a negative correlation between a car
owner’s age and owning a sports car. This shift in consumer preferences over time may
again be attributed to a shift in attitudes and style choices.
A different trend is occurring in the next generation, Generation X. TrueCar.com
found that people aged 28-45 were purchasing vehicles that were more spacious and
accommodating to families.5 The top five brands for Generation X buyers in 2009 and
2010 were Volkswagen, Land Rover, Audi, Mazda and Jeep.
Age is not the only characteristic that separates these groups of car buyers.
Income also plays a key role in determining what cars people purchase. The same
survey that examined the average age of an owner for six different car brands also
looked at the median income of the owner. Of the brands studied, the brand with the
lowest median income was Lincoln, with an average income of $113,782. On the other
hand, Audi attracted customers with a much higher median income, $183,601. Owners
of a Mercedes-Benz had the second highest median income, earning $174,558. BMW
owners ranked fourth with a median income of $169,828 while Lexus owners earned a
median income of $141,745.
Income and education are no doubt related to one another. Like income,
education seems to play a role in vehicle type choice. The same study that examined
4 Hamulic, Grace. Audi, Cadillac, Lexus buyer demographics exhibit most changes. May 2010Internet on-
line. Available from <http://www.motorwayamerica.com/editorial/audi-cadillac-lexus-buyer-demographics-exhibit-most-changes>. [December 6 2011].
5 Ibid.
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average age and median income of six specific car brands also looked at the education
level obtained by the car owners, specifically the percentage of owners who possessed a
four year college degree. In first place was Audi, with 31.66 percent of its car owners
holding a four year college degree. BMW followed closely behind with 29.07 percent.
Cadillac and Lincoln had the lowest percentage of car owners with a four year college
degree, with 21.9 percent and 25.47 percent respectively. It was Cadillac and Lincoln
who also had the highest average age of owners.
It is critical that internet research and social media presence is considered as a
buyer demographic. This statistic is becoming more important than ever before for
automobile manufacturers since today, 92 percent of consumers who purchase a new
vehicle have access to the internet. Of those, 77 percent use the internet to assist them in
their vehicle-shopping process. This means that consumers are more likely to have an
idea of exactly what they want before they even step into a dealership. For dealers, this
means the selling process has to begin much earlier as well, starting with the
advertisements consumers are seeing on a daily basis.
Another important factor for automobile manufactures to take into consideration
when determining their target audience is the turnover rate. The turnover rate is how
long car owners are keeping their vehicles. A study done by Auto Pacific in 2009 found
an increase in the percentage of Americans who intended to keep their cars for more
than four years. In 2005, 46 percent of Americans intended to do so. By 2009, that
number has risen to 59 percent.6 The survey also found that the number of people who
6 Migliore, Greg. Americans plan to keep their cars longer. July 14 2009. Internet on-line. Available from
<http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090714/carnews/907149994>. [December, 2011].
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replace their cars every two years is on the decline. It is more important than ever
before for car manufactures to meet the needs of their customers in terms of quality,
durability and reliability in order to develop brand loyalty. According to U.S. News,
brand loyalty isn’t what it used to be. In the 1980’s, four out of five Americans were
repeat buyers, meaning multiple car purchases were made from the same company over
time. If you were a Ford person, you would never buy a Chevy. If you were a General
Motors enthusiast, you would never even consider owning a Ford. However, by 2009,
only about 20 percent of car buyers stayed with the same brand as their previous car
when purchasing their next vehicle.7 This trend raises an important question that is
fundamental to the purpose of this thesis. With decreasing brand loyalty, should these
car companies aim to sell individual vehicles that cater to a specific audience or should
they use advertisements as a means for brand messaging. How does the state of the
economy affect this decision? These questions will be addressed in Chapter 4 when the
content of commercial advertisements is analyzed for the three American automotive
companies.
Understanding the buyers in any marketplace is both critical and essential to
being successful. Understanding the buyers in the automotive industry is perhaps even
more critical. Purchasing a vehicle is a major decision for consumers and is one that is
not typically made on a regular basis. Therefore, automobile manufacturers must
7 Car buyers no longer feel brand loyalty. October 22, 2009Internet on-line. Available from
<http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/091022-Study-Car-Buyers-No-
Longer-Feel-Brand-Loyalty/>.
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understand their consumers to the best of their ability in order to capture their target
audiences and position themselves accurately within the marketplace.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
For the purpose of this case study, an explanation of the methodological
approach to collecting data is essential. This chapter provides readers with an
introduction to the proposed method of data collection and subsequent analysis for this
thesis. The study in which the analysis is modeled after is introduced and serves as a
foundation for a comprehensive understanding of the data analysis in the next chapter.
In order to accurately evaluate each commercial and limit the amount of bias
introduced, a standardized grading rubric was critical to the success and validity of this
study. Alan Resnik and Bruce Stern used such a rubric in their study, An Analysis of
Information Content in Television Advertising.1 In order to test the information content
found in commercials and classify it as useful or not, Resnik and Stern chose fourteen
evaluative criteria points that most accurately reflected product characteristics and serve
as information cues used in the decision making process. Those evaluative criteria
points can be found in Table 3.1 below.
1 Resnik, Alan, Bruce Stern. 1977. An Analysis of Information Content in Televison Advertising.
American Marketing Association 41, no. 1: 50-53.
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TABLE 3.1
EVALUATIVE CRITERIA RUBRIC FOR COMMERCIAL CONTENT ANALYSIS
1. Price or Value 8. Packaging or
Shape
2. Quality 9. Guarantees or
Warrantees
3. Performance 10. Safety
4. Components or
Contents
11. Nutrition
5. Availability 12. Independent
Research
6. Special Offers 13. Company-
Sponsored Research
7. Taste 14. New Ideas
For the purpose of this study, several of the evaluative criteria points were
eliminated if deemed irrelevant to the commercials being analyzed. The eliminated
evaluative criteria points were taste and nutrition. A modified table containing the final
evaluative criteria used on every commercial analyzed for this thesis can be found in
Table 3.2.
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TABLE 3.2
MODIFIED EVALUATIVE CRITERIA RUBRIC FOR COMMERCIAL CONTENT
ANALYSIS
1. Price or Quality 7. Packaging or
Shape
2. Quality 8. Guarantees or
Warrantees
3. Performance 9. Safety
4. Components or
Contents
10. Independent
Research
5. Availability 11. Company-
Sponsored Research
6. Special Offers 12. New Ideas
In the study done by Resnik and Stern, a commercial only needed to
communicate one of the fourteen evaluative criteria points to be considered informative.
For the purpose of this study, each commercial was evaluated to determine how many,
and specifically which ones, of the evaluative criteria points it contained. The
information presented in each commercial advertisement was evaluated at face value
and no further evaluation was done to determine the truthfulness, credibility, or
soundness of the information presented.
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12 total car commercials were chosen for evaluation, four commercials per
company. All of the commercials used in the study were collected from a single source,
YouTube. YouTube was chosen as the data collection source for several reasons. The
commercials were most easily accessible on this internet video database and it allowed
for multiple viewings of each of the commercials. Multiple viewings were absolutely
essential to be certain that no information was missed. Each commercial was viewed a
minimum of ten times, each time either listening, watching or both. Notes were taken
for each and every commercial to record which of the evaluative criteria points were
met. Commercials were found on YouTube using several different search queries,
including the name of the particular company and the desired release year, popular
(name of company) commercials, and (name of company) Super Bowl commercials for
the desired year. There were two desired time frames for the release of the commercials,
2007 to 2008 and 2011 or later. The significance of these two time frames is critical for
the understanding of the question posed by this thesis, to see whether or not marketing
strategies have changed in the automotive industry since the most recent economic
recession. The first time frame, 2007 to 2008, was chosen because it indicates that the
commercials selected during this period would have been created prior to the start of the
economic recession. The second time frame, 2011 or later, was chosen under the
reasonable assumption that commercials produced during this period would have most
likely been created during a period of economic recovery. For each of the three
companies, two of the four commercials needed to fall into the first time range and the
other two commercials needed to fall into the second time range. It was necessary to
have two commercials per time frame to allow for comparison of information content
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within and between companies. A complete listing of the commercials chosen for
analysis can be found in Table 3.3. The table includes the automotive company being
represented in the commercial, the name of the commercial and the year in which the
commercial was released.
FIGURE 3.3
SUMMARY OF COMMERCIALS UNDER ANALYSIS
Company Name of Commercial Year Released
Ford Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 2007
Ford Ford Focus- Michael Bolton 2008
Ford Swap Your Ride Ford Fusion 2010
Ford Ford Auto-Bailout 2010
General Motors Ain’t We Got Love 2007
General Motors I Was Made For You 2008
General Motors Then and Now- 100 Yeas of Chevrolet 2011
General Motors End of the World 2012
Chrysler Assembly Road 2008
Chrysler 2008 Chrysler Aspen 2008
Chrysler Imported From Detroit- Eminem 2012
Chrysler Imported From Detroit- Ndamukong Suh 2012
The following chapter serves to explore the comparisons across time frames and
between companies. A complete analysis of the content found within the advertisements
is provided and will be used to formulate conclusions in the final chapter.
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CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The first part of this chapter provides readers with a brief overview of the 12
commercials that were utilized for this case study. Furthermore, it explains which of the
evaluative criteria points were met by each of the commercials. It is broken into three
sections, one for each motor company, and commercials will be discussed in
chronological order. A link for each commercial can be found after each description if
the reader wishes to view the commercial themselves. The second half of this chapter
discusses the results obtained from the analysis of the commercials and the significance
of the findings. This chapter concludes with the analysis and qualitative comparison of
an additional automotive commercial produced by Chrysler that was not included as one
of the 12 commercials selected for evaluation.
Ford Motor Company
Since 2006, Team Detroit has served as the ad agency for Ford Motor Company.
Team Detroit came to existence after five separate ad agencies merged together, all of
which had previously worked for Ford Motor Company. In 2010, Team Detroit was
named to Advertising Age’s Agency A-List. When questioned about why the agency is
so successful, president and CEO George Rogers said, “For many prospects, Ford…has
proven only to be a strength… Its profound desire for Team Detroit to experiment and
constantly innovate makes Ford a brilliant anchor client.” Team Detroit has been
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striving to differentiate itself and move away from the typical car advertising format.1
This becomes apparent as the Ford commercials are analyzed.
The first of the Ford Motor Company commercials I used in my analysis was
from 2007. This commercial opens with a large box being unloaded off of a ship. The
workers are not speaking English as they communicate back and forth to each other,
creating the impression that the location of the commercial is outside of the United
States. The box is lifted open to reveal a Ford Mustang. It is at this point in the
commercial that one of the workers asks the man waiting on this delivery, “So you
couldn’t find a car you like here in Germany?” The commercial then cuts to scenes of
the mustang driving at high speeds, maneuvering around other cars on a highway. The
man replies, “No, I couldn’t find a speed limit I liked in America. “
Of the twelve evaluative criteria points used to assess each of the
advertisements, this commercial met one of them, performance. The commercial serves
to showcase the performance capabilities of the 2007 Ford Mustang GT. To further
emphasis this characteristic, the commercial closes with the tagline, “Bold is 500hp…
Shelby GT 500, Bold Moves.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7QA8M1O2I2
1 Automotive News. Ford's ad agency Team Detroit makes elite list. January 2011Internet on-line.
Available from
<http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110125/RETAIL03/110129919>.
2 This is not a hot link to the commercial. The URL may be copied and pasted into your web browser to
allow for personal viewing.
24
The second Ford commercial chosen for analysis was from 2008. This
commercial features the Ford Focus. In this commercial, two young males are driving
the Focus. One of the males uses the voice activated Sync system to request a song to be
played. The other passenger is impressed with this feature and also requests a song to be
played. Ford uses humor in this commercial through the choice of artists that the young
men request, ranging from Michael Bolton to Korn.
This commercial met two of the twelve evaluative criteria points, performance
and components or contents. By having the men in the car use the voice activated Sync
system, Ford is showcasing one of the components available in the Focus, which falls
under the fourth criteria point. The commercial also advertises the “35 miles per gallon”
that the new Ford Focus gets. This falls under the third evaluative criteria point of
performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ful1YfqUlU8
In 2010, Ford ran their “Swap Your Ride Sales Event.” To help promote this
event, Ford created Swap Your Ride Commercials. In these commercials, they used real
people, as opposed to actors, who were not currently Ford owners. In the particular
commercial I chose to analyze, Ford used a current Toyota Camry owner and swapped
her ride with a Ford Fusion for one week. The commercial proceeds to show the driver,
Christine, on a test drive with her new Ford. It is during this test drive that the woman
describes all of the features she likes in the Fusion that she does not currently have in
her Camry.
25
This commercial met two of the twelve evaluative criteria points. While
Christine is on her test drive, she mentions the navigation system and blue tooth
capability of the Ford Fusion. This meets the fourth criteria point, components or
contents. Near the end of the commercial, Mike Rowe, the celebrity endorser for Ford,
informs Christine that the Fusion was named the “2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year.”
This falls under the tenth evaluative criteria point, independent research.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=UknlWe_kGyU&NR=1
In one of Ford’s latest marketing ploys, it’s surprising “Real Ford Owners” by
having them attend a special press conference where they answer questions about their
Ford vehicles. These press conferences are then made into commercials. There is one
particular commercial that has sparked much controversy and was later pulled from the
air. In this commercial, a man pulls up in a Ford F 150 truck. He is led into a conference
room for a press conference and we as viewers are told that he is “really surprised.” The
first reporter to speak asks the man, “Was buying American important to you?” The
man responds that he “wasn’t going to buy a car that was bailed out by our
government.” He goes on to share his belief that once you fail, you need to take
responsibility for your actions and take the necessary measures to get back on your own
two feet.
This commercial does not meet any of the evaluative criteria points. It is the first
and only of the four Ford commercials to not contain any information that falls under an
evaluative criteria point. While a Ford F 150 truck appears in the commercial, it is never
26
specifically mentioned or singled out. This commercial is more about Ford, as a brand
and as a company, than it is about any one single Ford vehicle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=uGN0Y-ppIgI&NR=1
General Motors
General Motors utilizes numerous advertising agencies globally to control its
marketing, including Carat. At one point in time, the Chevrolet brand alone had 70 ad
agencies contributing work. In a recent move by General Motors, Chevrolet is now
using only one ad agency to manage all its advertisements worldwide, the Detroit based
ad agency Commonwealth. This consolidation will save General Motors an estimated
two billion dollars while also creating a tighter brand focus. The Global Chief
Marketing Officer for General Motors, Joel Ewanick, said that the move to a single ad
agency for Chevy will “…allow us to collectively look at what’s the best way to go to
market for any given launch and for the brand in general, around the world under a real
common and consistent theme.”
During Super Bowl 41 in 2007, Chevy released a commercial called “Ain’t We
Got Love.” This commercial features several celebrity endorsements, including Mary J
Blige, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Big ‘N’ Rich. Each celebrity is featured with a different
Chevrolet vehicle singing a spoof of a popular song, including songs by the celebrities
themselves, tailored towards the particular Chevy car or truck being showcased. The
tagline for this commercial is “People who love cars, love Chevy. Join the revolution.”
27
This commercial does not meet any of the twelve evaluative criteria points.
While several models of Chevrolet vehicles are mentioned and shown throughout the
commercial, no specific features or qualities of the brand or vehicles are discussed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoApXpIymdE
During the 2008 Olympic Games, General Motors released a commercial set to
the theme of Brandi Carlile’s song, “I Was Made for You.” In this commercial, every
brand under General Motors is shown, from Chevy and Pontiac to Cadillac and Buick.
The commercial also features some of the characteristics and traits of the cars shown in
the commercial. There are never any voice-overs during the commercial, only the theme
song playing in the background and the attributes of each vehicle appearing on the
screen.
Of the twelve evaluative criteria points, this particular commercial meets four of
them, the most of any of the commercials. This commercial shows crash tests being
performed on the vehicles, which falls under the ninth criteria point for safety. It also
mentions the “100,000 mile powertrain warranty” which is a characteristic of the eight
criteria point, guarantees or warrantees. The commercial showcases General Motors’
hybrid, clean diesel, biofuel and fuel cell concepts. This falls under the twelfth
evaluative criteria point, new ideas. Finally, the commercial shows the ON-Star
technology found in their vehicles which is a characteristic of the fourth criteria point,
components or contents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPT0UQ-4gog
28
In 2011, Chevy celebrated its 100th
birthday. In honor of that milestone, it
released a commemorative commercial entitled “Then and Now.” The commercial is a
look at Chevy over the past 100 years; a look at the cars, a look at the people behind
those cars, and a look at all the places Chevy has been. In every scene of the
commercial, there is a photograph of a Chevy in a particular place many years before
and a current shot of a new Chevy vehicle in the very same place. The tagline for this
commercial is, “For the first 100 years and for generations to come, thanks for making
us a part of your life.”
Of the twelve evaluative criteria points, this commercial does not meet any of
them. There is no mention of the actual quality or performance of a Chevy vehicle, or
the guarantees or warrantees associated with the brand despite the timeless and
everlasting theme of the commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD8zAJIyWRA
In 2012, during Super Bowl 46, Chevy released one of its latest commercials.
The commercial illustrates the 2012 Mayan Apocalypse, or the end of the world. In the
commercial, all you initially see is destruction and devastation. There is no sign of life
anywhere until a Chevy truck emerges from the ruble with a man and his dog inside,
Barry Manilow singing “Looks Like We Made It” in the background. The man drives
through the town, or what is left of it, until he pulls up to meet other Chevy drivers who
also survived the apocalypse. Chevy then proceeds to take aim at Ford when the men
explain why Dave didn’t make it out alive. “Dave didn’t drive the longest lasting, most
dependable truck on the road… Dave drove a Ford.”
29
Of the twelve evaluative criteria points, this commercial met one of them.
Through its jab at Ford, Chevy conveyed perceived characteristics representative of the
quality of its brand, longest lasting and most dependable. This falls under the second
criteria point. The tag line at the end of the commercial reemphasizes the quality of the
brand. “…From the beginning of your workday to the end of the world, Chevy runs
deep.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vAeeUhloQA
Chrysler
Chrysler has used numerous advertising agencies over the years. Their most
recent partnership is with Widen + Kennedy, an independently owned American
advertising agency founded in 1982. Widen + Kennedy is responsible for Chrysler’s
most recent campaign, “Imported from Detroit.”
In 2008, Chrysler released a commercial titled “Assembly Road.” The
commercial opens with the frame of a vehicle being assembled in what appears to be a
factory setting. The frame begins to roll forward and emerges out of the garage of a
home and rolls down the street of the neighborhood. Throughout the commercial, the
frame of this vehicle continues along its journey. Along the way, different people add
various parts to the frame and are essentially building this car together. A business man
adds the seats to the car, young adults at the beach add the console and touchscreen
display, a police officer adds the odometer and a group of young children add the built-
in DVD players. Near the end of the commercial, the announcer comes on and says, “At
30
the new Chrysler, your ideas are driving everything we do. We’re listening and we’re
responding… We are building the kinds of cars you dream of.” The final shot in the
commercial shows four of the models that Chrysler manufacturers, with the tagline “If
you can dream it, we can build it.”
Of the twelve evaluative criteria points, this commercial meets two of them.
Early on in the commercial, when the engine is being added to the frame, special
attention is paid to the fact that the engine says Hemi on it. This feature falls under the
performance criteria point. Also featured in the commercial are the touchscreen display
unit and navigation system, as well as the built-in DVD players available through
Chrysler. This falls under the fourth criteria point for contents and components. This
criteria point is further emphasized when the announcer mentions that over 400
improvements have been so far, and even more are on the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su0-McI0ZEs
Also in 2008, Chrysler released a commercial for the 2008 Aspen. This
commercial features a collection of shots of the Aspen on the road as well as shots of
the interior of the vehicle. No people are ever shown in the commercial and there are no
clues as to the location for the commercial. The primary, and only, focus of the ad is the
vehicle itself. The tagline for this advertisement is, “Chrysler, engineered beautifully.”
This commercial met three of the twelve evaluative criteria points. The first
criteria point it met was components and contents. The commercial advertised the 20
GB MYGIG with GPS system which “indulges the driver” and the heated second row
seats, which “indulge your passengers.” The commercial also showcases the Aspen’s
31
Best In-Class cargo room, as determined by Automotive News. This qualifies for the
tenth evaluative criteria point, independent research. Finally, this commercial meets the
standards for the eight criteria point, guarantees or warrantees, when the lifetime
powertrain warranty is discussed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eba28FZkTNk
During the 2012 Super Bowl, Chrysler released a series of bold commercials for
their “Imported from Detroit” campaign. These commercials feature celebrity
endorsements, including actor Clint Eastwood and rapper Eminem. This particular
commercial features Eminem and the Chrysler 200. The commercial opens with shots
of Detroit, from a highway sign that reads “Detroit” to a production plant. The first
glimpse of a Chrysler vehicle does not come until 43 seconds into the advertisement and
even then, it is a brief shot of just the front grill, the name plate Chrysler clearly visible.
The commercial continues with shots of Detroit; from the people that make up the city
to the famous landmarks that distinguish it from the rest. The announcer opens with a
rhetorical question. “What does this city know about luxury? What does a town that’s
been to hell and back know about the finer things in life?” He goes on to answer that,
“When it comes to luxury, it’s as much about where it’s from as who it’s for.” The
announcer acknowledges that much has been written about Detroit, and even Chrysler
lately but those very people writing the stories and articles we read in newspapers “have
never even been [to Detroit] and don’t know what we are capable of.” Near the end of
the commercial, Eminem takes on a more active role. Until this point, he has been
driving the Chrysler vehicle that is traveling through the streets of Detroit but we have
only seen brief glimpses of him. He finally stops in front of Fox Theater, the words
32
“Keep Detroit Beautiful” posted on the marquee out front. He goes inside and joins a
gospel choir already singing on stage. Eminem turns to face the camera and says, “This
is motor city, and this is what we do.” The commercial closes with scenes of the
Chrysler 200 on the road and the tagline, “The Chrysler 200 has arrived… Imported
from Detroit.”
This commercial does not meet any of the twelve evaluative criteria points.
While it does feature a particular Chrysler vehicle, there is no mention of any of the
particular characteristics of the car. There is greater emphasis placed on where the car,
and the brand, is from.
http://www.youtube.com/chrysler#p/c/EDEBA1B8CCEC61EE/6/SKL254Y_jtc
Another commercial in the “Imported From Detroit Campaign” features the
NFL defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. This commercial, appropriately titled
“Homecomings” takes place in Portland, Oregon, Suh’s hometown. It features glimpses
of the town, including local businesses, a church, and the high school that Suh
graduated from, complete with football practice underway out front. The commercial
also includes pictures from Suh’s childhood and college football memorabilia. The
theme of the commercial is humble beginnings. The announcer speaks of the
characteristics of hard work, appreciation and character building that are derived from
humble beginnings. He also claims that humble beginnings are the “purest, and maybe
only way, to gauge success.” The commercial culminates into Suh arriving at his home
and being greeted with a loving embrace from his mother. The announcer states, “Show
where you are going without forgetting where you came from.”
33
This Chrysler commercial also does not meet any of the twelve evaluative
criteria points. The Chrysler 300 is shown multiple times throughout the advertisement
but there is never any mention of its performance capabilities or the available
components and contents. We get both an exterior and interior view of the vehicle but
never anything more. At the very end of the commercial, the phrase, “The Chrysler 300
is back…Imported from Detroit” appears on the screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O6q3_GA47w&list=PLEDEBA1B8CCEC61EE&i
ndex=15&feature=plpp_video
A complete summary of the results can be found in Table 4.1. For each
evaluative criteria point (EC) met in a given commercial, a check mark is found. The
number listed for each commercial corresponds to the order in which the commercials
were presented earlier in the chapter. Ford #1 is the Ford Shelby Cobra GT500
commercial. Ford #2 is the Ford Focus-Michael Bolton commercial. Ford #3 is the
Swap Your Ride-Ford Fusion commercial. Ford #4 is the Ford Auto-Bailout
commercial. GM #1 corresponds to the Ain’t We Got Love commercial. GM #2 is the I
Was Made For You commercial. GM #3 is the Then and Now commercial. GM #4 is
the End of the World commercial. Chrysler #1 is the assembly road commercial.
Chrysler #2 is for the 2008 Chrysler Aspen. Chrysler #3 is the Eminem commercial.
Chrysler #4 is the Ndamukong Suh commercial.
34
TABLE 4.1
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Commercial EC
1
EC
2
EC
3
EC
4
EC
5
EC
6
EC
7
EC
8
EC
9
EC
10
EC
11
EC
12
Ford #1
X
Ford #2
X X
Ford #3
X X
Ford #4
GM #1
GM #2
X X X X
GM #3
GM #4
X
Chrysler #1
X X
Chrysler #2
X X X
Chrysler #3
Chrysler #4
Total
0 1 3 5 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 1
35
Ford Analysis
Of the four Ford commercials selected, three of them contained at least one
evaluative criteria point; both of the commercials chosen for the 2007-2008 time frame
met at least one criteria point and one of the commercials during the 2011 or later time
frame met a criteria point. During the first time frame, both commercials paid special
attention to the performance capabilities of the vehicles. Neither of these commercials
made use of celebrity endorsements however. A common theme that emerged from both
of the early commercials for Ford was a focus on a specific car, like the Ford Mustang
GT, as opposed to a focus on the brand as a whole.
A shift away from this narrow focus is evident in the second set of Ford
commercials during the later time frame. These commercials are more representative of
the Ford brand and what it represents and stands for, such as the anti-bailout stance.
Ford felt it important and worthwhile to reemphasize to the American people that unlike
the other two major American car companies, it did not take the government bailout.
This is the first time in this set of selected commercials that we see Ford taking aim at
other brands. Both of these later commercials are a part of a larger marketing campaign
that showcases the brand and all that it offers and not just a specific vehicle. It is during
one of these campaigns that Ford also chooses to use a celebrity endorsement from
Mike Rowe.
36
General Motors Analysis
Of the four General Motors commercials, two of them contained at least one
evaluative criteria point, one during the early time frame and one during the later time
frame. However, three of the four commercials contained multiple cars and/or GM
brands. It can be inferred that General Motors wished to place a greater emphasis on the
breadth of their selection rather than the offerings of any one vehicle. The one
commercial during the early time frame that did in fact contain content relevant to the
evaluative criteria points was one of the commercials that featured all of the GM
brands.
A theme derived from the commercials taken from the 2011 or later time period
was that of durability and long lasting. Whether it was celebrating 100 years of business
or surviving an apocalypse, General Motors was trying to convey a message of
timelessness; General Motors is not going anywhere anytime soon. Only one of these
two commercials contained content pertaining to the evaluative criteria points though.
Chrysler Analysis
During the earlier years of Chrysler’s marketing campaigns, the 2007-2008 time
frame, it seems much attention was paid to the informational content and value of its
advertisements. Of the two commercials analyzed during the first time frame, both of
them contained at least one evaluative criteria point. One of the commercials contained
37
three points, the second highest amount of all the commercials, making sure to discuss
guarantees and warrantees as well as independent research in favor of the brand.
A noticeable shift occurs in Chrysler’s ad campaigns and marketing strategies
during the 2011 or later time frame. Neither of the two commercials analyzed for this
time frame contained a single evaluative criteria point. Furthermore, the commercials
make the Chrysler vehicle only a subtle piece of the advertising campaign. Instead, a
much greater focus and emphasis was placed on a particular value or moral lesson, such
as hard work, appreciation, and humble beginnings. These commercials serve to
demonstrate what Chrysler stands for and believes in, getting back to the very
foundation that the company was built on. Chrysler is not selling any particular car in
these commercials, they are selling their brand. If they are able to convince their
audience to believe in the name and trust in all that it stands for, then they will have
succeeded in selling vehicles.
Also appearing in the 2011 or later time frame of Chrysler’s ad campaigns are
celebrity endorsements. These are kept out of the advertisements during the first time
frame. A different celebrity is featured in each of the commercials and is made one of
the primary focuses of the advertisement. Chrysler chose several very different, but very
recognizable, celebrities. One ad features Eminem, a Caucasian American rapper, who
is probably most recognizable to a younger audience. The second ad chosen for this
analysis features Ndamukong Suh, an African American professional football player,
with perhaps a slightly different following than Eminem. In a third commercial
generated by Chrysler, to be discussed in the following section, Clint Eastwood is used.
Eastwood, a very successful actor, reaches a vast audience, especially targeting an older
38
generation who grew up watching the very movies he starred in. I argue that these
endorsements serve to strengthen the connection between brand and consumer,
providing a means of identification for the viewer.
Conclusion
Of the twelve total commercials analyzed for this study, seven of them
contained at least one of the evaluative criteria points. Ford, General Motors, nor
Chrysler had all four of its commercials contain a criteria point. However it was
discovered that information content and viewer popularity do not always go hand in
hand. The two most popular commercials, as determined by the number of views on
YouTube, were also two of the commercials that did not meet any of the evaluative
criteria points. Those commercials were from Chrysler and were a part of the Imported
From Detroit campaign featuring Clint Eastwood and Eminem. The goal of any good
marketing campaign, and thus any form of advertisement, is to reach a large number of
people and make a positive, lasting impact on those people.
The results of this case study found that in most, if not all, of the commercials
produced during the 2011 or later time frame, a greater emphasis is placed on the brand
as a whole and communicating the values and ideas of the company and not of one
particular vehicle. For the commercials produced during the earlier time frame that did
in fact showcase multiple brands along with ideas behind the company; that message
was made even clearer later on.
39
There is one particular automobile advertisement that is so much of an outlier
that it was not included in the group of twelve commercials analyzed using the
evaluative criteria points. Yet this advertisement delivers such a profound message that
it demands special attention. The commercial is part of the Imported from Detroit
campaign by Chrysler and was first aired during the 2012 Super Bowl. The commercial
uses a celebrity endorsement, Clint Eastwood, who both appears in and narrates the
advertisement, appropriately titled “Halftime in America.”
The commercial opens with Eastwood, who is only recognizable by voice at this
point, in a dark tunnel. He announces that it is currently halftime of the football game
and that both teams are now spending time strategizing and planning out their next
moves. Football only serves as a gateway into the deeper meaning of the commercial
though. Eastwood then goes on to announce that “It’s halftime in America to” and
addresses the all too familiar reality of unemployment and hardships so many
Americans are enduring. The emotional ties to this commercial are further strengthened
when images of a family, a father dropping his son off at school, a young married
couple, and people at work are shown. This commercial is meant to capture a broad
audience. Whether you are a football fan or a hard working American chasing the
dream, you can in some way relate to this commercial.
The commercial portrays such a profound message of unity, connecting the
ideas behind being a team and working together to the nation as a whole coming
together to prove its resiliency. The word “we” is used a total of 14 times, supported by
such phrases as “together” and “acted as one.” Eastwood even makes his own personal
40
connection to the purpose of the ad, claiming “I’ve seen a lot of tough eras, a lot of
down turns in my life…”
The purposeful lack of attention paid to the Chrysler brand and any of their
automobiles is evident through the very subtle use of reference cues. Detroit is only
mentioned twice, motor city once and reference to an automobile, “the roar of our
engines,” is only used once. This commercial is not trying to sell any one particular
consumer a Chrysler vehicle. Its purpose is to make an entire nation believe in a
message of hope, a message of promise and a message of a brighter tomorrow. And
when you buy into this message, you are buying into a brand that embodies all those
beliefs. Generating almost eleven million views on YouTube alone, this commercial has
clearly made an impact.
41
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
This chapter serves to conclude the study of evaluative criteria points found
within commercials produced for America’s Big Three automotive makers, Ford,
General Motors and Chrysler. It will serve to solidify the connection between evaluative
criteria found in a specific commercial and the marketing and positioning of the
company as a whole. Additionally, this chapter addresses the limitations encountered
while completing this thesis and discusses possible suggestions for further research on
this subject matter.
In the analysis done by Resnik and Stern, less than half of the 378
advertisements analyzed contained at least one evaluative criteria point necessary to be
deemed as informational. Of the 378 commercials, 29 of them fell under the
classification of “Hobby, Toy and Transportation Advertisements.” Of these 29
advertisements however, 69 percent were classified as informative advertisements. A
table showing the breakdown of the commercials Resnik and Stern evaluated along with
the percentage of informative advertisements for each classification can be found in
Table 5.1.
42
TABLE 5.1
PROPORTION OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS EVALUATED AS
INFORMATIVE
Sample/Condition Number
Evaluated
Informative
Advertisements (%)
Total Sample of Advertisements 378 49.2
Total Weekday Advertisements 189 50.3
Weekday Morning Advertisements 63 57.1
Weekday Afternoon Advertisements 63 33.3
Weekday Evening Advertisements 63 60.3
Total Weekend Advertisements 189 48
Weekend Morning Advertisements 63 34.9
Weekend Afternoon Advertisements 63 49.2
Weekend Evening Advertisements 63 60.3
Total Morning Advertisements 126 46
Total Afternoon Advertisements 126 41.3
Total Evening Advertisements 126 60.3
Food Advertisements 144 45.8
Institutional Advertisements 24 75
Personal Care Product
Advertisements
93 39.8
Laundry and Household
Advertisements
52 46.2
Hobby, Toy and Transportation
Advertisements
29 69
“Other” Product Advertisement 36 58.3
43
The main conclusion drawn from the study done by Resnik and Stern was that
less than half of the advertisements chosen for their sample met the criteria for
containing useful information. An implication the authors arrived at as a result of this
conclusion is that non-informative advertising may in fact be “an implicit admission
that the product so described fails to fulfill any unique or relevant needs of the
customer…”1 Resnik and Stern acknowledged the need for consumers to be informed
about product features and competitive advantages within the marketplace in order for
them to make the most intelligent decision.
The primary focus of this thesis was to address whether or not informational
content found within a commercial changed after an economic recession. The American
automotive industry, particularly Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, was selected for
examination because it was not immune to the economic downturn and hardships faced
in the United States in recent years, with two of those three companies filing for
bankruptcy and all three forced to face some sort of restructuring and reorganization
within the company. This pivotal point in each of the companies’ histories provided a
good index point for comparison of brand messaging.
The most important finding of this particular study pertains to the presence of
evaluative criteria within the automotive commercials analyzed. Of the twelve
commercials analyzed, seven of them contained at least one evaluative criteria point
while five commercials did not contain a single evaluative criteria point. Of those seven
1 Resnik, Alan, Bruce Stern. 1977. An Analysis of Information Content in Televison Advertising.
American Marketing Association 41, no. 1: 50-53
44
commercials containing at least one evaluative criteria point, five of them were
produced and released during the first time frame, before the 2009 economic recession.
After the 2009 economic recession, only two of the six commercials contained at least
one evaluative criteria point. This showcases a noticeable shift in advertising strategies
for these automotive companies. These results call into question the very thoughts and
beliefs behind traditional advertising strategies. What Resnik and Stern interpreted as an
admission to failure to fulfill the needs and desires of customers may in fact be a
marketing strategy. Perhaps the goal is no longer to sell a specific product, but to sell
the brand behind the product. It is now more important to get viewers to believe in a
brand message than any one product, especially when that message includes domestic
production such as automobiles. This study supports that theory very well.
Future Research
While this study successfully identified evaluative criteria points found within
the selected commercials, there are still many ways to expand on the research. One way
to improve this study would be to include a greater number of commercials for analysis.
While the total number of commercials selected for this study was sufficient for
comparative analysis given the time constraint faced, a larger sample size would have
improved the validity of the results and allowed for a better analysis of trends in
marketing behavior over time for each company. This might also require a larger time
frame to include commercials released prior to the 2007-08 requirement. Additionally,
this study could be expanded in the future to include commercials farther past the 2011
and 2012 time period. Examining commercials produced farther along into a period of
45
economic recovery would provide valuable information as to whether or not the results
obtained in this study are sustained in the long run.
The scope of study for this thesis was rather narrow, focusing on only three
automobile manufacturers out of the entire industry. This made the study rather unique
though and provided some new insight into the current literature. For future research,
the study could be expanded to include a more diverse group of automobile
manufacturers including, but not limited to, foreign companies. This would allow for a
comparison of marketing strategies by automobile companies with potentially less in
common than the three companies selected for this study and an examination of patterns
and trends on a global basis.
Final Discussion
Every commercial or advertisement does in fact transmit some information,
whether through visual or audio stimuli, that provides viewers with some sort of
meaningful cues. “Advertising in the consumer interest should begin with the
communication of features and competitive advantages which the consumer can use to
make an intelligent decision in the marketplace.”2
It has recently been predicted that both national and local advertisement
spending by the United States automobile industry will increase by almost 14% in 2012
2 Resnik, Alan, Bruce Stern. 1977. An Analysis of Information Content in Televison Advertising.
American Marketing Association 41, no. 1: 50-53
46
alone.3 That equates to nearly 41 billion dollars being used for brand messaging and
marketing strategies. If those advertisements are mindful to what it is consumers really
want, and are well executed, the cost of marketing could translate into large profit gains
for the industry and the country.
3 Williams, Stephen. Report predicts auto-ad spending will grow 14% this year. April 30,2012Internet on-
line. Available from <http://adage.com/article/news/auto-ad-spending-grow-14-2012-forecast/234467/>.
47
Works Consulted
Automotive News. Ford's ad agency Team Detroit makes elite list. January 2011Internet
on-line. Available from
<http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110125/RETAIL03/1
10129919>.
Big three auto. July 31, 2009Internet on-line. Available from
<http://bigthreeauto.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002324>.
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