Well Ford's numbers are in and they look pretty dismal. Gm isn't doing all that great and Chrysler is sulking along.
Maybe what they need is a little humor in their advertising. Sleek and shiney and horsepower (not counting Bud's, of course) isn't what scored points in the Superbowl ads, certainly. I'm not the only one to say it was humor. Make 'em laugh, Detroit, and they'll remember you and think better of you for it. At least Chevy knew that when it ran its Superbowl ad.
You can put horsepower in any engine. With enough polish, any car can look shiney. Sleek is just a matter of design. New cars that look like every other new car just plain don't sell. If the cars aren't different, then make the customer feel different about the product. Differentiating the product can also mean adding an emotional element to the process and no money-related emotion is stronger than laughter and humor.
Toyota learned that lesson well and has applied it all across the world in their ads, like Bugger on YouTube. A little humor, added to a lot of quality, and people buy. It really can be just that simple.
Humor even works for power tools, too, as Milwaukee Tolls has learned recently with a great Nascar-like ad, just one of a series. You can find more adds on the Milwaukee Tools website, and the newest and best one is right here.
Coincidentally, I own two power drills and one is a Milwaukee. Their ads are right ... it's not a lemon.
If your car is a lemon, contact us. Getting rid of lemons is what we do. Every day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.