Funny you bring up that "Have you driven a Ford lately" slogan because that was exactly the 1st thing I thought of when I read Jason's opening post.


IMO "Rethink American" is a good slogan (the commercial's on Saturn's website if you haven't seen it). But Saturn is pulling in mostly buyers who'd never consider an American car anyway. People who'd be more than tempted to buy a Toyota or Honda.

Word on the Aura is already spreading, and I predict it's going to be one of GM's best selling models within a couple of years. I'm already starting to see as many Saturn Skys around the bay area as Solstices which have been out longer. The German made Astra will probally put most of it's competition to shame because I suspect it's going to be made better and handle better than both Honda and Toyota's offerings. Both the Saturn Outlook and the new 2008 Saturn Vue are showstoppers as far as SUVs and crossovers go.

The slogan is catchy, but as mentioned, how's it going to play when Saturn starts selling the Astra? Also, how much good is it going to do when a large number of Saturn buyers currently think that Saturn is an import already?

 

Yeah, I agree its a good slogan. My point is that if you run an "weve improved" slogan, you better damn well do it. Ford didnt improve and ran the ad forever believing the public would continue to fall for the ad. Thats a good way to loose credibility. Also it has a short lifespan. If you continually say "were not as bad as last year" eventually people are going to catch on. Wait a minute "This is next years last year and its bad now." I think GM has improved and it will show. Ford on the other hand ran the ads when the cars were the same as last year.

I dont think it will be an issue. Id say run the ad 6 months to a year when the better product hits and STOP! Once you have improved thats it. You have improved.

 

Thats true. When a friend and me were at the local autoshow they had sticks that showed how much of the car was made with parts from the US/Canada. I commented on how I was suprised on of the Acuras was made with 85% of its parts comming from US/Canada. My friend commented that he knew someone with that car and how she was upset to find out it was made mostly with NA parts. For some reason Japanese parts are superior to US/Canada parts.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-r1LIgDMr6E

Actually the add isn't too bad now that I see it. I like that they are pushing the Hybrids and the Sky

 

http://www.saturn.com/saturn/SaturnIndex.jsp

The commercial is on Saturn's (slightly revamped) site.

 

The "Have you driven a Ford lately" ads were an invitation to people to try Ford again.

Ford had a reputation of being soft handling marshmellows, and going into the 80s Ford had a crappy reputation spured on by Pinto lawsuits, a reputation for premature rusting, a Mustang "Cobra" that had a V8 which dropped in power (from 145 to 120), cheap materials, lackluster redesigns (ie: the '80 T-bird, Mark VI were 2 duds) and a long time CEO who was adverse to adapting to new automotive challenges.

When the "Have you driven" commercials came out, Ford was an entirely different company. They had a partnership with the UAW that essentially made them partly responsible for what came out of the factory, quality was way up, Ford design was leading the way with the "jellybean" look, Lincolns had high perforformance engines and could handle, Mustang's performance improved every year till at least '88, and across the board, Ford made incrimental improvements in cars, often during a model run instead of waiting for the following year.

So that Ford tagline became old as people gave Ford that 2nd chance.. and evidently liked it because going into the 90s, Ford had a repution for well made....as well as quick good handling....cars.

 

Lends credibility to the concept that buyers are "dumb animals", doesn't it?
Easily convinced that anything is true... if they hear it enough times.

Honda and Toyota's current quality comes to mind as another falacy of media brain-washing. It abounds. Too bad our domestics can't afford to do the same.

 

The SVO was an awesome mustang for its time. 200+ hp, rear discs!!!!, turbo four capable of 300 hp on bolt ons, koni adjustable shocks STOCK...

ughh... what happened...

 

Dumb animals? 20+ years of domestic crap and we're supposed to reverse on a dime? Amazing how ignorant some poeple are around here concerning earned reputations.

If GM's and Ford's quality is equal to the imports, why aren't they advertising the hell out of that fact instead of lame history lesson commercials and quasi-rap videos? Just because you've had a few good years isn't going to suddenly change everyone's mind.

Much easier to blame the media and label everyone a brain washed simpleton I guess.

 

I about pooped my pants when I saw V12 BITURBO. Then I realized that they were saying you should rethink status symbols and that a hybrid was the cooler thing to have. I think I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with that one.

 

Saw it last night.

One of the best marketing efforts by GM lately - very well done.

 

The slogan is stupid for every reason Guy said.

Saturn is NOT an American brand to Jane Doe in the automotive world. It is a company that has no ties to General Motors.

General Motors has once again tried to pull at the heart strings of the general public by saying Saturn is "American." Guess what....people in America do not care where a vehicle is built....look at Toyota's record sales month after month in U.S. sales.

I wish GM would give up the "American" bs and would instead focus on what matters most to buyers. The Aura is a great car and wow, beat Toyota in Car of the Year.

Lets ditch the sentiments of an ad and instead focus on what matters. The product itself.

GM should ditch "Rethink American."

 

You know what makes me angry is that friggin Mustang commercial...the one with three mustangs goin around a track and they say " its been a one pony race for the last 40 years...".
Its a bunch of BS.
Mustang has only outperformed the Camaro in one model year where they were both produced...back in 70'. I think that GM should make a Camaro commercial that says the same thing, but backs it up with a comparison of acceleration or horsepower... it would be a big slap in the face to FORD, and they deserve it.

 

Sales numbers are where it's at... and I believe that's what they were getting at. Not who's faster - which most people don't care about.

 

Is this a fact or a claim?