The authenticity of testimonials seems like a reliable strategy at a time when consumers are hesitant to spend on big-ticket items. But we’re so accustomed to the manufactured “reality” of reality TV—how can we trust these “real people”?
Perhaps by promising that footage is “Uncensored,” the title of a Hyundai campaign for which the automaker filmed people testing out various models during a mall tour. “Hyundai. In your own words,” reads the YouTube page, touting “Real people. Real comments. Uncensored.” Ads and clips on YouTube show drivers lauding the prices and the cars—“I didn’t even know Hyundai had this high standard of a car!” one blonde gushes.
Chevrolet takes the concept a step further with its “Car Hunters” challenge: It had a third-party research company conduct comparison test drives with several brands. The idea is modeled on HGTV’s House Hunters—in which home buyers check out three properties before deciding which to buy—with which Chevrolet is partnered in this promotion. Car shoppers are filmed testing three options in their preferred category. Michael, for example, who’s looking for a compact crossover, considers the pros and cons of the Toyota RAV4, a Honda CRV and the Chevrolet Equinox. As one of 43 of 70 testers who preferred the Chevy option, he chooses the Equinox.
To overcome the consumer anxiety brought on by the recession, the best marketing ideas may require what’s essentially anti-marketing: stripping away pretty shots of cars, gravelly voiceovers enumerating features and all the usual tricks of the trade in favor of authentic opinions—as long as a brand can elicit more cheers than jeers.
Photo Credit: http://www.hyundaiusa.com
8
0 Response to “Hyundai, Chevrolet showcase real drivers”