Buick Switches Gears, Revs Up Century Pitch – marketing campaign to reach younger consumers – Brief Article
Karl Greenberg
Buick, in an effort to court a broader group of consumers, is introducing a new advertising tagline, “It’s All Good,” that breaks in a new spot this week for the Century sedan.
The tag, by McCann-Erickson, Detroit, which also handles Buick’s overall advertising, will appear at the end of the new TV spot and will eventually be used as a branding message for the Buick line, including the 2002 Rendezvous.
Roger Adams, Buick general manager, said the tag means the brand’s line is both luxurious and affordable, a theme being used by automakers, such as Jaguar, that are reaching out to younger, less affluent consumers to expand the market.
“We’re sending a clear message that Buick is the contemporary stylish, capable vehicle at a better value than comparably equipped competitors,” he said.
The 30-second spot, titled “Pennies from Heaven,” features a baby-boomer couple driving a Century through rain drops of copper pennies that turn to rain on the car’s surface.
The spot shows the couple using Century auto features, while a female passenger reaches through the sunroof to collect pennies in a cup, just enough to pass through a toll booth. The ad ends with the graphic “Available for under $20,000,” and the voiceover: “A luxury car you can afford. That’s our idea of heaven. Buick Century. It’s All Good.”
Dave Moore, creative director at McCann, said the penny metaphor evokes affordable luxury, while the fantastical style of the ad should appeal to younger buyers, or “those who wouldn’t have considered a Buick.”
According to consultancy Polk, Southfield, Mich., the average Buick buyer is 62 years old.
As part of its brand repositioning to garner a younger, broader consumer base, Buick in December 1999 signed Tiger Woods to a multi-year sponsorship.
Woods has been a frequent presence on ads for the Buick line, but won’t be seen in the new Century spot. “Down the line, he will appear in the ‘It’s All Good’ spots, including ads for the new Rendezvous breaking this summer,” a Buick rep said.
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