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!

1

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

2

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].

3

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.

4

“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

5

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.

6

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.

7

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

8

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

9

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.

10

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].

11

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].

12

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.

13

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.

14

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].

15

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/>.

16

understand their consumers to the best of their ability in order to capture their target

audiences and position themselves accurately within the marketplace.

17

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.

18

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.

19

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.

20

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

21

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.

22

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

23

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>.

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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