First 2016 Prius "Commercial"

You want main stream market, use mainstream advertising. T&A...Testosterone...has "always" worked...and always will.

 

so you like the ad?

 

not a bad think. there is no 'better' or 'worse' in advertising, there's no way to measure it. too many variables. it's usually more about personal relationships than anything else. i'm only familiar with the u.s. though, no idea how other futures look at it.

 

The ad is slick. And really does nothing to promote the new Prius. You could insert any other new car in the scene and pretty much get whatever desired results the ad was supposed to produce? Nebulous results at best.

Personally, if I were producing an ad I would expand on the reasons why I would get a Prius in the first - save money, planet, utility and this time around - fun of driving.

 

I'm willing to see, I'm willing to be wrong. ALSO...

One Ad, does not an entire campaign make.
It's perfectly possible to use multiple approaches with multiple ads.

I just don't particularly like this initial seeming approach. But that doesn't mean it will be Toyota's ONLY approach or only ad.

I also admit to some personal prejudice. Toyota IS I think, correctly mainstreaming the Prius as best they can. But part of the allure of Prius to me, was it's "odd duck" persona.

I actually wanted a Prius because it wasn't like 99% of the vehicles being sold. That is, not necessarily being sold on it's looks, or horsepower and 0-60 times.

I concede that Toyota's priorities in evolving the product may not match my personal preferences for the product.

 

pretty much, toyota ads have never gotten much respect here. a good thread might be, 'non toyota car ads, post the great ones.'

 

That's a "text book" response.
But I'm not really sure it's true in regards to Prius.

Because Toyota can make it "beautiful", can create IMO cliche and dated ads, that look like ads that we have seen for decades, with women turning their heads and smiling at the sophisticated beauty of "The Prius" but ultimately it becomes a charade.

Because ultimately we all know The Prius is first and foremost in it's DNA a hybrid. Which means to me, as much as Toyota may want to mainstream it, most people looking to buy a Prius are going to be looking at it BECAUSE it's a hybrid not because it's "beautiful".

My feeling is that these ad's may not harm Prius's image. But I don't know how effective they will be in reaching any new audience.

These ad's feel almost like over compensation for years of Prius being accused of being a womans car, or cough..."gay". Almost like a vendetta against Jeff Dunham.

And I think it makes Prius come off as being unsure or lacking confidence about itself. Something I think with it's success, it doesn't need to do.

I'm sure I'm over analyzing the whole thing.

 

isn't that our mission statement here?

 

The problem with the publics perception (and mine) is EVs and Hybrids always looked goofy or ugly...and for the most part that has been true until recently years. Most of the membership here on PC is "older"...they need to hook the next generations money now.

 

I said that from the start.

Sorry but I think that's an unfair statement.
This is a discussion forum, so aren't we all commenting because of what we think we feel or see within the ad? Isn't that why we bothered to log in and post?

Often in Sports forums, when a discussion becomes heated, people who disagree will default to the base argument or statement that the person they disagree with couldn't possibly know more than the Coach, or Owner...or GM....

Much like saying "Marketing Professionals" know more than you.....

And I always feel that is a weak or even cowardly argument.

I'm not so arrogant with my opinions that I advance or even defend them thinking they are written in stone or always right. I always realize that I could be wrong, or advancing a very minority opinion. BUT...

But we are all here conceivably to give our opinions and impressions, and I might be right. In this case? I might see something the "marketing professionals" overlooked or misjudged.

Ad campaigns do fail.
Movies do bomb.
Sports teams draft the wrong guy.

Just because something is the result of the "Professionals" decision....doesn't mean it's right.

 

Has any poster here actually bought a car based on commercial?

 

Is anybody influenced by advertising....YES!

 

Hummmm, re-stage the American Graffiti street race scene:

• Black Jetta TDI
• Yellow 2016 Prius
• Both cars race engines
• Starter waves a large flag in a slow arc that says "Sell"
• Black smoke bomb goes off at Jetta tail pipe; tires smoke, and; it doesn't move
  • A very strong chain holds the rear of the Jetta
• Yellow 2016 Prius races off
• Title "Meet the Prius"

Bob Wilson

 

1/4 mile street race with a Prius. Now that's funny.

 

even in cars that come in hybrid and non hybrid, the hybrids don't sell well if there's a price difference. i'm not so sure looks are the overriding factor.