Buick Advertising

[HarleyEarl]

News New Lucerne to dominate Buick ad spending; vehicle to get special Tiger Woods pitch JAMIE LAREAU | Automotive News Posted Date: 11/17/05 WASHINGTON -- Buick will focus its national advertising and nearly one-fourth of its budget on the new Lucerne sedan in the first quarter of 2006. The Lucerne is a "very big part" of Buick's advertising budget for next year, Steve Shannon, Buick general manager, told Automotive News at a press event here. Buick will spend well over 20 percent of its first-quarter advertising budget promoting the Lucerne, Shannon says. That's about $9 million, based on this year's figures. Buick spent nearly $46 million on advertising in the first quarter of this year, up 48.8 percent from $30.8 million spent in the year-ago period, according to TNS Media Intelligence. Buick spent $122 million in advertising for all of 2004. National campaign Buick began shipping the Lucerne to dealers on Oct. 29, Shannon says. The national advertising campaign starts at the end of this month, he says. "Next year, we'll focus most of our national advertising weight on the Lucerne," Shannon says. Buick also will consider advertising the Lucerne during "big name" events, Shannon says. He would not specify which events the brand might sponsor. He says it probably will not be the Super Bowl, where Cadillac traditionally advertises. 'Something exciting' Shannon said that Buick has "something exciting planned in the first quarter involving this car and Tiger Woods." The advertising mix includes traditional TV spots, a lot of print and a shift to more promotion-oriented marketing, Shannon says. "You've got to get people in the car," he adds. "The Tiger Woods thing will get people in this car." The advertising will spell out the Lucerne's features, such as heated windshield-washer fluid that melts ice, dual-stage driver airbag, quiet interior, standard OnStar and a four-year/50,000-mile warranty. The Lucerne is part of GM's value pricing strategy starting at $26,990, including shipping. Last month, GM told dealers it is changing the Buick tag line from "Dream Up" to "Beyond Precision" to emphasize Buick's quality and product features.

[Cananopie]

Nothing exciting ever happens with Tiger Woods Edited November 17, 2005 by Cananopie

[Stoopsbuick]

Nothing exciting ever happens with Tiger Woods

[post="44607"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah I agree since we've had Tiger around I've had 1 person even mention Tiger and he's an in-law so he was going to buy a Buick anyway so it hasn't done our store any good...I'm sure that's different in places where the PGA tour makes a stop but in Indianapolis Tiger's not much of an attraction for our buyers...

[HarleyEarl]

I'm surprised they are still doing the Tiger Woods thing.....I find those ad campaigns boring.

[caddycruiser]

Really enjoyed the HUGE full-page ad for the Lucerne today on the back page of the USA Today "Destinations & Diversions" section. FINALLY, a GM photo that shows off some of the cars best lines (well, as much as humanly possible with such a homely front end, but I digress). Then, below, in big letters: "HELLO IMPORTS, THIS IS YOUR MORNING WAKE-UP CALL." Then below that: "Introducing the all new 2006 Buick Lucerne with QuietTuning. Quieter on the road than the Lexus ES 330, Acura TL and Infiniti G35. Starting at $26,990." Not a real killer, but a MASSIVE improvement for once when it comes to typical GM marketing. Now they just need to quickly get away from the heated washer fluid commercial (seriously, is it just me or does that one play every minute?!), and REALLY attack on the import cars in their ads, showing how they really pal in comparison. They want to get more buzz? Show a Lucerne in all its glory attracting all the attention as it goes down the street, the driver with a full-face smile), and then a piddly a little ES300, for example, getting ignored and the bored driver nearly falling asleep right behing....or something like that... :)

[Cananopie]

Caddy, that is an awesome advertisement. I'm glad Buick is starting to be more aggressive even in their advertising. They are finally getting a personality for the general public again.

[caddycruiser]

Exactly. At the same time, the current commercials for the Lucerne aren't bad, but they need to change soon, because the heated washer fluid line is getting a little old already. Cool feature to have, but not exactly the "trump card" I'd focus on advertising. Better to get some shots that included import (or even domestics like the 300) and find ways to literally humiliate them...SERIOUSLY. Do it in a classy, upscale way of course, but just humiliate them. Or, at least, make it obvious how the Buick is better/superior--whatever it is, the direct comparison would ring very positively in the heads of people watching.

[Cadillacfan]

They're playing the heated washer fluid commercial every 10 minutes in my area. Makes me really wish I had that on my car especially today. It took me forever to scrape off my windshield. Perfect ad aiming for this region.

[bobo]

The heated windshield fluid isn't very relevent to most of us in California. What would have been better for us would be the virtues of having a 275 hp V-8.

[VenSeattle]

Heh... we just had snow for the past two days. The mountains are also loaded with snow. Several people are heading to the ski resorts. I think the heated washer fluid needs to be played up all winter long. This is more of a seasonal feature. B) Alternate commercials need to be played, but keep the heated washer fluid one in circulation. Sometimes you need excessive coverage to catch the ADD & overly busy individuals of today (aka most of the US population.)

[Jazzhead]

Great news that Buick is spending more on advertising. It finally has its core products - Lucerne and LaCrosse - all-new and in the showroom together. But the quality of that advertising is the key. It amazes me how much money companies will flush away on ineffective advertising. Television ads about washer fluid? C'mon, that's ridiculous. It's a great new feature, but it's one you tout in print ads, and, especially, at the the point of sale in order to cement the deal. National TV ads need to show the cars, and, as suggested above, hit the broad middle of the market with the message that if you just shop the imports and miss Buick, you've cheated yourself. Talk about quality scores. Talk about V-8 power and torque that the Japanese can't match. Maybe subtlely cross-sell your own company's products by touting that a LaCrosse can be equipped with the same engine as the CTS. And show the Lucerne and LaCrosse together. Two stellar choices for the sedan buyer, each with distinct powertrain options. Show a black Lucerne CXS and a white LaCrosse CXS cutting and weaving down a high desert two-lane. Promote the idea of the mid-market buyer comparing and driving them both. I like the recent Toyota ads where they tout the broad selection of their entire line. It's the mark of a confident advertiser - the consumer can enjoy one-stop shopping. For the contemporary sedan buyer, Buick is finally in the position to promote that same confidence. Edited December 3, 2005 by Jazzhead

[zoomtm]

...Maybe subtlely cross-sell your own company's products by touting that a LaCrosse can be equipped with the same engine as the CTS...

haha...GM will never let that happen... :rolleyes: Edited December 3, 2005 by zoomtm

[Tailfin61]

I am totally unimpressed with the execution of beyond precision. The dream up concept wasn't perfect but at least the tune was catchy and you knew it was a BUICK commercial without looking. The commercials were somewhat clever too. The new commercials leave me TOTALLY cold. They look black and white (I guess they are black & white) and the millimeter commercial is not only not very flattering to the looks of the Lucerne, it is TOO DARK. The snow flake commercial would be more significant if the heated washer fluid was standard on the Lucerne. It's only available on the CXL when you opt for the upgraded leather and heated/cooled seats. It may be standard on CXS only. In our current world people need something that catches their attention quickly and not bury them in detail. Sound bites. That's all people want now. These new commercials are too wordy, blah-blah-blah, and not very eye catching. You see every detail of the snow flake, but the car itself is shot at odd angles in a washed out look. A silver car, shot at a distance, covered with snow in a black and white commercial. What a great idea :blink: The other commercial has a black or navy lucerne in a dark tunnel :blink: At least the new website looks cool, although that's colorless too . . . .

[VenSeattle]

Well, "Beyond Precision" is just beginning. There are more commercials to follow, I'm sure. I hope Buick sticks with this slogan and nurtures it. Buick needs to come out with commercials that feature the entire line-up. That's the way to introduce a new slogan.

One thing I just noticed while looking at the Buick line-up on a different website: The 2006 line-up is all new. None of the vehicle names existed prior to 2002. Rendezvous is now the oldest name in Buick's line-up. Just WOW! :blink:

[Drew Dowdell]

"The world once trembled at the sound of our engines. Well they will tremble again at the sound of our silence. Introducing the new 2006 Buick Lucerne with Quiet Tuning. Buick - Beyond Precision" with apologies to Tom Clancy

[Flybrian]

"The world once trembled at the sound of our engines. Well they will tremble again at the sound of our silence. Introducing the new 2006 Buick Lucerne with Quiet Tuning.

Buick - Beyond Precision"

[post="52408"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Put that voiceover with a CG running from the engine compartment with a revving Northstar V8 to the eerie silence of the cabin interior then back outside to the sound of its dual exhaust burbling with the shot centered on the Tri-Shield on the decklid...then the Lucerne accelerating away with the now-CG Tri-Shield rotating, glimmering, with BUICK above and BEYOND PRECISION below.

Meet me in an hour, Oldsmoboi; we'll go to RenCen with this.

[Drew Dowdell]

You're on. I've long though I had enough knack for writing automotive advertising, that I could have saved Oldsmobile if I were old enough.

[Paolino]

I had a slightly interesting thought towards portraying Buick's quiet... maybe a family in the car, and a mom in the seat sewing... while sewing, a pin falls out of her blanket, and in slow motion, you see it falling, and then chime as it hits the center console on its way down (I'd say wait til it hits the floor, but you can't hear it on a carpet). The mother looks down and says, "Hmmm..."

Then they could have a voiceover say something like, "Buick. Silence keyed by QuietTuning." and then have the same chime sound that the pin made.

Okay, so my ideas need work. How about this one? Rappers with boomboxes walking down the street, pounding music--people in cars around are covering their ears because it's so loud. But the confident Buick driver has a smile on his face. The a voiceover comes up and says, "Buick... mutha fuckin quiet yo." LOL or something to that affect :lol: :lol:

[caddycruiser]

Put that voiceover with a CG running from the engine compartment with a revving Northstar V8 to the eerie silence of the cabin interior then back outside to the sound of its dual exhaust burbling with the shot centered on the Tri-Shield on the decklid...then the Lucerne accelerating away with the now-CG Tri-Shield rotating, glimmering, with BUICK above and BEYOND PRECISION below.

Meet me in an hour, Oldsmoboi; we'll go to RenCen with this.

[post="52411"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Wowie! That would be AWESOME :AH-HA_wink:

Start off with a full black screen or something and those sounds, then....and it would be AMAZING. Now, if someone could just convince GM brass or their typically dull advertising agencies to make such a thing....

[bobo]

I am totally unimpressed with the execution of beyond precision.  The dream up concept wasn't perfect but at least the tune was catchy and you knew it was a BUICK commercial without looking.  The commercials were somewhat clever too. 

The new commercials leave me TOTALLY cold.  They look black and white (I guess they are black & white) and the millimeter commercial is not only not very flattering to the looks of the Lucerne, it is TOO DARK.  The snow flake commercial would be more significant if the heated washer fluid was standard on the Lucerne.  It's only available on the CXL when you opt for the upgraded leather and heated/cooled seats.  It may be standard on CXS only. 

In our current world people need something that catches their attention quickly and not bury them in detail.  Sound bites.  That's all people want now.  These new commercials are too wordy, blah-blah-blah, and not very eye catching.  You see every detail of the snow flake, but the car itself is shot at odd angles in a washed out look.  A silver car, shot at a distance, covered with snow in a black and white commercial.  What a great idea :blink: The other commercial has a black or navy lucerne in a dark tunnel  :blink: At least the new website looks cool, although that's colorless too . . . .

[post="52290"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I completely agree. Dark commercials with dark cars and unflattering visuals. In the millimeter commerical, the car looks old and ill-proportioned. Showing the car in Garnet or Crimson would have made a huge difference.

[zoomtm]

yea it looks weird..like the front is lowered.

[Cananopie]

I completely agree.  Dark commercials with dark cars and unflattering visuals.  In the millimeter commerical, the car looks old and ill-proportioned.  Showing the car in Garnet or Crimson would have made a huge difference.

[post="53561"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I dont know if you saw them on TV but they're a lot brighter and easier to see than on the Putfile videos Mike set up.