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August 27, 2007
NASCARifying your commute
Wrap your car in an ad just like a city bus or train, and make about $800 per month: "Your ad here, on my S.U.V., and you'll pay?"
What happens when the car driver can't answer the question of a curious passerby because he doesn't work for the pool repair service, even though his car makes it appear that way?
An authentic moment is squandered. Suddenly the brand seems more like a schmuck.
Wrapping one's car in an ad for $800 per month doesn't make you its "brand ambassador," as the company behind this effort claims, any more than the guy who parks a Tagament rig at the baseball stadium.
Real brand ambassadors and customer evangelists would probably do it for free.
Other blogs that reference NASCARifying your commute:
» Will "Wrap" for Money... from Solutions Talk
Today's Notable Quote: We practice openness about the relationship between consumers, advocates, and marketers. We encourage word of mouth advocates to disclose their relationship with marketers in their communications with other consumers. We don't te... [Read More]
While I agree in principle, do we expect truck drivers to know about the products emblazoned on their sides? Do we expect cabbies to know about the Broadway shows (in NYC) they are promoting on their cars? Not all advertisers are brand ambassadors, I think they may be something somewhat unique to a personal sponsorship like those commonly seen with sports stars. The real question is, what role should car wrappers play: should they be brand ambassadors or mobile billboards? Nobody expects (in the present) a billboard technician to know about the brand they are posting.
To you point, naturally brand ambassadors are more effective than display providers, but is it really fair to expect this of car owners?
To Jon's point: What an intriguing way to differentiate your economic offerings! Instructing (paid or unpaid)promoters to explain and deliver the feature of the promoted product/service/experience...
An UNEXPECTED Surprise for the interested observer/prospective buyer.
>> Real brand ambassadors and customer evangelists would probably do it for free.
A thought I have frequently: if I were the person in charge of eBay Motors, I'd mail every single winning bidder a car sticker saying "I bought this on eBay". I'm sure eBay *won't* do it because they seem to lack the necessary imagination these days, but maybe someone else could use the idea :-)
