In my last post, I discussed some negative consequences of interactive advertising and how one man ended up in front of a judge for his uncontrollable actions towards a cardboard female of a sunglasses advertisement in a drug store. This type of virtual advertising came back to my focus after reviewing a collective series of ads from a website that presented 'real' consumers of products used to connect with the audience.
One example given from Rediff.com, discussed Ford Motor Company's latest campaign titled, "Swap Your Ride," where the one of America's oldest car dealers uses real people to sell an experience. The campaign is aimed at those who have never set foot in a Ford dealership by providing actual footage and testimony from participants of rival car brands. Ford let these participants ride around in one of their new car models for 10 days to ask for their opinions. The dealer has creatively devised a way to bring in the Ford avoiders who have not experienced a Ford 'Ride' ever in their life.
I think this is a wonderful technique used for pulling in new customers as well as re-affirming a current Ford customer's decision on a one of people's largest life purchases. Most people do not buy cars very often and also tend to remain loyal to a particular make or vehicle. This type of interaction with real consumers helps Ford remain a reputable car maker in the industry and also save money by hiring an expensive advertising agency to deliver a message blatantly obvious to those who have tried Ford's products.
This article was originally found on www.rediff.com.
I would have to agree that this is a very effective way to advertise Ford cars. Using real people's testimonies show their attitudes and feelings toward the brand, plus Ford is not spending big dollars to produce ads. It will definitely be effective in keeping the brand's positive image.
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