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What terrible advertising looks like

October 26, 2011 by Paul Flanigan — Founder, The Preset Group

One of the key changes with advertising is that the customer has two things that, in previous decades, were never even considered:

Information

Buyers have multiple channels they can access to learn more about a product. Dial back 40 years, and there were two ways to learn. One, watch the commercial. Two, go to the store. Today's online and digital ecosystem gives consumers an almost unlimited supply of information about every product out there.

Control

Because of this information, the control of the sales cycle has shifted completely to the consumer. She knows more than anyone else about the products she puts in her home. She exercises that control over her shopping habits. She does because she can.

Celebrity Endorsement

Celebrity endorsement is as old as advertising, and in some cases it works very well. Michael Jordan could endorse shoes because he wore them and you could buy them. Oprah "made" businesses that were lucky enough to find a space on her list of her favorite things.

A celebrity endorsement is either that the celebrity uses it, or that the celebrity thinks enough of the product that you should use it, or both. In the past several years, most advertisers have wizened up to the fact that a celebrity does not necessarily equal sales because consumers can see right through it, especially when the celebrity and the product simply do not belong together. A celebrity may show you how cool you'll look, but your best friend may stand right next to you in the store and tell you it's crap. Who are you going to believe?

So after seeing Jennifer Lopez in this commercial promoting the new $20,000 Fiat 500, I believe this is the worst piece of advertising I have seen in 2011.

Going back to the two reasons a celebrity may endorse a product, I am lost as to how this campaign was made.

Does anyone really think J Lo drives around in a $20,000 car? Her shoes cost more than that.

And even if J Lo inspires you, it seems Fiat would have better spent their money putting her in front of the camera saying, "I really think this Fiat 500 is inspiring, and I think you should buy one." Because putting a relatively unknown vehicle in a video with one of the most recognizable faces on earth, you can guess with confidence what people will remember.

Olivier Franchois, the head of Fiat and chief marketing officer and brand communications for Chrysler Group, is quoted on billboard.biz about this spot.

"The primary objective of 'My World' was to explore the story of Jennifer Lopez, who is a cultural icon. The commercial tells the story of how the simple elements of our upbringing can help explain who we are, where we're going and serve as a source of inspiration to achieve our goals in life. That drive and determination is the common thread that is shared with the Fiat brand and our philosophy that 'Life Is Best When Driven.'"

Mr. Franchois needs to go back to marketing school. The primary objective of any advertising is to generate awareness and persuade viewers to take action. The primary objective is to sell stuff. This insults viewers by trying to convince them that Jenny from the block ain't too proud to drive around in a car that costs less than the earrings she's wearing. And by generating awareness, Mr. Franchois missed the mark. The voiceover, music, and several close-up shots of J Lo promote her, not the car.

Even someone on the comments for the YouTube video seem to question the motive of the effort:

Gosh, she would never drive Fiat, than, this is too much "make up" of what Bronx really looks like...

At the end of the day, Mr. Franchois must justify the cost of this campaign by generating awareness and selling cars. I'm sure he'll generate awareness. I believe he'll sell more J Lo records than Fiat cars.

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