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By: Jason Giacchino
Email: offthepegs @ atvsource.com
May 2009 - Off The Pegs
ATVs in the Limelight
While perusing my latest issue of Motor
Trend, I happened upon a full-page advertisement
for Ford’s ’09 F-150 pickup truck. Rather than
show the vehicle in “typical” automotive-style
poses (think frontal view while drifting
sideways with clouds of dust rolling from
behind), this ad was unique because it showed
only the rear of the truck as if taken from
pavement level as the vehicle was driving away.
Most notable to me, however, was that peering
out over the closed-tailgate was the
unmistakable shape of a new Polaris Outlaw 450
MXR.
The ad was clearly targeting the notion of
enjoying the ATV scene even over the obvious hot
selling points of late for the truck
itself--things like fuel economy, horsepower,
and warranty. What little of my college
education in advertising still remains tells me
that ads like this one attempt to convey a
lifestyle rather than simply a product.
Products, it turns out, don’t sell well in times
of economic stress, and it makes sense, too.
With total uncertainty of the future of the
American automotive industry, oil prices only
slightly less erratic than the stock market
itself, and unemployment numbers steadily
climbing, it’s no wonder ambitions of buying a
new truck “just because” have been on the
decline.
Enter lifestyle advertising and with it the
notion of far more than simply exchanging money
for a product. Beer commercials are huge on
this--with each bottle cap twisted comes hordes
of bikini-clad women and cool friends who do
little more than throw great parties. Products
alone depreciate and, in the case of the truck,
come with fat payment books to boot. Lifestyles
on the other hand are much harder to put a price
on.
It comes as no surprise then that auto makers
would turn to sports like ours to include a hint
of that potential in their sales material. After
all, who doesn’t fancy the prospect of weekends
spent on the trails, exploring remote areas of
the wilderness, or mastering a tricky rhythm
section of a freshly watered MX track? I know I
was lost in a momentary reflection of the joys
of quad riding upon gazing at the ad despite not
being in the market for a brand new pickup.
In truth, I wouldn’t be surprised if more
companies don’t start using ATVs in their
advertising campaigns. The potential they
display goes well beyond pickup trucks but could
easily be used to promote television sets (that
imposed scene of a kid’s soccer game is getting
old), exercise equipment, granola bars, energy
drinks--the list is endless.
Americans understand the economic climate in
terms of how it relates to tangible goods far
better than they do a whole new perspective on
life. In other words, it’s a lot easier to pass
on something that’s not essential than it is to
get swept away by the promise of a new hobby.
Also, while ATV sales, like other recreational
industries including boats, motor homes, and
snowmobiles, are down, the fact that auto
companies are recognizing the appeal speaks
volumes. Unfortunately, it is possible for too
much exposure to prove even more harmful than
not enough.
Back in the 1980s the industry suffered one of
its worst “black eyes” of all time thanks in no
small part to increased media exposure slanted
toward proving three-wheelers dangerous. In
truth, it was bad judgment and bad decisions
over bad design that led to the responsibility
that ultimately fell directly into the laps of
the manufacturers.
Of late there have been lifeless lawyer
campaigns targeting victims of UTV (side by
side) accidents in effort to once again bring
litigation against the OEMs. Truthfully, we’re
dangerously close to witnessing another setback
not at all unlike the last one.
I’m all for increased ATV awareness, especially
when our products are used to paint pictures of
living the dream on the back of a shiny new
truck. It’s the type of publicity that
bloodthirsty law firms have been providing
lately we can do without!
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