All right, here's the big finish! Now, I need to throw a disclaimer and a question in here:

DISCLAIMER: I am well aware that most people on this forum are enthusiasts and do not view the s2000 as a "crisis" car, but that was the angle that my professor latched onto so that is what I ran with for the purposes of this assignment. For a different target, the ads would definitely look different. Please keep this in mind when looking at them.

QUESTION: Which set do you prefer?

ADS:



**The picture for this ad might change if I can find one I like better, but I've been looking for two days straight and still haven't found one I really like for it.



SECOND SET:







And, to give credit where credit is due, thanks for the line Baritone!

Also, sorry if I've stolen pictures from anyone!!! If its really a problem please let me know. These will not be used for real print ads. They will not be printed or shown to the public at large. They are just for an assignment for my grad school class.

 

Not bad, Danny. "Thrills without the alimony" really cracks me up! .

I don't go for the "If you drive fast enough, it'll look like you had a face lift" slogan... Perhaps you could tighten that up a little. Not sure.

Anyway, nice project! My favorite is "You don't test drive this car; you try it on."

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chazmo
[B]Not bad, Danny.

 

Not to bad - nice job.

Some things to consider - The S (or any "specialty / necks" car for that matter) is such because it caters to a very distinct group of people who are looking for something very specific. Whether it be a convertible, sports car, high HP / low weight, high red line, terrific handling, look, feel, etc. etc. that attracts someone to the car, the point is the same - it caters to a specific desire. If someone doesn't consider any of these things import to them, they won't by a car such as the S. I think this is something you need to consider in developing your concept.

The Mid-age crisis is a good starting point but you really need to hone in on what it is that makes this car special and desirable to your target. Your close with "You don't test drive this car; you try it on." but you need to take the analogy a step further. Unfortunately developing concepts for cars such as the S (much like developing creative for wine) usually requires more than simply a headline - it's very difficult to sum up the vertex of either in just one line. Try adding some copy to back up and explain your claim and try to stick with and develop only one of the specific selling features in each of your spots.

From a design point of view, you can never go wrong with a black BC in a car ad - good choice. Having said that, you need to chose a better font - the script is too "wussy" for this car and your target. Psycographically, your target is one that wants to ignore the fact that they are getting older, and are looking for something to make them feel energysied and inspired (granted a quick generalization). You're heading in the right direction with the Mid-aged crisis thing, but your font choice weakens your claim and won't grab your audience. I see what you're trying to do, but don't use a script. Try a more masculine san serif and italicize it instead.

These of course are all just opinions, but they do come from experience, so take them how you like.

Great start - keep at it!

Cheers.

 

I appreciate the input, and I'll certainly take it into consideration. I wrote these ads with no body copy on purpose. I want to keep the lines very short and quick to read. I also want to avoid the typical car ad cliches and statements that get so overused.

On another note, do you know by chance what font Honda uses in their ads and on their site? Thanks!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by munckee
[B]I appreciate the input, and I'll certainly take it into consideration.

 

Honestly, I kind of disagree. Now please understand that I appreciate the feedback and I am saying this as a means of constructive conversation, not in a defensive way.

I believe that what you're saying is very true for an enthusiast market. However, if I'm trying to target the "midlife crisis" crowd, I think its much more about the image.

In my mind, these aren't people who are looking for a 9k redline or a go kart feel or anything else that we love about the s. The convertible maybe. But they're looking to get noticed. They're out to feel younger by driving a bright red car with the top down and the salt-and-pepper hair flowing in the wind. Sure, some of them will be enthusiasts and will appreciate the car for what it really is, but thats a bonus.

On top of that, I have to consider the assignment part of this and the opinion of my professor. Trust me, he doesn't care about cars at all, so finding ANYTHING about this product that he could latch on to is a big deal, and the crisis thing was what grabbed him. I also have to turn these in for a major critique next week and they have to sit with three other campaigns and make my skills look balanced. I already have two other campaigns that are pretty copy-heavy, so the prof. basically commanded me to lay off the copy for this one.

I assume you work in the field? May I ask where/what you do, etc?

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

Real nice. I especially like the line "you don't test drive this car, you try it on". I think thats great. I also like the ads with the shots of the wheel, the front etc.

I'd skip the whole mid life crisis thing. Not all of the middle aged enthusiasts are willing to admit to it. It might be a turn off.

Definately the first set.

 

I like the first two, but overall the first one. I think the face lift caption is

I actually think the second pic with the try it on caption would be best.

 

Many of Honda's ads successfully poke fun at the excesses of other car makers' copy. The most memorable ones for me are where someone gets out of a Honda SUV, does something incredibly risky going down a mountain, and obviously is much the worse for it. ("What could he have been thinking?") The cleverness here is that once you have seen this ad, viewing the competition's commercials (1) spoils their fantasy and (2) reminds you of the Honda.

Just to help get the juices flowing, BMW's campaign for the Z4 has a silver model shot from a low angle with a wide lens with the phrase "Land Shark" on the billboard or magazine page. I look at that ad and then think of my S2000 as the roadster that is very much not a fish out of water. For me, BMW is just asking for it as they keep this one old joke going for month after month. (However, their agency must believe that the image of driving a shark is appealing. That should tell you something about the times we live in.)

Another comment. I personally would lose the comment about the alimony, even though it's cute. For those of us who have spent many years paying this, it brings back negative memories. It's also a joke that largely limits your ad to men, something that costs you more than it gets you.

The oldest phrase in advertising is probably "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Although Honda has largely ignored that advice, I think you need to decide what sizzle your ads will impute to the S2000. For example, how many people know it will go 160 MPH yet has the reliability of a Honda? How many know that it is built by hand? (If you can somehow tie yourself to Porsche's image for build quality but point out that the S2000 is the cost of the Z, you may have a powerful message.) How many Americans even know that Honda has a strong racing heritage and that the S2000 is its celebration? You will not be able to find which particular sizzle appeals most to the group of potential buyers without the resources of an ad agency. However, it's better to pick any reasonable message (step one) and put together an ad that conveys it strongly (step two) than to work from an almost-finished product backwards. If you have time, it's good to try a few out.

BTW, kudos to toosteeley for his comments on the look and feel of the ad and for his strong hands-on experience and depth in advertising and his willingness to share it. If I still bought advertising, I would want to give him some business!

Good luck!