Friday Poll: Good or Bad Idea for an Ad Campaign?

    • 1373 posts
    June 28, 2019 12:12 AM PDT

    Happy Friday, everyone!

    A car dealership in Alabama is making headlines with their promotion: Buy a Car and Get a Bible, Gun, and a Flag!

    Is this a good idea or a bad idea? Why?

    Looking forward to reading your replies!


    This post was edited by Rebecca Hunt at June 28, 2019 12:13 AM PDT
    • 121 posts
    June 28, 2019 6:36 AM PDT

    The first step to any promotion is to do something that is memorable.

    Bonus points if you get free exposure.

    This appears to do both.

    However it must be appropriate for the audience and business.

    This type of promotion would likely not work in New York City or Chicago which seem to be unfriendly to this type of promotion.

    However it probably works in other markets and that is the key.

    Also be sure you are following the laws in your state/city/county.

    The only ones offended by this will be ones that wouldn't take him up on the offer in the first place and they are not his target.

     

    I say Good Idea.  But don't try and be a copy cat and run it everywhere.

    • 4 posts
    June 28, 2019 8:36 AM PDT

    I agree with Scott :-) when I first read this I was like . . . "wow!" I was a bit shocked!

    But the advertiser probably knows exactly what he is saying/doing with this campaign.

    • 1373 posts
    June 28, 2019 4:03 PM PDT

    From the RSC Facebook page:

     

    Robert Blade Lewin They got their money’s worth in publicity.

     

    Calvin Robinson Good idea. People like guns, Bibles, and cars. They will sell a lot of cars.

     


    This post was edited by Rebecca Hunt at June 28, 2019 4:04 PM PDT
    • 993 posts
    June 28, 2019 6:24 PM PDT

    The dealer wants his customers to know that he is a God-fearin', gun-totin', flag-wavin' patriot. So, presumably, are his customers. If he's doing business in a part of the country where most folks share his worldview. he's just having fun preaching to the choir.

    In a more diverse marketplace, some folks might take offense and shun his dealership in protest. Others would support him. And the ensuing controversy would generate lots of free publicity. That would almost certainly be the case in my market, with two land-grant universities eight miles apart.

    I personally admire a dealer who has the guts to do something this audacious and remarkable. Sure beats the boilerplate, cliche-ridden hype that characterizes so much of local automobile advertising.

    Reminds me of the Realtor who advertised a few years ago: "Leaving the country if Trump gets elected?  Let me sell your home."