We’ve been watching this unfold for years. It seems like every car model has a slick new TV spot with the obligatory shot of its hot new whiz bang dashboard.
And more often than not, they show that ubiquitous “P” logo that automakers know helps sell cars. Pandora has done an amazing job embedding their app into dashboard after dashboard. Today, more than 170 different car models offer center stacks featuring Pandora.
And when you see their logo pop up on TV commercials, it’s important to know Pandora doesn’t pay for these “product placements.” The auto companies do their own research, and they determine the optimal dashboard offerings to feature in their ads.
That’s why Scion’s new “Weird, Right?” campaign is so interesting. Rather than showcasing Pandora, SiriusXM, or Apple Car Play, FM radio is front and center in these ads.
Featuring actors James Franco, Jaleel White (“Steve Urkel”), and the inflatable “Tube Man” you see blowing in the wind in front of car dealerships, these TV spots zero in on the FM radio in their dashboards.
The campaign is an effort to attract one of the hardest demographics to reach – Millennials – and get them excited about driving the new Scion iA (their first sedan) and the iM (a sportier version).
A recent Frank N. Magid study shows that more than one-fifth (22%) of Uber users are holding off on the purchase/lease of a new vehicle because of the popular ride service app. Chances are good there are a lot of Millennials in that group, making it even more difficult to lure them into showrooms. The increasing use of Uber, Zip Cars, and mass transit place even more pressure on the automakers to connect with young consumers, many of whom aren’t so sure they even want a vehicle in their driveways, car ports, or garages.
The agency behind the “Weird, Right?” campaign, Droga5, dreamed up these TV ads that embrace the weird and different. And counter-intuitively, FM radio is part of the highlighted features that show these Scions off. Droga5 Communications Manager Carly Rullman told me that response to the campaign has been “overwhelming,” and that new spots are on the way.
Just about everyone’s research shows that Millennials seek products and brands that are different. Some of the resurgence in vinyl records as well as Classic Rock music is coming from twentysomethings, so maybe old school FM radio now falls into that retro cool category for this hard-to-target group.
Campaigns like “Weird, Right?” further the ongoing message we continue to see and hear that the “connected car” space is rapidly changing, and so are the ways in which car makers are marketing their vehicles.
It will be fascinating to see if Millennials beat a path to their local car dealerships to drive a new Scion featuring those ultra cool FM radios.
The DASH Conference will focus on automotive marketing and its importance to the radio industry, featuring panels and keynotes that will take attendees behind-the-scenes. This includes Geoff Snyder, Pandora’s VP Automotive Business Development, as well as Mark LaNeve, Ford’s VP, U.S. Marketing Sales & Service. Registration and the agenda is here.
I’ll also be hosting a free webinar Wednesday, October 14th at 1pm ET on “The 6 Things You Need To Know About the Connected Car.” Registration is here.
Thanks to Larry Rosin for the Magid/Uber study info.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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I still say, it’s not the new technology that’s winning, it’s what that technology provides: compelling content.
If Radio ever gets serious about BUILDING great content, and dropping the programming concepts that are now 30 years old, THEY WILL COME.
One could argue that what kicked open the door for new forms and portals of entertainment, has been the content, not the electronic device. That and the stale choices on regular Radio and TV. Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Rhapsody have all been driven by what the consumer ends up getting for their eyes and ears. Example:If “House of Cards” was on NBC, it certainly would still would be a hit. If what the public wanted was simply newer, improved technology, then the fortune we spent on HD Radio would have paid off. That was an honest attempt at competing with Sat-Radio in cars and homes, but we pissed away the most important part: what came out of the speakers.
I love the “House of Cards” analogy. The ability to binge watch on Netflix was a plus, but a great show is….well, a great show.. Thanks for the comment, Jim, and for reading our blog.
It’s fun to see things like this that buck the normal-thought of the “Digiter-atzzi!”. Not one of them would EVER admit to listening to that boring old FM……but people answer questions one way – and most often behave another. Do we need another study – or more GREAT ADS that appeal directly to the target?!!?
Charlie, it’s a fun campaign with just enough left turns to stand out. Thanks for the comment.