American Honda is launching a new national advertising today starring actor Patrick Warburton, which attempts to reverse its recent sales decline by looking backward at the Japanese company’s long tradition of earning awards, while using humor to parody industry marketing techniques that even Honda once used. The brand campaign uses Honda’s Accord, Civic CR-V and Fit cars, the Pilot crossover SUV and the Odyssey minivan.
Honda Division posted disastrous August sales of 73,267, a decrease of 27.5% versus August 2010. The Accord was the top-selling Honda model for August with sales of 18,439, a decrease of 21.2% compared to last year, followed by the CR-V with sales of 16,572, a decrease of 18.1%. The Pilot SUV posted sales of 9,825, an increase of 11.4% versus last year. (See Honda Struggles, Toyota Flat and Nissan Up in August Sales )
“The production plan for most of our models returned to 100% by late August at all of our North American factories,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “A greater selection of vehicles is beginning to arrive at dealers this month as the company continues to recover from temporary supply disruptions.”
The so called “Good Reasons” campaign has Warburton (“Rules of Engagement,” “Family Guy,” “Seinfeld”) opining about car buying and advertising in exaggerated discussions about such automotive minutia as legal disclaimers to whether sex can help sell cars. He cites awards from J.D. Power and Associates, Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com, to make the claim that Honda has the ability to deliver one of the “top vehicle-owning experiences.”
In a statement issued late last Friday, Honda said the most recent Honda recalls affect more than 310,000 Pilot SUVs made from the 2009 through 2011 model years in the U.S. Honda wants to inspect and possibly replace the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt on the affected Pilot models.
The latest quality gaff from the Japanese maker once known for its quality follows Honda recalls announced over the Labor Day weekend for fires on more than a million vehicles globally. (See Honda Recalls a Million Vehicles for Fires, Software Problems) During the past year or so, Honda has issued more than 22 public statements about various safety defects and recalls in the U.S.
“We created a layer of honesty that isn’t seen from most car manufacturers. And we show Honda’s many strengths in a way that cuts through the clichés and usual tactics and feels incredibly fresh,” said RPA SVP/GCD Jason Sperling, of the agency that created the campaign.
The TV campaign will launch with two 60-second spots, including “Disclaimers,” which is representative of the campaign’s paid spokesperson. To make a point about how advertisers attempt to hide things in legal lines, Warburton declares himself the “best TV spokesman ever,” as a slim disclaimer along the bottom of the screen reads, “Based on a study of one individual’s opinion. Me.”
Warburton then talks about a J.D. Power study where Honda received the awards for “Highest Ranked in Initial Quality: Sub-Compact Car, Compact Car, Compact Crossover/SUV, Midsize Car, Midsize Crossover/SUV, Midsize Pickup.” A series of 30-second spots, including “Denier,” “83” and “Pay Attention,” follow the same themes of quality and humor with Warburton alternately cajoling, teasing and educating the viewer into considering Honda vehicles.
At goodreasons.shophonda.com, Warburton leads users through six online tutorials summarizing what’s said to be Honda’s core strengths, while directing them to online shopping tools, vehicle information and dealer locations.
In one video dubbed “Competitive,” Warburton refers to the lengths some car companies are going to by offering a “… billion-mile, swear-on-their-mother’s-grave, this-isn’t-a-piece-of-junk worry-free agreement: a thick stack of paper filled with tiny little elf-lawyer writing that you probably wouldn’t read. Even if you could.” He then talks about making a good car-buying decision and points to actual media coverage detailing Honda’s value and built-to-last attributes.
“Since 86% of our buyers go online as part of the vehicle-shopping process (according to Strategic Vision’s new-vehicle buyer survey), these humorous online videos and the overall campaign will connect with existing and potential car shoppers and candidly shows how Honda is viewed through the lens of trusted top voices in the auto industry,” said Jenny Howell, manager of Honda Regional Marketing for American Honda Motor Company.
See also:
- Honda Recalls 1.5 Million Accord, CR-V and Element for Software Problem that Leads to Failed Auto Transmissions,
- Honda Recalls New Civic for Fuel Leaks in Latest Quality Gaffe,
- Honda Expands Airbag Recall to 833,000 Honda, Acura Models,
- Honda Recalls 2011 Odyssey Again. Window Glass Can Shatter,
- Honda Recalls Odyssey Minivan for Bad Windshield Wipers,
- Honda Recalls Civic Hybrid Models for Electrical Failures,
- American Honda Recalls 2009-2010 Fit Models for Stalling,
- American Honda Recalls 2010 Accord, CR-V Models for Stalling,
- Honda Recalls Accord, Pilot Models for Suspension Failures,
- Honda Passport SUVs Recalled for Wheels Falling Off,
- American Honda Recalls Fit for Headlight Failures
