We’ve all seen commercials that show a steep craggy mountain; a large
trailer in tow behind a large pickup truck. A man with a deep voice
proclaims that this truck can tow more than its in-class rivals, has
bigger brakes, bigger tires, and a more powerful engine. The
imagery and the narrative converge to make you pick one up on the way back
from your manly construction job tomorrow. But why doesn’t it make me
want to buy one?

We’ve all seen commercials that show a steep craggy mountain; a large
trailer in tow behind a large pickup truck. A man with a deep voice
proclaims that this truck can tow more than its in-class rivals, has
bigger brakes, bigger tires, and a more powerful engine. Drab music
plays in the background over the drab color-filtered scenery, by
juxtaposition the narrator’s voice seems all the more powerful. The
imagery and the narrative (as well as the obligatory factory rebate
value at the end) converge to make you pick one up on the way back
from your manly construction job tomorrow. But why doesn’t it make me
want to buy one?

Quite frankly, I’ve seen that commercial. I’ve seen it about 5,000
times. I think it’s the same one that’s been recycled since 1990,
which is about as early as I can remember watching TV.

The “Big 3″ (and now their overseas rivals) have followed the exact
same formula for trying to sell their products for years. Watch the
next truck ad on TV with that first paragraph in your head and you’ll
see what I mean. Where is the good marketing? Where is the hype?
However, amidst all the stagnant, mundane marketing, one of the Big 3
has shone through with original adverts. This past year there have
been some from Ford for the redesigned 2004 F-150. So what’s so
different about Ford?

In a word, “innovation.” Ford’s ads are different because they show the function of their innovations and how they’re useful. While the
other commercial narratives focus mostly on horsepower, brake size,
and so on, they don’t give you any inkling as to what a vehicle is
actually made of. Ford has pushed the envelope in the advertisement
sense because their new commercials feature actual truck parts in
egregious test phases. I recall one involving the six bolts that hold
the truck bed to the frame. Why does that stand out to me? It’s
memorable because there is a Ford “engineer” (read: actor) who is
standing under a truck bed suspended by one the very bolts they
present at the beginning of the ad. To me, that “live demonstration”
counts. So does their demonstration of outboard mounted shocks
compared to standard shocks. So does their demonstration of “quiet
steel,” which by the way, is wicked freaking quiet. That’s
marketing.

There is one other company putting forth similar ads, that company
being GMC. GMC commercials tend to show innovations (Quadrasteer™,
etc) and finish on the line “Not more than you need, just more than
you’re used to.” This is exactly the kind of innovation turned
marketing that I’m talking about. The one drawback to the GMC
commercials is that they tend to fall back into the same old rut of
color-faded commercials with crappy music in the background. And they
always always always use that gray-bronze color for their
vehicles, which is just hideous. Show off the paint you invest all
that money in. Jesus H — enough of that color, guys.

I may very well be a different demographic. I understand the need for
towing (read: family boat), but for the most part it doesn’t fit me.
I’m a gadget guy. I like gizmos and toys, so I need to see more than
the “standard” features. Any second rate automobile company can put
power lock and power window kits on a vehicle. Hell, any second rate
do-it-yourselfer can put aftermarket power lock/power window kits in.
I’m sick of seeing people thinking conventionally. I need to see that
someone actually sat down and thought, “What would be useful?” as
opposed to the standard, “Well, the body is due for an overhaul.” I
love foresight. I like the rotary engine. I like the hybrid
engine. I like the changing LEDs in the 2005 Mustang (more to come on
that later). I like headlights that turn before you do.

If I had to give one piece of advice to Detroit (or Japan), it would
be, “Show me innovation.” I don’t want to see the mountain. I
don’t want to see the windy road. I certainly don’t want to see the
trailer. Don’t just tell me why your truck is better, show me.
Detroit should always be looking for the next big thing, and it
shouldn’t hesitate to try new things (within profit margin risk of
course). Talk is cheap, and so far this year the only company to get
it all right is Ford.