Potential Volt Super Bowl Commercial

[EZ Volt]

2012-01-06-17.22.30.jpg
Link describes what sounds to be one of a few concepts being shot for potential Super Bowl ad buys.
I really do hope the next phase of advertising is a departure from the "is that where you pour in the electricity" and "what are you doing at a gas station" series. There is so much more to be said about the Volt, it's almost hard to choose. But I think any of them would be more beneficial (free suggestions below). What else would you like to see in a Volt commercial?
1. Hard hitting facts about the performance
2. Easy-to-digest (and memorable) illustrations to debunk some of the myths about EV use
3. Triumph of American design and engineering
4. Silence and Power
5. Some of the really cool unique features
6. Strongest action to support American energy independence and move away from fossil fuels altogether
7. Powered by energy Made-in-the-USA rather than shipped in from the desert
8. Placement in the proper market segment (compares against Acura/BWM/whatever, rather than the low-end economy cars the detractors like to use)
9. Owner testimonials

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...roit-buzz.html

[quartzav]

Maybe the fact that Volts handles better than CT200hs which in term are miles better than the Prius? (Well, not saying much since Prius set the bar pretty low.) Oh, wait...you said it in #8 ;p

Attachment 4250
Link describes what sounds to be one of a few concepts being shot for potential Super Bowl ad buys.
I really do hope the next phase of advertising is a departure from the "is that where you pour in the electricity" and "what are you doing at a gas station" series. There is so much more to be said about the Volt, it's almost hard to choose. But I think any of them would be more beneficial (free suggestions below). What else would you like to see in a Volt commercial?
1. Hard hitting facts about the performance
2. Easy-to-digest (and memorable) illustrations to debunk some of the myths about EV use
3. Triumph of American design and engineering
4. Silence and Power
5. Some of the really cool unique features
6. Strongest action to support American energy independence and move away from fossil fuels altogether
7. Powered by energy Made-in-the-USA rather than shipped in from the desert
8. Placement in the proper market segment (compares against Acura/BWM/whatever, rather than the low-end economy cars the detractors like to use)
9. Owner testimonials

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...roit-buzz.html

[DonC]

Yes it's time to talk about the advantages. I just hope they totally and completely skip battery safety. Enough already.

[TexRiguez]

I'd like to see one where each of stand beside our Volts and state our current average Gas Mileage. End with a generic lookup of someones average on myvolt.com

[MrEnergyCzar]

The commercial should focus on save a soldier, use less oil or show the volt driving past the Leaf EV getting a AAA re-charge...in response to the previous Leaf Ad.

MrEnergyCzar

[arveedee]

I'm an advertising writer by trade, currently doing projects for a major European auto maker and my background includes projects for Ford and another client whose initials are "G" and "M." I also have extensive background in writing for emerging tech products for both business-to-business and consumers. (Yes, I drive a Volt.)

What's my opinion of what a next Volt spot should accomplish? It's pretty simple...clearly explain basically how the freaking car works.

All the last flight of Volt spots did was focus on making light of the confusion surrounding the car's EREV technology without explaining anything. There's nothing in the Volt's tech that can't be explained to an eight-year-old in 30 seconds, tagged with the EPA numbers. Chevy needs to run a spot like this for at least four to six months to get across the basic idea behind this breakthrough technology.

(Heck, I even have the storyboard worked out in my head, but it's too much to get into here.)

[spreston]

I vote for focusing on the quality of the ride and ownership experience to differentiate the car from $15k econoboxes. Need to link to the true competition: Audi, BMW, and Mercedes compact cars that cost about the same. Back it up with customer testimonials.

People don't need to know how it works, they need to know what it will do for them: give them an premium ownership experience, save on average 70% less gasoline usage, save them around $2k per year in that gasoline.

[arveedee]

Fact is, aside from fuel economy, in several key areas -- not the least of which is horsepower -- the Volt falls short of the BMWs, Audis, etc, in its price segment.

You don't want to compete completely on those cars' terms. Heck, most people think the Volt is just a fancy Prius; leading many to scoff at its pre-tax-credit $39,000 sticker. The value of E-REV technology is not being grasped by the public. Volt is, and will continue to be, for at least another year, the pre-eminent hybrid and E-REV offering. The Volt has to stake its position as the ultimate in the hybrid/E-REV arena before going, feature for feature, against BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc. But first the public needs to understand specifically WHY it's superior to hybrids and full-on EVs. People DO need to know basically how an E-REV works and why it's such a game changer.

[spreston]

No way. That's a losing battle to get people to understand the Volt. You know being an advertising expert extrodinaire that women are more influential than men for car buying by percentage, and most women flat out don't want to know how the Volt works. Heck, they have no clue how their BMW works!

The Volt can compete on a superior ride with electric power and the fact that women hate going to the gas station. It's a premium car for much less than the premium competitors when you consider tax rebate and gas savings. 3 years of OnStar needs to be emphasized with it's concierge service, NAV entry (maybe 2% of women can enter a destination in a NAV), and it's safety and security features.

Please don't put up a flow chart explaining how the Volt works! That would be even worse than the current commercials.

Really want to help the Volt? Go through the history of how the Republicans created the current incentives to manufacturers and consumers for battery cars. That is a huge problem that is blowing up the Volt's future.

[stuart22]

Fact is, aside from fuel economy, in several key areas -- not the least of which is horsepower -- the Volt falls short of the BMWs, Audis, etc, in its price segment.

You don't want to compete completely on those cars' terms. Heck, most people think the Volt is just a fancy Prius; leading many to scoff at its pre-tax-credit $39,000 sticker. The value of E-REV technology is not being grasped by the public. Volt is, and will continue to be, for at least another year, the pre-eminent hybrid and E-REV offering. The Volt has to stake its position as the ultimate in the hybrid/E-REV arena before going, feature for feature, against BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc. But first the public needs to understand specifically WHY it's superior to hybrids and full-on EVs. People DO need to know basically how an E-REV works and why it's such a game changer.

If you are going to charge $40k for a car, you're absolutely going to have to go after the buyers who are looking at $40k cars and find a way to get them interested. You need to adopt an aggressive strategy in this very competitive segment.

The way you hit hard against these very capable cars in that segment is by trumpeting your own advantages over them; the unparalleled luxury from the creamy smoothness and quiet comfort, the unique technology and upscale features, the international media acclaim for the car, and to ice the cake operating costs that are a fraction of other cars in this class.

The mission is to redefine the qualities buyers in that price level would be looking for to include those where the Volt shines; and to position the Volt at the head of the class in those new areas.

Bang, bang, BOOM. Position yourself at the head of the class and make the others justify themselves within the parameters you've defined - the Volt will win out. And Volt prestige and sales will spike upwards.