NEW DELHI: Finally, Ford has stepped on the gas to exhibit the ruthless aggression that American gas-guzzlers have been known for in its marketing initiatives and advertisement campaigns.
In its latest 'Swap Your Drive' campaign, Ford India has used user testimonials of people driving rival brands such as Maruti Swift, Tata Indigo and Toyota Fortuner after they swapped their vehicles for a Ford car for a week.
It's the first time a vehicle maker in the country has directly named rival brands in its advertisements-something that FMCG and cola brands have been doing-to drive home its claims of superior fuel economy, drive experience and advanced technology.
Ford says the idea is not to take on its rivals but highlight how the consumers react to a Ford vehicle after they have experienced it for a week.
"Every manufacturer has its product strengths and it communicates those using creative media. We have chosen the path of using real people and real experiences in our communication, which makes it more authentic and credible," says Ford India Vice-President (Marketing) Anurag Mehrotra.
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota declined to comment.
Interestingly, all the three rival cars featured in the advertisement-Toyota Fortuner, Maruti Swift and Tata Indigo-far outsell Ford competition in their segments, namely, Endeavour, Figo and Fiesta, respectively.
Industry experts call the aggressive campaign a sign of the times in a market that is slowing down.
"Carmakers are doing whatever possible to boost sales. They are either resorting to aggressive discounts and offers or aggressive advertisements," says Rakesh Batra, partner and head of automobile practice at Ernst & Young.
The world's second-fastest growing car market has of late been hit by high interest rates, rising fuel price and negative consumer sentiments.
After growing a breakneck 30% last fiscal, the Indian car market lost steam this year. Sales dropped for two consecutive months-15.7% in July and 5.7% in August.
Auto magazine ZigWheels Editor Adil Jal Darukhanawala says the Ford campaign merely exhibits a trend that has been played out umpteen times abroad. "Comparative advertisements are sign of the times. What's happening in India is in line with how automobile industry has progressed around the world," he says.
Such advertisements, adds Darukhanawala, can amuse, delight or infuriate. "It's a welcome thing if done tastefully, but is quite disgusting if it is done in a devious manner."
AGGRESSIVE STREAK
Hunto! While Ford is the first carmaker to name its rivals in a campaign, Indian vehicle makers have become much more aggressive than before in their campaigns.
Bajaj Auto set the pace in May when it came out with Pulsar's Hunto advertisement, in which it proclaimed that "Pulsar sells five times more than any Japanese sports bike in India."
It was perhaps the first time that any Indian automaker had taken on Japanese brands head on, but definitely not the last.
A few months later, it was the turn of Tata Motors to tease Japanese carmakers with its advertisement for Manza. It shows a few engineers of a Japanese carmaker being flown to a secret chamber where an executive, standing next to a Manza Elan, shoots some tough questions at his team members, who have no answers.
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In its latest 'Swap Your Drive' campaign, Ford India has used user testimonials of people driving rival brands such as Maruti Swift, Tata Indigo and Toyota Fortuner after they swapped their vehicles for a Ford car for a week.
Ford says the idea is not to take on its rivals but highlight how the consumers react to a Ford vehicle after they have experienced it for a week.
"Every manufacturer has its product strengths and it communicates those using creative media. We have chosen the path of using real people and real experiences in our communication, which makes it more authentic and credible," says Ford India Vice-President (Marketing) Anurag Mehrotra.
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota declined to comment.
Interestingly, all the three rival cars featured in the advertisement-Toyota Fortuner, Maruti Swift and Tata Indigo-far outsell Ford competition in their segments, namely, Endeavour, Figo and Fiesta, respectively.
Industry experts call the aggressive campaign a sign of the times in a market that is slowing down.
"Carmakers are doing whatever possible to boost sales. They are either resorting to aggressive discounts and offers or aggressive advertisements," says Rakesh Batra, partner and head of automobile practice at Ernst & Young.
The world's second-fastest growing car market has of late been hit by high interest rates, rising fuel price and negative consumer sentiments.
After growing a breakneck 30% last fiscal, the Indian car market lost steam this year. Sales dropped for two consecutive months-15.7% in July and 5.7% in August.
Auto magazine ZigWheels Editor Adil Jal Darukhanawala says the Ford campaign merely exhibits a trend that has been played out umpteen times abroad. "Comparative advertisements are sign of the times. What's happening in India is in line with how automobile industry has progressed around the world," he says.
Such advertisements, adds Darukhanawala, can amuse, delight or infuriate. "It's a welcome thing if done tastefully, but is quite disgusting if it is done in a devious manner."
AGGRESSIVE STREAK
Hunto! While Ford is the first carmaker to name its rivals in a campaign, Indian vehicle makers have become much more aggressive than before in their campaigns.
Bajaj Auto set the pace in May when it came out with Pulsar's Hunto advertisement, in which it proclaimed that "Pulsar sells five times more than any Japanese sports bike in India."
It was perhaps the first time that any Indian automaker had taken on Japanese brands head on, but definitely not the last.
A few months later, it was the turn of Tata Motors to tease Japanese carmakers with its advertisement for Manza. It shows a few engineers of a Japanese carmaker being flown to a secret chamber where an executive, standing next to a Manza Elan, shoots some tough questions at his team members, who have no answers.
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