Cover Story
Sex Sells. Celebrity Does Too
brand into the very lifestyle of our
target customer.’’
However, not every kinship is a
match, says Mitchell Johnson, mul­
ticultural public affairs. Ford Brand,
the Uniworld Group. "Unlike some
automakers, we’ve matched the right
products with the right spokespeople,”
he says. “Ford is successful because it
has identified peopie who are fascinat­
ed with its product. 'lake what we’ve
done with Magic Johnson. He told
us he loves die product, especially
the Navigator. Funkmaster Flex is a
Mustang nut. Nothing seems forced
with what we have been doing.”
And if it is forced, it may not work.
"Young people ages 25 to 45 are very
market savvy. T hey’re never going
to buy a car just because a rap art­
ist does a video or says something
about a car,” says Ann A.
Fishman, president
of Generational
Targeted Marketing.
“...They see
through hype and
spin.”
J
◄ Actor Terrence Howard,
f t
seen h e re w ith The C hrysler
Group's Ralph Gilles has
V
alTixed his signature to a
customized edition ot the Jeep
Commander
▼ As has Magic Johnson
(lite ra lly ) to a version ol the
I incoln M a rk I I .
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• I N C O L
'A A R %
She says marketers
likely stand a better
cliance with consumers
younger than 25, though
that’s no sure bet cither.
“They might not have
ever paid attention to a
Solstice if Ludacris hadn’t promoted it,
but whether that makes them go out
and buy one is yet to be proven.”
St) far, automotive marketers have
used more males than
females to pitch
their rides.
Despite studies that show that women
buy at least one-half of all vehicles,
and influence up to 80 percent of all
vehicle sales.
“Every company has its own strate­
gy ... but many times Snoop Dog and
Magic Johnson may not be the right
spokesperson to motivate women,”
says Pepper Miller, president of the
Hunter-Miller Group. “These may be
opportunities they’re missing.” ■
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