S550 campaign sucks

[thePill]

I know I am extremely excited... I would really like to see the car or at least some more skin as soon as possible.

Let's do an experiment in marketing... First, lets identify the "greatest fear" that could possibly be realized, perception. A nice place to look how perception can cause more harm than good is in pre-production. An even better place would be the 5th Gen Camaro's 3 year plan. I know for a fact there was a lot of unnecessary damage control for simple things like the rear bumper change, headlights, grill, roof and tail lights... Even after all the "stay calm" post, people still complained without EVER looking at the REAL car. Most initial pics and video of the 2014 scared people and some still feel that way (not having seen the car in person).

The only thing the marketing plan can do to avoid stupid bad press and two or three independents is KEEP EVERYONE IN THE DARK.

I personally don't feel like posting defenses the same way Scott Settlemire had to just to shut up some of the excessive haters on issues so minuet, nobody noticed after production. Ford is approaching this much differently... A starving media will eat each other and even other manufacturers offering will be brushed aside once info starts flowing. Ford is creating a rabid animal in the media... foolish enough to publish garbage rumors despite the impact on their credibility. Once the magazines are obedient, it's hard for another manufacturer to convince the readers the magazine is wrong.

It just good business...

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[thePill]

I guarantee the first front fascia shot we see will be of the base model and people will FLIP SH!T because the language is too soft and "WHERE'S THE FOG LIGHTS" comments.

Not having seen either a V6, Eco4 or GT yet... It's going to happen, the only thing marketing can do is reduce the time between spy pics so next weeks shot will put this weeks critics to rest without posting on here...

To be honest, a 4-6 month game is WAY TOO LONG for the average consumer... Impulse buying is usually done with little or no details on the product... The Mustang is an impulsive buy (especially now with the S550). Too much tease and they will find some place else to stick it... Get my drift gentlemen?

Plus, this thing is probably going to start another revolution. Chevy and others are designing the next whatever on a reactive plan... Chevy guys are working but, they don't what to get too deep to have to turn around. Official Camaro6 R&D will start on 18 April 2014.

 

[HGFireHazard]

I definitely concur with the feelings in this thread. The longer the game goes on with these minimalist scraps of information the more agitated I become. If you string along a guy for too long without giving him 'some' he will go elsewhere. There's a difference between a slow tease and being a prude, Ford.

I would check the internet daily or several times daily for updates over the past two months, now I find myself waiting a few days and all I come back to are the same threads with a few replies. For a while the conjecture was keeping me entertained but I'm wearing thin. It's time to get this show on the road.

I agree with wanting to know the date when we'll see the car. Or some equally important date. Right now we all are holding on for something, but we don't know when that's coming and it's all quite a turn off. Heck even the new renders have slowed way down.

So yeah, frustrated and starting to get bored, so come on Ford.

 

[let me ride]

I know I am extremely excited... I would really like to see the car or at least some more skin as soon as possible.

Let's do an experiment in marketing... First, lets identify the "greatest fear" that could possibly be realized, perception. A nice place to look how perception can cause more harm than good is in pre-production. An even better place would be the 5th Gen Camaro's 3 year plan. I know for a fact there was a lot of unnecessary damage control for simple things like the rear bumper change, headlights, grill, roof and tail lights... Even after all the "stay calm" post, people still complained without EVER looking at the REAL car. Most initial pics and video of the 2014 scared people and some still feel that way (not having seen the car in person).

The only thing the marketing plan can do to avoid stupid bad press and two or three independents is KEEP EVERYONE IN THE DARK.

I personally don't feel like posting defenses the same way Scott Settlemire had to just to shut up some of the excessive haters on issues so minuet, nobody noticed after production. Ford is approaching this much differently... A starving media will eat each other and even other manufacturers offering will be brushed aside once info starts flowing. Ford is creating a rabid animal in the media... foolish enough to publish garbage rumors despite the impact on their credibility. Once the magazines are obedient, it's hard for another manufacturer to convince the readers the magazine is wrong.

It just good business...

I hear what you're saying thePill, but I gotta agree with HGFireHazard, it's wearing thin. I'm excited too but if you think this is a game between Ford and the media, then we are just innocent bystanders. I dont care what goes on between them. Frankly, I'll take a spy pic or 3 of a crappy looking headlight or whatever it is if it just gets people talking. Cooler heads will know some things are subject to change before production.

and I will argue that keeping them (the media) and us in total darkness has not benefited Ford either ... you expect the media (and us) to just shut up completely with no info? It hasn't happened ---- I bet more than half of people out there already believe we are getting a Eurofyed Fusion/Evos etc. This DESPITE the fact that some Ford people have said it will be distinctly American and very much Mustang. So apparently these little crumbs from them fell on deaf ears in ways that a teaser or a little peek would not have.

I'm just surprised some of you guys actually think this kind of blackout campaign is fun or building up excitement. I already know of a bunch of people who got sick of the total lack of info and not having any idea when it will show it (we're talking as much as 4-6 months difference between some rumors) and they have turned their attention to other car news/rumors.

 

[Retrostang]

I hear what you're saying thePill, but I gotta agree with HGFireHazard, it's wearing thin. I'm excited too but if you think this is a game between Ford and the media, then we are just innocent bystanders. I dont care what goes on between them. Frankly, I'll take a spy pic or 3 of a crappy looking headlight or whatever it is if it just gets people talking. Cooler heads will know some things are subject to change before production.

and I will argue that keeping them (the media) and us in total darkness has not benefited Ford either ... you expect the media (and us) to just shut up completely with no info? It hasn't happened ---- I bet more than half of people out there already believe we are getting a Eurofyed Fusion/Evos etc. This DESPITE the fact that some Ford people have said it will be distinctly American and very much Mustang. So apparently these little crumbs from them fell on deaf ears in ways that a teaser or a little peek would not have.

I'm just surprised some of you guys actually think this kind of blackout campaign is fun or building up excitement. I already know of a bunch of people who got sick of the total lack of info and not having any idea when it will show it (we're talking as much as 4-6 months difference between some rumors) and they have turned their attention to other car news/rumors.

I was afraid is would look too Euro and be so much smaller that I wouldn't like it, so went with the 14. I couldn't wait another 6 months not knowing what the 15 would look like.

 

[S550Boss]

Now allow me to rant a little about the 2015 mustang marketing campaign thus far. IN MY OPINION, Ford has done a crap job with the S550 marketing.

This is ridiculous. The Camaro had already been cancelled and out of production. They had to say something to keep people on their side.

The Mustang is in production, and sales are rising. Telling people not to buy now, and not to buy until a date TBD sometime in the future, is just plain stupid.

 

[let me ride]

This is ridiculous. The Camaro had already been cancelled and out of production. They had to say something to keep people on their side.

The Mustang is in production, and sales are rising. Telling people not to buy now, and not to buy until a date TBD sometime in the future, is just plain stupid.

What does "to keep people on their side" mean? They didn't have to do anything just like Ford doesn't have to now. The question is whether they should.

Teasing the S550 is not the equivalent of telling people not to buy now. Spy pics come out all the time. People make their own decisions. How is this any different? How is it that we have just about as much concrete info about a Camaro that's due out in 2 years as we do for the S550 due out_____ ? And you know what there's been about as much marketing for both too.

 

[KZStang]

I guarantee the first front fascia shot we see will be of the base model and people will FLIP SH!T because the language is too soft and "WHERE'S THE FOG LIGHTS" comments.

You're right, but it will happen even after Ford reveals the full monty. Without fail, you will hear whining and nitpicking about every little change. They can't please everyone, but you can't please ANYONE when you're completely silent. So it's a tradeoff.

 

[bullets]

and I will argue that keeping them (the media) and us in total darkness has not benefited Ford either ... you expect the media (and us) to just shut up completely with no info? It hasn't happened ---- I bet more than half of people out there already believe we are getting a Eurofyed Fusion/Evos etc. This DESPITE the fact that some Ford people have said it will be distinctly American and very much Mustang. So apparently these little crumbs from them fell on deaf ears in ways that a teaser or a little peek would not have.

I would agree with this. It has led to some rampant speculation and left random individual artists to decide what the new Mustang will look like. To an extent, this is a good thing, but as a forum goer and enthusiast, it is silly when all we have to look forward to are some random guys who happen to have photoshop skills being treated like Gods and insiders. I'll be a happy man when we finally see something from Ford that makes all of that go away.

 

[K.Lysius]

The Mustang is in production, and sales are rising. Telling people not to buy now, and not to buy until a date TBD sometime in the future, is just plain stupid.

You make a good point actually. Teasing the soon to come new model really could have a bad result on current sales which are stronger than ever. My guess is that the last 2-3 months before the reveal is when Ford is gonna go full bore on the teasing and puffing up the s550.

 

[Overboost]

This thread sucks.

In all honestly, you can't expect Ford to launch an aggressive campaign while they're actively building 14MY cars for sale. That's a bad idea. Doing it in the winter months, when Mustang sales traditionally are slow or below average, while ramping down production volumes of the car, makes infinitely more sense. You don't want to castrate yourself and your sales at the sake of a few "tried and true" brand enthusiasts. We'll see it in due time, and the teasers and speculation will keep the rumor machine running full speed until the unveil.

 

[BoostedSVT]

Everything is running according to schedule so be patient. Given that we have just started seeing prototypes driving around, it is still much too early to expect them to just drop all the camo like a cheap hooker.

By the time they start preparing for tooling trial you will see plenty of spy photos. Only then does it make sense for Ford to start teasing the car, if they plan to do so at all. For now, the plan is to keep people guessing while riding out a good 2014 sales year.

 

[zerot]

First, relax these pics below are not the S550. Just so I dont get hate mail for it.

Now allow me to rant a little about the 2015 mustang marketing campaign thus far. IN MY OPINION, Ford has done a crap job with the S550 marketing. It's one thing to want to surprise people but there is such a thing as too secretive. The buzz and anticipation has been totally based off of how much excitement there is for the car and has nothing to do with anything Ford has done..... and they could totally capitalize on the enthusiasm if they wanted to. But they HAVEN'T one bit.

Compare to the Camaro in 2009. Yes I know it went out of production so there was built up demand. They revealed a concept three years in advance of production and one year before their fans were already snapping up pics like this in light camo.

It's been ten years since we got a new platform (and basically a totally new design) and this is supposed to usher the Mustang into the modern era. And we don't even get a concept?? Not even a teaser with less than 9 mos to go? Come on Ford....

The camaro boys had interior shots already by then and we get a big garbage bag driving around.

The PR and marketing boys at Dearborn need to get fired if you ask me. /rant.

You realize it's not just that the Camaro went out of production but a year before the 2009 was officially shown, there were already pre-production versions of it spotted? That's the real reason for the revealing spy shots you attached, not really about the marketing campaign or anything. They were obviously much farther in the development then Ford is now.

 

[let me ride]

This thread sucks.

In all honestly, you can't expect Ford to launch an aggressive campaign while they're actively building 14MY cars for sale. That's a bad idea. Doing it in the winter months, when Mustang sales traditionally are slow or below average, while ramping down production volumes of the car, makes infinitely more sense. You don't want to castrate yourself and your sales at the sake of a few "tried and true" brand enthusiasts. We'll see it in due time, and the teasers and speculation will keep the rumor machine running full speed until the unveil.

I hear ya but the cat is already out of the bag in many ways.
Put it this way, the only people really paying attention to the 2015 rumors right now is the "brand enthusiasts" anyways. These spy shots wont be seen by most regular folks so I dont think showing a little skin would hurt them much, if your point is that "regular" buyers will change their minds or hold off on purchase if they had a more aggressive campaign.

Also with redesigns most people's first reaction when they see the camo start coming off is "it's ugly" at the first sign of change. just dont think it would have a huge impact on sales. Heck might even help it.

 

[thePill]

I hear ya but the cat is already out of the bag in many ways.
Put it this way, the only people really paying attention to the 2015 rumors right now is the "brand enthusiasts" anyways. These spy shots wont be seen by most regular folks so I dont think showing a little skin would hurt them much, if your point is that "regular" buyers will change their minds or hold off on purchase if they had a more aggressive campaign.

Also with redesigns most people's first reaction when they see the camo start coming off is "it's ugly" at the first sign of change. just dont think it would have a huge impact on sales. Heck might even help it.

I'm going to be completely honest, a fender or hood shot is not going clear anything up. The S550 has to be seen in it's entirety to be reaally appreciated. The only exceptions are the rear, front fascia... The two highlights of the new car (so I am told). Interior could be the last thing we see too... also a big concern.

The S550 is going to be marketed as a very usable and livable entry level sports coupe/car, I want to see the space increases even though the car is smaller...

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