Where is the marketing?

[DocGT]

Ok. I know they are only making 5000 of these things, and they are all going to be sold, so there really isn’t a need for marketing. However, does anyone have some thoughts on why Ford hasn’t released an online visualizer or a feature rich webpage?

They have a beautiful site for the Ford GT MkII, but nothing more than a small paragraph on the GT500.

Are they waiting for finalized 0-60, 1/4 mile times and final weight?

Are they adjusting and fine tuning these numbers in response to the C8 announcement?

Your thoughts?

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[machsmith]

What makes you think only 1 year of production? if so, that would be the shortest production run of GT500s ever. Expect at least another year, possibly 3.

 

[DocGT]

What makes you think only 1 year of production? if so, that would be the shortest production run of GT500s ever. Expect at least another year, possibly 3.

Agreed. I’m referring just to the launch year of 2020s. Doesn’t it seem odd that there isn’t more marketing around this vehicle? Or am I just impatient?

 

[machsmith]

I agree with you, but I think it's because their resources are cut short. Their communication is bad, along with marketing. It could have been done a whole lot better, but from what I've heard, it's a program that had it not been already so far ahead, may have gotten chopped.
I think Ford is shooting for SUV/truck market, and putting everything else secondary. They have never really hyped up their specialty cars. It doesnt make much of a difference when your making 5 to 7,000 a year...besides, if they are shooting for a hybrid/electric autonomous future, what good does it do talking up a 760HP gas guzzler

 

[DocGT]

I agree with you, but I think it's because their resources are cut short. Their communication is bad, along with marketing. It could have been done a whole lot better, but from what I've heard, it's a program that had it not been already so far ahead, may have gotten chopped.
I think Ford is shooting for SUV/truck market, and putting everything else secondary. They have never really hyped up their specialty cars. It doesnt make much of a difference when your making 5 to 7,000 a year...besides, if they are shooting for a hybrid/electric autonomous future, what good does it do talking up a 760HP gas guzzler

Great points. Hopefully we will get a press release even if we don’t get a full visualizer and feature rich page.

 

[Tomster]

Marketing? The CFTP cars are going for 30K over. Why would you spend a cent more to marker something that is selling itself?

 

[DocGT]

Marketing? The CFTP cars are going for 30K over. Why would you spend a cent more to marker something that is selling itself?

Agreed. But not marketing to sell more cars, marketing to demonstrate what the car can do, or as a response to the C8 announcement.

Ford seems to let the car review websites and YouTube reviewers do that work for them. This just seems like a good opportunity for Ford to keep the momentum going for the Mustang brand. It’s muscle car season. They marketed the 760 HP in a goofy puzzle piece post online, then we heard nothing.

I’m very excited about getting my build date and receiving the car, I just wish Ford seemed as excited.

 

[Tomster]

The C8 reveal was a big publicity stunt. A base car that nobody would order for $60k. You would have to order the z51 package to make it live up to the reveal claims.

If I was at Ford, I wouldn't spend a cent to try to sell something that was selling itself.

The C8? It's not a $60k car. By the time you add it all up, it will be in the 70's.

 

[Bangarang]

The C8 reveal was a big publicity stunt. A base car that nobody would order for $60k. You would have to order the z51 package to make it live up to the reveal claims.

If I was at Ford, I wouldn't spend a cent to try to sell something that was selling itself.

The C8? It's not a $60k car. By the time you add it all up, it will be in the 70's.

From a marketing standpoint though, I know what DocGT is talking about. It’s not about sales for a particular model, it’s about brand awareness. Ford just made the most powerful model they’ve ever made and the majority of the public knows nothing about it. It’s about getting that brand recognition out there and people will figure, “if they’re doing this with the Mustang, what are they doing with the crossovers or the almighty F Series?”

 

[rebellovw]

The marketing is useful for selling other cars. Many want a GT500 when a GT ends up being a better choice so they buy a GT.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

Ok. I know they are only making 5000 of these things, and they are all going to be sold, so there really isn’t a need for marketing. However, does anyone have some thoughts on why Ford hasn’t released an online visualizer or a feature rich webpage?

They have a beautiful site for the Ford GT MkII, but nothing more than a small paragraph on the GT500.

Are they waiting for finalized 0-60, 1/4 mile times and final weight?

Are they adjusting and fine tuning these numbers in response to the C8 announcement?

Your thoughts?

You’d think they would release a commercial showing the GT500 & 350. Ala Dodge commercials. For no other reason. Than to move more EBs and GTs

 

[DocGT]

From a marketing standpoint though, I know what DocGT is talking about. It’s not about sales for a particular model, it’s about brand awareness. Ford just made the most powerful model they’ve ever made and the majority of the public knows nothing about it. It’s about getting that brand recognition out there and people will figure, “if they’re doing this with the Mustang, what are they doing with the crossovers or the almighty F Series?”

Exactly. Why do they market the
Ford GT? Why are they heavily marketing the Ford GT Mk II? It demonstrates the other side of the brand.

You have fuel efficiency, a foray into fully electric and semi-autonomous travel, and concentration on SUV/CUV popularity on one side, and you have supercar level performance and Le Mans winning pedigree on the other side.

For this being the most “Power dense V8 ever produced”, with a brand new DCT, supercar embarrassing performance and a whole host of standard equipment, you would think they would do more than just put together that ridiculous puzzle piece “760hp” as a marketing approach.

Hopefully they have something in development for when these hit the streets in late September/early October.

 

[JN66]

The C8 reveal was a big publicity stunt. A base car that nobody would order for $60k. You would have to order the z51 package to make it live up to the reveal claims.

If I was at Ford, I wouldn't spend a cent to try to sell something that was selling itself.

The C8? It's not a $60k car. By the time you add it all up, it will be in the 70's.

70s is still a free car if the performance lives up to what is claimed.

Still wouldn’t buy a first year corvette - they don’t have a great track record out the gate. Currently trying to talk my brother out of it as I figure it isn’t equipped to handle heavy track duty and he has a deposit on the new John Cooper Works Mini GP.

 

[Nolimits88]

The C8 reveal was a big publicity stunt. A base car that nobody would order for $60k. You would have to order the z51 package to make it live up to the reveal claims.

If I was at Ford, I wouldn't spend a cent to try to sell something that was selling itself.

The C8? It's not a $60k car. By the time you add it all up, it will be in the 70's.

Exactly, been saying this since day 1 the car was released. Many jumped on that headline a "C8 starting under $60k runs 0-60 under 3 secs" but that is not the case. The Z51 package is needed, plus all other options many will add this will drive the price right up to $70k if not more.

Ford knows they will sell all 5K of these, now if they pulled this with projected 20k being built then maybe a different response is needed. Hell just based off what was already released about it, I still ordered mine within the first hour banks opened up. We all can pretty much get a good idea what it will weigh. Just add roughly 250-400lbs ontop of both trim models of the GT350s and you know what you got.

 

[DocGT]

You’d think they would release a commercial showing the GT500 & 350. Ala Dodge commercials. For no other reason. Than to move more EBs and GTs

That would be great. It has been decades since the GT350 and the GT500 were in showrooms at the same time. You only have a few years left of taking advantage of this “heritage” marketing before the electric skateboards take over. Take advantage of this transitional period of horsepower wars.

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