Fiat's dumb marketing campaign

So, I see all kinds of Fiat ads on the internet and it goes to their Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/FiatUSA?bid=5010298&pid=56365531&adid=233361793&rid=39713253&channel=display

Now, in this facebook page is a rather boring presentation movie given obviously more for dealers and less of actual consumers. Even worse, it's full of people putting up Fiat "hate" entries like below.

Sorry... I really don't get it. Why not send them to an actual website to find out information on the car and where to get one? Why direct people to pages that humiliate you why you try to attract people to your brand?

Then, if you actually do find their official website and you click on "find a dealer", you get page that comes up that says "Fiat Studios Arriving soon". WTF???? This is supposed to give people confidence in your once damaged brand? This is the best you can do when trying to enter the most difficult market in the world?

Seriously... these guys are idiots. The car may be pretty cool but I have zero confidence in the organization to bring it to market. The way Mini marketed and entered the market just blows these people away.
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Beyond all that, the irony will be that most of the negs come from people that cannot afford a new Fiat, and whose 1988.5 Cavalier spends more time in a NAPA parking lot than on the highway, and their idea of a super car is now sitting up on blocks in front of a single wide while the whole neighborhood chaws on grass and hoping a hero's hope that the Cimero on cinder blocks can once again roll the open highway as the rebellious, free spirit that it was born as, and shall always be.

 

+1 to both posts above, mostly. Though for Fiat we have some "Catch 22's" here:

1) How can they not have a Facebook page? I guess they could turn off comments, but how would that look?

2) As far as their own website, true all info is not in place yet, but if they had no website at all we would say "why can't they at least have something up?"

 

As Italian, I should be happy and proud that our main automotive company is entering US market again, but I must - sadly - admit that in my country many have the feeling that something's missing at Fiat headquarters... Something about projecting models and - generally - the way to do things properly.
I'm not talking about quality/reliability here, which is increased a lot in recent years compared to bad past - seriously.
As to marketing, in Europe they're good, but down there you're showing me the contrary.
The real, big mistake is that in the last decades in Italy there is one only boss: Fiat!
Alfa, Lancia, Ferrari, Maserati, truck divisions, etc., it all belongs to Fiat = NO domestic struggle = SLOW improvement.
Fiat is mainly interested in selling little cars, to the detriment of "big" - at least from a European point of view - sedans. AR 166? No substitute. Lancia Thesis? The same.
That's why many German cars are sold here... Not everybody can afford an "Italian Quattroporte".
I'm one of the persons that back in 1986 did want Ford as Alfa Romeo buyer.
And I've said all :-(
Sorry if maybe I've gone out of theme, but some things make me angry...

 

I think part of the issue is that you have people like me and Sam that love the cars and easily place deposits on them and Fiat thinks they have a winner.

What they forget is that we're both part of the lunatic fringe of the lunatic fringe (not that there is anything wrong with that ).

 

So true.

 

I'm not saying they should not have a Facebook page. My issue is, why have all your internet advertising direct you to it instead of your homepage? Why have this rather boring "dealer" presentation on the page instead of an interesting sizzle film about the car?

And, why launch an internet campaign when your homepage isn't even finished? That seems incredibly dumb to me.

The sooner they get rid of the current marketing people, the sooner they might actually begin to get some public interest aside from us "Fiat nuts".

 

Good points.

 

Italians, organized?


Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

 

Except the US marketing group is being run by Americans....

 

I don't think the Italians care what anyone thinks of their products. They make them the way Italians like'em and thats what everyone else gets. They don't care whats on Facebook. If they did they would have pulled all that stuff off.

 

Well, that strategy and thinking worked out great for them the first time, didn't it...

 

I think they are trying a different approach this time..mostly

 

The brochure has been published.

http://www.fiatusa.com/en/pdf/FIAT_brochure.pdf

 

right, on their website.
BTW, just un case anyone doesn't know here is the best place to find all things Fiat 500:

http://fiat500usa.blogspot.com/

 

They need to check with Palin, she has a staff 24/7 that cleans "haters' right off of her page.....LOL!

 

nothing like shooting the messanger, even before the message is fully dielivered.

JD

 

This is a Fiat commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBYDJIZtTm8 I first saw it almost four decades ago, and I'll never forget it.

 

Paul,

I like this one too.

Edwardo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16bCk3UXm8M&feature=related

 

Edwardo,
I had never seen that commercial. Thanks for the link; the sound of that engine was pure pleasure.

 

Another good Fiat ad (well, a Panda made under license).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeLBvJzrwhs

 

I KNEW that was the commercial you meant! I recall that too.

"This is Rémy Julienne, Europe's greatest living stunt driver"

At the end of the commercial it says he does most of his stunts in
"...a Fiat 124. A Family car."

 

My cousin used to make all the commercials for FIAT in eastern europe a few years back. They were pretty different from this US campaign.

 

I don't think they have developed any commercials yet. The only thing close was a clip for the LA auto show, not for the general public.

 

You'll love this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoD3zISVmRo