A weblog for Pete Ellertsen's mass communications students at Benedictine University Springfield.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

COMM 150: Chevrolet, ads, USP in action

"How to Create Your 'Unique Selling Proposition' (USP) That Makes Your Marketing Generate More Results" by Interactive Marketing Inc. of Bend, Ore. defines a Unique Selling Point (or Proposition) as whatever "makes your product or service the 'gotta have' item." They say to:
Write your USP so it creates desire and urgency. Your USP can be stated in your product itself, in your offer, or in your guarantee:
  • PRODUCT: "A unique baseball swing that will instantly force you to hit like a pro."
  • OFFER: "You can learn this simple technique that makes you hit like a pro in just 10 minutes of batting practice."
  • GUARANTEE: "If you don't hit like a pro baseball player the first time you use this new swing, we'll refund your money."
Write your ideas on paper now...
This isn't the only explanation of how ads work. It may not even be the best. But it's convenient, and all of these things say pretty much the same things. So we're going to give it a road test (forgive the pun) by looking at some Chevrolet ads and trying to second-guess what the USP is.

Here are some old print ads ... up to 1969. What do they emphasize about the PRODUCT, What's the OFFER? Any GUARANTEE?

And here's a recent TV ad "Chevvy Runs Deep." Let's watch it, read some commentary ... and discuss.

The comment is by Mikey Kaus, who writes a blog for Newsweek's website. He panned the Chevvy ad. Quoting another website, he suggested it's probably not quite the "Worst Ad Slogan Ever," but it comes close. Kaus added:
That may be a stretch. It's better than "Excellence for All"! But it is a little weird. Is this a submarine they're selling? What is there about Chevy that runs deep? Red ink? Work rules? Influence in the Obama administration? More important, as Jalopnik notes, the slogan tells you zero about the product (assuming it's nonsubmersible). "Chevy Runs Deep" appears to be yet another attempt to sell you patriotic "heritage"—in other words, to get you to buy an American car because American cars used to be really good and everybody drove them!


Snarky, snarky.

But is Kaus' snark accurate?

Is there a USP here? Is it tacked on? Does it, as John Vivian might say, "Create a benefit of the product, even if from thin air?" Or is there something real in Chedvrolet's brand? How does it change our perspective if we focus away from the product and more on the experience a consumer has with the product? What does history have to do with a brand?

7 comments:

Haleyobrien said...

The slogan for 'Chevy Runs Deep' I don't believe is very accurate. Fords were the first vehicles made. Yes, it is an American-made vehicle but I don't like the slogan. It's not the worst I've heard, but I definately wouldn't buy a Chevy just for the slogan and it does not intice me at all.

Gljudson91 said...

Due to Chevy's longevity i think "Chevy Runs Deep" is a ok slogan but it's not accurate enough to turn much attention towards their cars If you stamp a garuntee on it more people will food in

Cait131 said...

With 'Chevy Runs Deep' as a slogan, I don't believe that it is catchy enough for the business. It's not too bad, but it's really not that interesting. With Chevy being so popular and many people owning them, you think the slogan for Chevy would catch more attention.

Tbock said...

Chevy has been around for years, and they show all of the types of chevys they have had over the years. They are made for familys and safety.They make it clear that they have been serving America for years and are still around and going strong. Chevys slogan I feel fits because they have been around for so many years!

Kris10 said...

I feel "Chevy Runs Deep" is ok touse as a slogan but i feel it would be better to advertise towards how and why short and sweet still . History reflects on prodcts becuase it shows years of experience andthat the product is obvs well liked due to many years of service. It helps products to sell because of a history

RSeaver said...

To me "Chevy Runs Deep" isn't a very effective slogan. It just doesn't mean much to me. I understand it, Chevy has been around for a long time, but I think they should probably do something else to draw in a new crowd.

Kayla said...

The slogan "Chevy runs deep" in my opinion needs to go into more detail. It basically talks about how long they've been around and how popular they are, but it seems to me that if i'm watching this commerical I'm going to want alot more facts or something that grabs my attention more if I'm going to go out and by this kid of vehicle. It's not a horrible slogan, but it does need something else to it.

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About Me

Springfield (Ill.), United States
I'm a retired English, journalism and cultural studies teacher at Springfield College in Illinois (acquired by Benedictine University and subsequently closed). I coordinate jam sessions for the "Clayville Pioneer Academy of Music" at Clayville Historic Site and the Prairieland Strings dulcimer club, and I sing in the choir and the contemporary praise team at Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield. On Hogfiddle I post links and video clips for our sessions and workshops on the mountain dulcimer (a.k.a. "hog fiddle"), as well as research notes on folklore and cultural studies, hymnody and traditional Anglo-Celtic and Scandinavian music. I also posted assignments and readings in my interdisciplinary humanities classes. The Mackerel Wrapper (now on hiatus), carried assignments and readings for my mass comm. students. I started teaching b/log when I chaired SCI-Benedictine's assessment committee, and reopened it as the privatization of public schools grew increasingly troubling and closer to home.