Super Bowl Ads As Michman, Research Paper

Men in this target market group are concerned about their masculinity and therefore more prone to buy objects that make them feel manlier. If a car promises to mitigate the feminizing effect of being in a committed relationship or in any job that does not involve the demolition derby, then that car might be worth buying. An advertisement like the 2010 Chrysler-Dodge Charger one therefore illustrates well the concepts of target market and predicting consumer behavior.

It is interesting to compare the 2010 Chrysler-Dodge advertisement with the 2011 Chrysler advertisement that aired during the Super Bowl. Although the 2011 advertisement is not for a specific brand of automobile like the Charger, it is nevertheless the same company. In 2011, the advertisement shifts from being puerile as it was in 2010 to being highly sophisticated and well directed. A celebrity endorsement is used, again one that appeals to the target market of white males. Eminem is shown driving one of the luxury models of the Chrysler. At the beginning of the advertisement, the voice over uses keywords and catch phrases that signify luxury, upward social mobility, and the achievement of the American Dream. Anyone familiar with Eminem's biography knows that this Motor City musician did in fact rise from the trailer park into stardom. Eminem does represent the fulfillment of the American Dream. Thus, the use of Eminem in the advertisement appeals to all the working class men who aspire to something greater. This message is more inspiring than the one presented in 2010's advertisement for the same car company.

Furthermore, in the 2011 advertisement, Eminem and the voice over extol the virtues of Detroit. The advertisement is as much an endorsement of the Detroit lifestyle and commemoration of the city's history as it is a sales pitch for the car. The last line of the commercial, printed plainly on the screen, reads: "Imported…from Detroit." The idea is that most Americans have begun buying foreign cars. It is an ethical and patriotic choice to buy a car made in the United States. Consumers impacted by a message emphasizing upward social mobility, the American Dream, and patriotism will surely be moved to purchase an automobile made by Chrysler.

The 2011 Chrysler advertisement illustrates a shift that took place in the marketing strategy of the Detroit car company. On the other hand, Volkswagen's marketing messages changed little between 2010 and 2011. The marketing strategies used by Coca-Cola also did not change very much during that year. This could mean that the target market for Volkswagen and Coca-Cola has not changed, and it might also mean that trends in consumer behavior among that target market also have changed little. In the 2010 Volswagen advertisement, a multicultural group plays the fun "punchbuggy" game played by children throughout the United States. The fun-loving motif continues in 2011, when marvelous computer animation depicts a beetle (symbolizing the Volkswagen Beetle car) buzzing through a landscape filled with other insects (symbolizing all the other non-Beetle cars on the market). The target market for Volkswagen is more multicultural and les gender-specific than the one used by Chrysler. In similar fashion, the Coca-Cola advertisements of 2010 and 2011 emphasize fun and escapism as lifestyle issues. If consumer behavior is shaped by values and lifestyle priorities, then fun would be a keyword for Volkswagen. Similarly, Coca-Cola advertisements show the Simpsons, computer animated dragons, and mythical medieval guards. The idea is that Coca-Cola helps make the world a happier place. Escape all the worries and sorrows of the world, and have a Coke!

References

Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2009). Principles of Marketing (13th Edition). Prentice Hall.

Michman, R.D., Mazze, E.M., Greco, a.J. (2003). Lifestyle Marketing: Reaching the New American.....