Feedback on a Vibe Print Ad

[Timoteo]

Would love to get some feedback from everyone on a print ad for the Pontiac Vibe. This is just one idea, in the early conceptual stage, we are considering. It's not necessarily a finished ad. So, if you give feedback, try and concentrate on what it’s saying, overall, and the tone of voice moreso than the exact words, layout and design.Imagine you're flipping through Sport Compact Car or Import Tuner and you come across this ad ...What's your gut reaction to the ad?What do you think it is attempting to communicate?Does it connect with you personally?Is the message important/relevant to you personally?Is it engaging? (Would you stop and read it?)What would make it a better message to connect with you personally?Thanks for any feedback in advance. Look forward to seeing your responses.If you had any problems reading the smaller text, go the pic directly at... http://nicksimkins.com/vibe/misc/timote ... ackage.jpg

[d_m_kolb]

The pic is good, but different wheels would have made more of a impact. The wheels on the Vibe GXP would have looked killer on their plus I think the ad would get more attention. Those stock wheels do nothing for me.This is my opinion but any car I have ever seen looks better in black. If the add had the GXP wheels and was black I'd save the pic as a wall paper! Maybe adding a small pick of the optional supercharger some where on the ad would let people know the vehicle is going to be tuner friendly. If this ad were to run in a import mag having the supercharger info just enough to get someones attention would be a MUST!

[Flip-Side]

quote:The pic is good, but different wheels would have made more of a impact. I agree with Derek. The change in looks is not very noticeable to the common consumer and I in fact do not think that 1 change in image is enough. If you don't show you can compliment 1 mod with others that "accentuate" it, you are just treading water.The message is alright, but mabey made a bit more aggressive. Like "Dare to be different", or the like.

[csjrishere]

How about "some of us are just...different"

[Big_Red]

First reaction....if it were in a Import Tuner magazine....well, ok, whatever.My Vibe except for the monotone option is the same and the pic. I don't think it looks any different than what you would see on the street. Now, I am not saying that you should add 100 stickers, but the wheels would be a start...I wouldn't spend too much time looking at the ad. Maybe its the colour; since it blends in with the red on the top of the ad.But that is just my opinion.

[Sputnik]

While I agree that different wheels would look better, the Pontiac Vibe is whats being advertised, not the wheels. I think if you change the wheels you may lead consumers to believe that those are the wheels it comes with, and you are giving advertising to whoever makes the wheels. This is just my opinion of course.My gut reaction to it is "love it." It got my attention. I personally love the red, but then red is my favorite colour. Red definitely gets my attention, especially with the black background.

[Sputnik]

quote:My Vibe except for the monotone option is the same and the pic. I don't think it looks any different than what you would see on the street. I don't mean to be argumentative, but it is significantly different than your Vibe pictured in your signature. It has the sports accessory package which no Vibes have right now.

[NSimkins]

quote:the Pontiac Vibe is whats being advertised, not the wheels. Exactly. This ad is for the Vibe Sport Accessory Package only... so I would include stock wheels since any other wheels are not included in the package. Only advertise what you sell, otherwise people will probably complain.Otherwise, I like the ad. The only thing I would change is the color of the Vibe used. Something to go with the red on top, but not blend in. It's supposed to be different, right?

[d_m_kolb]

back on the wheel issue they need to add the GXP wheels and make the wheels a option then add it in the ad.

[KSNeptune]

Add a second Vibe in the shot, with the rear view to show off the wings and whatever other rear end details have changed. I almost thought it was a stock Matrix. Personally, I'm more interested in the potential supercharger. Make up an Ad with the message "Some of us just need to be in the lead.", and show a base vibe being passed by a supercharged base vibe motion blurred. In small print at the bottom put "Vibe Supercharger: $1500 installed. 35% improvement in torque and horsepower."I'll buy two.

[Umbie]

The add looks great. You are showing what you are advertising. The rest of you guys who like the wheels. Mille Miglia EVO from the tire rack. I've had those wheels on my wifes Volvo for about 4 years now. All the SEMA Pontiacs had those wheels also.Christopher Montelsano was driving the 04 Grand Prix GPX on SOPRANOS tonight with the EVO's.

[Stang2Vibe]

This ad wouldn't particularly appeal to me if I saw it in a tuner mag for several reasons. People (particularly younger ones) buy tuner mags primarily to find and compare performance upgrades. Nothing in the ad shows any kind of perfomance upgrade. Looking sporty is the natural follow up to BEING sporty. Mostly, the ad turns me off because I just don't like the sport package that is pictured. The side rocker panels are nice, but I think that they are stock Matrix parts (nothing "different" about that). The top rear spoiler is great, but please get rid of that stupid mid-spoiler thing. Looks like a small shelf to set things on while you search your pockets/purse to find the remote to open the hatch. The front end, well if you've ever seen a hamster stuff the pockets on the inside of the sides of his face with food, he would be doing a good impersonation of the front look of that Vibe. And the stock wheels that everyone is complaining about. I have those wheels on my Vibe and I hope to use them for winter tires only after I get some nice new rims that the car despirately needs. I understand that you can't picture the car with wheels that aren't available as stock, so dig up some stock wheels that are acutally attractive (the shinier the better, I'm talking chrome), make them part of the sport package, and put them on the car for the picture. I can't belive that Pontiac would offer a sport appearance package and still offer the same, average looking at best, base wheels. That front end really has to go, the more I look at it. It is the weakest part of the exterior look of the car, in my opinion, and the proposed package makes it even worse. The pic of the GXP has a nicer front end with the bumper losing the indentation in the center under the grille. Its an improvement, but is starting to remind me of the PT Cruiser a little bit.What is it trying to communicate? Soul Food comes to mind. Please go back to the "We build excitement" slogan, it connects more with me than this whole "soul" thing. I don't listen to jazz music or live in southern Louisiana, so the soul references are a turn off. Some of my friends (all here in college with me) have seen these "soul" ads and, like myself, are turned off by them. They like the car but they tell me that the slogan/theme creates an undesirable feeling about it.I also agree with some of the other posts here regarding the color of the car. It should be changed. It's not a bad color, just isn't fitting with the sport image you are trying to project with the ad. I agree that black would make the car look sleek, stylish, and sporty. When I think of a modified Civic or Acura RSX Type S, the color black just naturally comes to mind. But then you would have to change the background color to make the car stand out again. I do like the lighter gray misty shadow around the car, though.On a final note, just the fact that I would see a Pontiac ad in an import tuner mag would be enough of a hook to pique my curiosity and make me want to investigate what was going on. Perhaps some of the verbiage in the ad could somehow make a play on the domestic name being associated with imports. Sorry if this post was excessively long, I just had a marketing class this semester and some of it rubbed off on me I guess.

[Timoteo]

All great stuff. What about all those other people that have viewed the ad but not responded? Any feedback is good feedback, even if it's not as good as we'd like to hear.;?)Thanks. And keep it coming.

[NovaResource]

I like it. About the wheels, keep the stock ones. You are advertising the car and the package. Adding wheels that are not available or part of the package is false advertising. My advice, add the factory 17" wheels.

[Mr. Poopypants]

The ad is OK, I agree that different wheels would have made more of an impact, also if the car was shown in motion, or maybe in a different setting. I think the plain dimly lit background is a little bland. The ad also lacks substance. It really just shows the car and tells what the new added features are, it does not show the spoilers, you can barely see them. Different views would be nice, maybe a rear view so we could get the full effect of the spoilers. Just my opinion.

[Frosty]

You asked for more feedback so here you go...quote:Would love to get some feedback from everyone on a print ad for the Pontiac Vibe. What's your gut reaction to the ad? Good, the look is nice, simple, aggressive.What do you think it is attempting to communicate? An alternative to all the "me too" Ricers available.Does it connect with you personally? Nope. My focus is more utility, form must follow function. I would rather a sleeper Q-ship with your supercharger and leave the perfectly good exterior as is. My money would be spent under the hood and in the wheel wells.Is the message important/relevant to you personally? see above.Is it engaging? (Would you stop and read it?) YesWhat would make it a better message to connect with you personally? Details on the supercharger. That is the big news.

[slbpsi63]

What's your gut reaction to the ad? Looks too much like the website ad. comeup with something unique to start the campaign off. Anyone that has seen the website blurb has already seen soething similar to this. Get my blood flowing all over again and want to buy it when it comes out. What do you think it is attempting to communicate? I get the ad,but some people might not. Try to connect with people so that they want to make their Vibe look even more rare. Does it connect with you personally? NOPE. Not flashy enough. I saw the new TV ad this weekend for the VIBE GT. Driving in the open road and feeling the car is a great image feed off of that to sell the body kit. Is the message important/relevant to you personally? Nope its all aobut how the car looks to me. Is it engaging? (Would you stop and read it?) Nope it looks like the website ad. I've already read that. What would make it a better message to connect with you personally? PRICE, how can the package be broken up? Colors avaialbe in. is it still only three colors or primed. I have a Shadow Vibe that means I have to pay extra to paint it.

[baltimore17]

We're so used to the way our Vibes look that we tend to forget that it's a pretty aggressive design to start with. Adding all the goobers and figs in the sports appearance package puts it over the top in the context of Camrys and Malibus, let alone stock Civics and Neons. The image in this ad attracts my eye. The whole visual design caught my eye when a similar ad (with a Satellite monotone GT) ran in Sports Illustrated a couple of months ago.So, it says to me "Here is a car that really stands out from the pale, boring mass market, right out of the factory fresh box. Imagine for a moment how many Neons you'll be able to dust with this thing". Hey, face it, deep skirts and whale tail spoilers don't do a darn thing in the stoplight grand prix, but people buy 'em to Look Real Fast.Additional views, superchargers laying around (bad image: "hey, look what fell off that Vibe"), and other additions would, IMHO, clutter up the layout and eliminate the visual focus on The Wicked Vibe. The suggestions for a wheel change, though, I embrace as long as Pontiac would just offer them!I guess the color is a generational thing. I really like red (mine is Lava monotone), but I don't fit the target demographic for this ad. I've noticed in the GenVibe color discussions that the monochromatic colors (black & grays) really seem to equate to "sports" for those under about 30 years old.BTW, offer a set of clear-lens taillights with the internal complexity of those on the Altima or Ion sedan and I'm there.

[baltimore17]

Oh, yeah, I forgot to ask: Does anyone know where a print copy of this (or the monotone Satellite GT that ran in SI) can be obtained, preferably at least 11x17"?Thanks!

[tau166]

If you really want to advertise in SCC or Import Tuner, etc. you should help get aftermarket parts made and get articles written about what people are doing to their Vibes. An article in a magazine like that is worth much more than a 1 page advertiesement. My 2 cents.

[SCTM]

Some of us just need to be different... That`s why we drive VIBE (so few VIBE for so many guys, yet...)Well if you want to make this vibe different it takes a little more than skirt and spoiler. First thing that come to my mind is Nissan Sentra example. SE-R is different than GXE-XE for the front end and different (available) mag wheels. Personnaly I don't like rear spoiler (1 or 2...) but it`s different story. Color, yes is also important, what about new engine or boosted one`s for this spécial édition then I'll stop and read your ad (anyway we VIBE`s lovers read everything about our car... now you have to get everyone. - you're on the right track for it)

[vibegirl]

I don't know alot about cars...but I had to look at the pic a few times to try to figure out what was so different from the pics already advertised. Also the car needs to look SHINY in my opinion!

[vibb]

Gut reaction: Could not really tell the difference between the Monotone package. The wheels look smaller than normal for some reason.What do you think it is attempting to communicate?Buy another factory option, so you can have an slightly different car to anyone else who buys the package.Does it connect with you personally?Not really. I don't like looking at pictures of stationary, driverless cars.Is the message important/relevant to you personally?I think the message is all wrong. Didn't Lutz say he wanted less cladding on Pontiacs? Is it engaging? (Would you stop and read it?)I'd stop to look at the picture, and flip the page.What would make it a better message to connect with you personally?The package needs to be re-worked. De-emphasize appearance stuff. Put together a performance package instead. Factory CAI, dual exhausts, cladding-delete option.

[MA-VIBE-FAN]

Hope it is not to late to add my 2 cents. I don't think the ad does much to interest someone in the Appearance Package. There is very little info and not recomendation for sources of additional info (Dealer or website). I would read it because it is only 28 words. It is strange that you are trying to appeal to a buyer who would customize their car to show some individuality, and you use the same cookie cutter templete as your other adds (I also get a giggle out of VW looking for drivers (individuals) but they make all their dealerships look the same). Are you trying to appeal to a current Vibe owner to buy the package or to someone who is in the market for a car showing them they can buy a Vibe then get the package? That will effect the info you should put in the add. ( ie. comes prepainted in just three Vibe colors as a orderable option with the car, or primed for your color.) Think you should have two or more cars in the add. A second car from the rear to see the spoilers (different color). or perhaps an ad with 3 Vibe; Base, Montone, and then Appearnace Package. Or to push the whole team, perhaps a shot at a drive in or car club meeting with the Sunfire Appearance car in the background and the American Tunner Package Car (This years SEMA) also shown, to stress the theme of add ons. If you realy wanted to blow the budget, how about an ad like the Mini ads that featured stickers to customize the car in the picture. Could include the whole accessory line up then. Also any ad, should tease the coming supercharger (across the top corner or in a bubble somewhere in the ad) and anything else you will be offering. GM offers suspension and brake upgrades for the Grand Prix, are they coming for the Vibe? And since the subject of wheels has come up, I believe you can only show the factory wheels so it doesn't become an ad about the wheel. I also think since wheel/tires are a popular upgrade that you should be able to order the car without wheel covers or the GT without aluminum wheels as a cost savings. Well maybe closer to 25 cents then 2.