Fiat has a problem.
Sales in the United States continue to fall as American car shoppers fail to recognize Fiat’s value proposition. Either that, or the marginal reviews of Fiat’s cars to this point have turned buyers off the brand.
Sales so far for the year are down over 16 percent from last year.
Fiat has some great things going for it now, though, including the 500X mini crossover and the 124 Spider roadster.
To help change how Americans perceive the Fiat brand, FCA has launched a series of video ads aimed at giving U.S. shoppers a “Whole New Way to Look at Fiat.” The ads feature innovative camera techniques, but will that be enough to convince people to put Fiat on their lists?
Olivier Francois, FCA’s Chief Marketing Officer, said,
We needed to change the conversation and do a fundamental shift in strategy to highlight the specific attributes of the Fiat 500X crossover, including its larger size and 4×4 capability of the model. Provoking people to see Fiat in a new and fresh way achieved through creative techniques not used before in car advertising is also a reflection of our philosophy – do things different to stand out. And do them in a way that makes a meaningful difference.
One ad is shot entirely with a GoPro camera in a nausea-inducing spin-fest that highlights the 500X’s off-road capabilities.
Another ad showcases the cargo-capacity of the 500X by proving that a doll house can fit inside the car. While the forced-perspective technique is definitely cool, a child’s toy isn’t exactly the best representation of hauling capacity.
All of the ads can be found on the company’s YouTube channel.
The CarGurus review of the 500X says,
If the new Fiat 500X proves reliable and passes crash tests with top marks, this little crossover has the power to change the automaker’s course, shine its image, and crank up the profit machine. If it proves unreliable and doesn’t get a Top Safety Pick or 5-star crash-protection rating, this little crossover is likely to need big rebates to help dealers move the metal. Clearly, Fiat needs to get the 500X exactly right. The company is off to a good start.
Well, good news for Fiat. Its little ute did indeed get top scores and earned a 2016 Top Safety Pick nod from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We’ll see how reliability holds up, but this car, and the ads promoting it, should help lead to better days for Fiat in the United States.
After seeing some ads for the Fiat 500X, would you consider test-driving one?
-tgriffith
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