Fiat aims 'Lo

This spot interrupted my football game last night and I thought, huh, this seems a little off of the strategy I remember them talking about when the Fiat 500 was launched a few months ago.



So I went back and looked and damned if I wasn't right. The Fiat 500, the reincarnation of a classic European marque, was originally pitched this way, "as time changes and things become modern, the simple things in life are what matter," by Laura Soave, Fiat Marketing director.

In case you hadn't noticed this spot is not simple.

Now, I know strategies change. Sometimes your first idea doesn't move the needle so you have to try something else. But this something else seems to be from a brand that isn't really sure what it stands for.

How do I come to this conclusion? Here's what Fiat CEO and Chrysler Corp CMO, Oliver Francois had to say in Ad Age.

"Like the Fiat consumer, Jennifer Lopez sees the world as her canvas and is not afraid to express herself; she is continuously drawn to projects that are authentic and real. Jennifer fits perfectly with the brand not because of who she is but because of what she is -- authentic, passionate, modern and a fighter determined to stand out from the rest. As you look at her career path, she embodies the Fiat philosophy, 'Life is Best When Driven.'"

Huh?

Yes Fiat and J-Lo have been adored as sex symbols. The 124 Spider is still one of the most iconic automotive designs ever produced. And they've both seen their share of failure. Anyone remember Gigli? Anyone?

These similarities do not a brand match make.

This is just another case of a marketer not having a clue and covering it up with some borrowed interest and a huge production budget. Work like this for a brand that's so rich in heritage, style, differentiation and relevance is just plain sad.

Cool marketing

It's time once again for life to imitate art, that is if you consider popular television to be art.

Ben & Jerry's announced a new flavor to it's line up based on this Saturday Night Live sketch.



The newest pint – vanilla ice cream with fudge covered rum balls – is bringing a lot of attention to a brand that had lost a little momentum over the past few years.

It may not become my favorite ice cream, it's going to remind a lot of people that Ben & Jerry's is still out there. And that's what good marketing is all about.

Flying blind online

I know that several University of Wisconsin alumni have done very well for themselves. But honestly a college newspaper's website seems like an odd place to advertise corporate air travel.

Now, I may be wrong about the readership of the Badger-Herald online, but I know that I'm not going to be spending this kind of money on a plane trip any time soon. So however they're doing their tracking, something is seriously wrong.

If they're really interested in reaching people who can drop $3,400 an hour on air travel, I'd recommend my friend Christopher Parr's new site, Pursuitist.