Marketing gone too far?

JohnM · 03-31-2006, 04:22 PM

Now, I'm not the world's biggest Nascar fan, but I can respect the skills and dedication of the drivers involved. With popular drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr and Rusty Wallace, I can understand their desires to cash-in on the value of their names. But I think NASCAR might be pushing the whole marketing thing a little far.

NASCAR apparel, a given. Everyone wants their hero's name on a shirt.
NASCAR videogames, makes sense. People can play them and feel like they're racing with the big boys.
NASCAR chainsaw... OK, its starting to get a little out there.

Heres the kicker though:
NASCAR-brand meat products and NASCAR-brand veggies?

I just don't get it.

Anyone else have examples of marketing gone wrong or too far? Post them below!

2-wi · 03-31-2006, 04:36 PM

:| Um, ok, I've never heard about that before. As if they don't make enough money already.

rudedog · 04-01-2006, 12:05 PM

ahhh, the new age has arrived.
now we can all eat really really fast food.
vrrrooommm.
we will no longer be bothered by supper time, we can run in the front door make a pit stop at the dinner table and then run right out the back door. enless mom is waving a flag that is.
the kids will eat their veggies so fast they wont even realise that you had snuck peas in.

Crys · 04-03-2006, 11:21 AM

That's as out-there as the guy who's trying to sell advertising space on the back of his head (saw it on cnn, can't find a link to a related online story) or the guy leasing his forehead for college money.

I kind of could see the meats. Don't they serve hotdogs and junk food in the stands? They can keep the money in the company by having their own brand of that instead of bringing in contractors ... but ... vegetables? 8O

**Kris10** · 04-03-2006, 11:59 AM

I've seen promos where you can get a free car. The catch is that the car is plastered in advertising! There are also scam websites cropping up for free cars. The sites offer to help you apply for free cars, or claim to offer top-secret info on getting into free car programs. It's all a set up to take your money. I'll stick with my liberal bumper stickers, thank you!

PannyAnny · 04-08-2006, 11:15 AM

That is just toooooo funny, RUDEDOG.[/img]

kmfarm · 04-09-2006, 07:52 PM

Don't blame NASCAR for the marketing ploys. Alot of test marketing goes into these things before money is invested into branding, packaging, distribution, etc. The real kicker is the folks who will actually pay more for these items compared to their counterparts. Kind of like name brand vs generic or a Harry Potter lunchboxes compared to a brown sack.

The point is, you wouldn't see the marketing if their wasn't already the market.

The ones that actually drive me nuts is the fast food/soft drink commercials endorsing a movie before the movie even comes out.

The other marketing strategy that works great but drives me nuts is all the SUV commercials. Big tall heavy expensive trucks being shown rolling over rocks and streams proving their ability to get you to Wal-Mart and back better than other vehicles.

Or how about the Chevy 4x4 commercial showing Howie Long telling a driver to go around a construction site with his truck rather than wait. See how much that'll cost you to try.

Somehow it works though. SUV's are the best selling cell phone carriers out their right now. I wonder how many "soccer moms" actually use the 4 wheel drive, let alone ever need it. They'll just happily chew up expensive tires, suck up gas and drive too fast for conditions.

Marketing works.

Mark

rudedog · 04-11-2006, 12:09 PM

it does?
so, i own a nascar cell phone charger. why? because thats what was on the shelf when i needed one. if they would have stocked only barney chargers, i would have a purple one right now. im not even close to being a nascar fan. i simply pay no attention to the emblem because thats not what i bought it for. i guess that attempt at marketing didnt work. i would have prefered a plain black one. but thats just me i guess, ive never wasted money on a nike shirt,or a dodge belt buckle eather. i must be really uncool, huh.

Crys · 04-12-2006, 10:15 AM

My first job out of college was selling jewelry in the mall. The one I never got was why people would buy gold Nike jewelry. That made about as much sense then as the nascar vegetables do. Nike shoes, maybe, but why would you pay a company to wear their logo? They should be paying you! But that was probably the highest selling item we had.

Heh. I think I would have avoided the Barney chargers even if that was all that store had in stock :lol:

What I don't get is _why_ that kind of branding works. It obviously does, on about 85% of consumers. But why?

CarGuy · 04-14-2006, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Heh. I think I would have avoided the Barney chargers even if that was all that store had in stock

What I don't get is _why_ that kind of branding works. It obviously does, on about 85% of consumers. But why?

I would have to say that it works because we let it..... :wink: