Ford Marketing Presentation - Melbourne 16th August‏

RedHotGT · 14-08-2012, 01:07 PM

Hey guys,

Did anyone sign up to attend the Ford Marketing Presentation in Melbourne this week?

It was launched and discussed on http://www.facebook.com/FordAustralia after much criticism was received about their lack of Marketing and Strategy.

Just wondered if anyone from here was going to check it out? And wonder if anyone will be able to report back what is discussed.

I understand that all attendees will need to sign a "Confidentiality Agreement" which is legally binding. Interesting.

Cheers,
Loftie

Brazen · 14-08-2012, 01:12 PM

Should be interesting

dimka100 · 14-08-2012, 01:28 PM

So does that mean the selected few will be told, while the rest will still be in the dark?

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

Hey guys,

Did anyone sign up to attend the Ford Marketing Presentation in Melbourne this week?

It was launched and discussed on http://www.facebook.com/FordAustralia after much criticism was received about their lack of Marketing and Strategy.

Just wondered if anyone from here was going to check it out? And wonder if anyone will be able to report back what is discussed.

I understand that all attendees will need to sign a "Confidentiality Agreement" which is legally binding. Interesting.

Cheers,
Loftie

RedHotGT · 14-08-2012, 01:46 PM

Apparently the presentation is by David Katic (General Marketing Manager of Ford Australia) and goes for about 90 mins.

I am confused why Ford Aus would bow down to 'keyboard warriors' that seem to know everything about everything?

And to bring in the 'boss' of marketing makes it sound like they are serious - so only time will tell.

prydey · 16-08-2012, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

I am confused why Ford Aus would bow down to 'keyboard warriors' that seem to know everything about everything?

probably because they are aware of the damage that forums like this one are doing to the brand. if the negativity on this forum was replaced with positivity, there is a good chance it would equate to better sales. anyone doing a search on falcon would end up at AFF and if you are honest, would you buy one after reading a handful of comments/threads on here??

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0son

11 from Ford? Or 11 total?

11 total i believe. hopefully the melb one fares a little better.

Smoke Pursuit · 16-08-2012, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

probably because they are aware of the damage that forums like this one are doing to the brand. if the negativity on this forum was replaced with positivity, there is a good chance it would equate to better sales. anyone doing a search on falcon would end up at AFF and if you are honest, would you buy one after reading a handful of comments/threads on here??

11 total i believe. hopefully the melb one fares a little better.

Of all my friends who have bought cars in the last 12 months not one of them has gone searching through internet forums......

The biggest buyers of Falcons have always been fleets anyways... Not private buyers, so why would you waste the money marketing on tv when you only sell 10% of your cars to private.... Fleets are more interested on the paper proposals (fuel costs, resales values and meeting carbon guidelines)... Do you think fleet operators sit at home picking cars to buy based on tv commercials? The 10% of personal buyers who buy them have been typically buying them for life....

Ford should have registered 100 Ecolpi / ecoboost cars and given them to the likes of Fleet Care & Lease Plan for 6 months and told them to send them around the country to all their fleet operators for appraisal, with what they would get back for them through Ford Auctions at the end of the 6 months it would cost them stuff all to do, and would potentially boost sales by 500 - 600 cars a month!

The ecoboost Falcon is potentially one of the best fleet hacks on the market, sadly no one knows about it!

prydey · 16-08-2012, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Of all my friends who have bought cars in the last 12 months not one of them has gone searching through internet forums......

oh, so that must mean it doesn't happen then. sorry, i stand corrected. people don't use the internet to research.

Smoke Pursuit · 16-08-2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

oh, so that must mean it doesn't happen then. sorry, i stand corrected. people don't use the internet to research.

Not the forums.... If i wasn't an enthusiast I would not go looking on some forum I had to join.... Perhaps Carsguide or Carsales....

Joe5619 · 16-08-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Of all my friends who have bought cars in the last 12 months not one of them has gone searching through internet forums......

The biggest buyers of Falcons have always been fleets anyways... Not private buyers, so why would you waste the money marketing on tv when you only sell 10% of your cars to private.... Fleets are more interested on the paper proposals (fuel costs, resales values and meeting carbon guidelines)... Do you think fleet operators sit at home picking cars to buy based on tv commercials? The 10% of personal buyers who buy them have been typically buying them for life....

Ford should have registered 100 Ecolpi / ecoboost cars and given them to the likes of Fleet Care & Lease Plan for 6 months and told them to send them around the country to all their fleet operators for appraisal, with what they would get back for them through Ford Auctions at the end of the 6 months it would cost them stuff all to do, and would potentially boost sales by 500 - 600 cars a month!

The ecoboost Falcon is potentially one of the best fleet hacks on the market, sadly no one knows about it!

Now private buyers is down to 10%????? Come on, it has NEVER been that low

FalconXV · 16-08-2012, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

probably because they are aware of the damage that forums like this one are doing to the brand. if the negativity on this forum was replaced with positivity, there is a good chance it would equate to better sales. anyone doing a search on falcon would end up at AFF and if you are honest, would you buy one after reading a handful of comments/threads on here??

11 total i believe. hopefully the melb one fares a little better.

I was the late guy

**PepeLePew** · 14-08-2012, 02:56 PM

Listening to audiences like this including those 'keyboard warriors' may just plant a seed that grows into something good. A good idea can come from anywhere and its fantastic that they're engaging in different ways with the community as things clearly aren't working that well right now!

jpd80 · 14-08-2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Listening to audiences like this including those 'keyboard warriors' may just plant a seed that grows into something good.

Who said anything about listening?
This is about convincing key personell on several Ford fan websites that Ford is right

Quote:

A good idea can come from anywhere and its fantastic that they're engaging in different ways with the community as things clearly aren't working that well right now!

This is damage control, marketing is useless if your fan base becomes your biggest critics.
Time to hose down the speculation and replace with facts and figures from within,
then let the message filer back out onto the boards, hopefully changing perception.

madmelon · 15-08-2012, 12:32 PM

I am going to the Sydney presentation which is tonight. I have had to sign a 5 page non disclosure document which means you won't be getting the info fed onto this website...at least not from me! I'm hoping some other FFau people come tonight- it'd be nice to put faces and names to usernames...

Trump · 15-08-2012, 12:52 PM

^^ Why advertise it on FacePalm for all and sundry to sign up, then wave an NDA form at them???

madmelon · 15-08-2012, 01:19 PM

It was only advertised to people who "liked" Ford Falcon. To be honest though, I was suprised it was not advertised on this board.

From the very outset, I was informed about the NDA. I suspect that this will relate to un upcoming marketing campaign so to prevent people blabbering and then the possibility of a competitor picking up the campaign themselves so Ford can't use it, the NDA is required. This is what I've previously experienced working in retail.

**Elks** · 15-08-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

Hey guys,

Did anyone sign up to attend the Ford Marketing Presentation in Melbourne this week?

Cheers,
Loftie

I did. And I am attending. I will gladly report back items that are not in contravention of the confidentailty agreement, and nothing that is. Sorry but that is the rules. Regardless, I don't expect that they will give us any true company secrets. But this time tomorrow I'll know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

I am confused why Ford Aus would bow down to 'keyboard warriors' that seem to know everything about everything?

And to bring in the 'boss' of marketing makes it sound like they are serious - so only time will tell.

Ford engaging and listening to customers is vital. Call it a focus group.
This is a great intiative and I applaud it. I plan to go with an open mind and a list of questions which hopefully I get to ask. As for being a "Keyboard Warrior" I wont bother justifying myself to you. But I believe I am more than qualified to participate meaningfully in this.

If that makes me a "keyboard warrior" to you, so be it.

RedHotGT · 15-08-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elks

I did. And I am attending. I will gladly report back items that are not in contravention of the confidentailty agreement, and nothing that is. Sorry but that is the rules. Regardless, I don't expect that they will give us any true company secrets. But this time tomorrow I'll know.

Ford engaging and listening to customers is vital. Call it a focus group.
This is a great intiative and I applaud it. I plan to go with an open mind and a list of questions which hopefully I get to ask. As for being a "Keyboard Warrior" I wont bother justifying myself to you. But I believe I am more than qualified to participate meaningfully in this.

If that makes me a "keyboard warrior" to you, so be it.

Elks - certainly wasn't aiming my comments at anyone in particular - but after reading some of the tripe that was posted on the Ford Australia Facebook page - "Keyboard Warrior" was the nicest way to describe the contributors without offending moderators here.

I will also be attending and also feel that I'm qualified to participate meaningfully. I am a previous customer, a potential future customer, a critic, and I work in a relevant field.

Certainly didn't mean to portray any of my comments 'negatively' in fact feel that a lot more could be done by forum users here with a bit more 'glass half full' attitude.

And I'm certainly hoping that the majority of attendees tomorrow carry your open minded attitude - and hopefully the seminar isn't hijacked by idiots.

As you said - by this time tomorrow - we'll be in position to comment.

Kable72 · 15-08-2012, 03:57 PM

Will us that aren't able to attend be able to get a small insight whether or not they're trying to save or destroy the Falcon?

madmelon · 15-08-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kable72

Will us that aren't able to attend be able to get a small insight whether or not they're trying to save or destroy the Falcon?

I doubt that those who do attend will be getting information like that. This is a presentation about current/near future marketing strategies from what I gathered...

Kable72 · 15-08-2012, 04:26 PM

Well one would think that if it seemed they had a plan to market the Falcon, they would be able to tell if it's yay or nay

Bossxr8 · 15-08-2012, 08:53 PM

I'd be interested to know wether they are actually planning any form of advertising campaign for Falcon, or wether they will spend a fair bit of time at the presentation trying to justify why they aren't.

Franco Cozzo · 15-08-2012, 08:57 PM

I applied for it but didn't get invited :'(

jpd80 · 16-08-2012, 06:33 AM

I stand by what I said earlier,
Basically, the non-advertising of Falcon is a commercial decision where Ford feels that TV advertising
would not increase sales enough to justify a return on investment in that advertising strategy.
I can understand that in a market where buyers clearly want products other than large cars.
One can only imagine what the budge must look like these days.....

Joe5619 · 16-08-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

I stand by what I said earlier,
Basically, the non-advertising of Falcon is a commercial decision where Ford feels that TV advertising
would not increase sales enough to justify a return on investment in that advertising strategy.
I can understand that in a market where buyers clearly want products other than large cars.
One can only imagine what the budge must look like these days.....

Then tell me, what advertising are they doing to attract fleet sales??? No-one on this forum as ever been able to answer this question for me & I've asked it a few times now..

Part of me can get "no TV adds, because fleets are the largest customer base" (although I think some Falcon brand building is needed in general), but you can't do nothing & except fleets to come running to you & buy your product.. A push on socail media is not going to get fleet buyers!!

jpd80 · 16-08-2012, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Then tell me, what advertising are they doing to attract fleet sales??? No-one on this forum as ever been able to answer this question for me & I've asked it a few times now..

A while back, Bob Graziano announced that Ford would not be pursuing fleet sales,
sounds to me like they are really low profit fillers anyway...

Quote:

Part of me can get "no TV adds, because fleets are the largest customer base" (although I think some Falcon brand building is needed in general), but you can't do nothing & except fleets to come running to you & buy your product.. A push on socail media is not going to get fleet buyers!!

TV Advertising is not good value for money but if you look real hard you will see Falcon being advertised.
If you could make a Falcon ad extolling the main features of Falcon, what would it be...

It took me a while to click and realise that the latest FPV ad are actually doing double duty...

Smoke Pursuit · 16-08-2012, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

A while back, Bob Graziano announced that Ford would not be pursuing fleet sales,
sounds to me like they are really low profit fillers anyway...

TV Advertising is not good value for money but if you look real hard you will see Falcon being advertised.
If you could make a Falcon ad extolling the main features of Falcon, what would it be...

It took me a while to click and realise that the latest FPV ad are actually doing double duty...

Fleets are obviously low profit fillers... Running a business isn't all about bottom line though, the bottom line can be a means to an end! Volume is what is affecting Ford Australia, they need volume to cover fixed overhead... The more cars the less percentage of fixed overhead and old R&D they need to cover out of each vehicle. At the end of the day every company needs some sort of volume to keep afloat... no volume = no future for more R&D and future models.

Bob Graziano is only doing what he was sent here to do... He has no interest in making the Falcon profitable or sustainable, if he did he would be out there pushing the car from dawn till dusk... Everything that was done by Marin (Ecolpi / Ecoboost) to try and grow the business he has basically stuck a needle into.

Joe5619 · 16-08-2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

A while back, Bob Graziano announced that Ford would not be pursuing fleet sales,
sounds to me like they are really low profit fillers anyway...

TV Advertising is not good value for money but if you look real hard you will see Falcon being advertised.
If you could make a Falcon ad extolling the main features of Falcon, what would it be...

It took me a while to click and realise that the latest FPV ad are actually doing double duty...

Well, these comments are just contradictive to your earlier ones!! You wrote in one post “Ford aren’t TV advertising because the biggest customers are fleets” & then in the next “Ford aren’t pursing fleet sales”. If that is Fords thinking, no wonder sales are so low!! So to summaries, we aren’t chasing fleets & we won’t TV advertises to the private sector!

prydey · 17-08-2012, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Then tell me, what advertising are they doing to attract fleet sales??? No-one on this forum as ever been able to answer this question for me & I've asked it a few times now..

how many on this forum are in charge of organising the vehicle fleet for their company? why would a forum member be able to shed some light on this unless they were in a similar position??

i wonder if people are familiar with 'self fulfilling prophecy'. there are many who seemed determined to make the demise of falcon one, thats for sure. if you keep saying it for long enough...

Joe5619 · 17-08-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

how many on this forum are in charge of organising the vehicle fleet for their company? why would a forum member be able to shed some light on this unless they were in a similar position??

i wonder if people are familiar with 'self fulfilling prophecy'. there are many who seemed determined to make the demise of falcon one, thats for sure. if you keep saying it for long enough...

There seems to be so many experts on here & allot of good people "in the know", so why won't there be someone who know the answer here

Also, I've never said anything bad about the Falcon, my only grip is with the marketing department & in my opinion there is no defending them at this point in time!!

madmelon · 16-08-2012, 11:26 AM

Well the Sydney one was last night and I enjoyed it- it was good to meet a few of the marketing team, having heard their names in media stuff previously. I have a better appreciation now of how and why their products are marketed the way they are. I was expecting it to be a bigger event but there were only 11 people- we all got to talk and ask questions of the team there which was really good.

It was also good to meet a few members from here and the Falcon facebook page