Better than J-Lo, I suppose, but I question the wisdom of tying you brand to Charlie Sheen. Most people in the USA have never heard of Abarth and when Sheen is found dead in a pool of his own vomit, how will Abarth be impacted?

 

I honestly don't see why so many enthusiasts are worried that Joe Shmoe doesn't recognize the brand. I look at it this way, if they don't know they'll likely just chalk it up as something akin to SRT or SVT or SS or Type-S or any slew of other "performance" badge plates.

The whole point of Charlee Sheen (and Jennifer Lopez) is recognition. Sheen represents bucking the system, wild, crazy and fun... could you guess what the car is trying to be seen as?

There is and always will be a risk of your spokesperson screwing up and making you look "bad" it's just part of marketing. That isn't always a bad thing though, when Michael Phelps was caught smoking the herb Wheaties dropped him, they still sold quite a few boxes with the swimmer on the front and everyone was talking about the brand for weeks.

 

Many enthusiasts don't know Abarth. That, I think, is a real issue for Fiat. Yes, 95%+ of the car buying public doesn't matter to Abarth, but for the 5% (or whatever) that does, Abarth is still largely unknown. I am not sure this is the best first step to reach that market. The car in the house is great. Just not sure about using Sheen. Is a guy who has been caught driving drunk going to appeal to car guys? I think not.

Also, I see the spokesman issue differently in this case. Wheaties can survive Phelps because that brand is bigger than one person. At this point, in the USA, Sheen isn't the guy in the Abarth commercial, Abarth is the company with Sheen in their commercial. Sheen is bigger than Abarth. That is why I see this being a bigger risk than the normal spokesman association.

I hope I am wrong and Abarth flourishes. More enthusiast friendly cars is always a win.

 

At this point, in the USA, Sheen isn't the guy in the Abarth commercial, Abarth is the company with Sheen in their commercial. Sheen is bigger than Abarth. That is why I see this being a bigger risk than the normal spokesman association.

I see this completely differently than you do. That's THE point. Sheen is bigger than Abarth. if people see Sheen in an Abarth commercial... isn't that the recognition they (Abarth) are paying for? Isn't that going to make people look twice?

Sheen is well known. Abarth is not. Seems logical to me to use one for recognition (good, bad or ugly) of the other. :dunno:

Nick hit it on the head. marketing of this type is always risky. but, a wise man once said...

"you've gotta risk it, to get the biscuit"

 

I can see your point. And more enthusiast friendly cars are always better indeed.

 

I don't think it matters what you call the performance model.
Those that care will know.
those that don't, won't.

Honestly, a funky name like Abarth is likely to cause more stir with the general public than SVT, SRT, ETC. because it is so different of a name.

Your average Joe has no idea what SVT is, let alone what it stands for.
And nobody knew what it was before it started being used.

 

My question is this - is an enthusiast going to look twice because of Charlie Sheen? In other words, is he effective for the target market?

I don't disagree with you that it is guaranteed recognition. My question is the quality of the recognition with the target market and the negative connotations outside that market.

Were I single guy, I am not sure I'd want to roll up to a date in a car that gets labeled the official car of drunk whore masters. With the Charlie Sheen association, that could be what you get.

Of course, I know about Abarth, have known about them for decades, and buy cars on technical merit, not spokesperson, so this is all conversation for me.

 

I don't think someone is going to see the car on the street and say, look, the whore master's car... :lol:

Recognition is recognition IMO. If it makes peiople think about the car, that's a good thing. It can't really be negative. Ever heard the expression, any press is good press? If folks are thinking of the car, due to seeing The Sheen with said car, then they have won. How are people who don't know what Abarth is, going to be curious enoughto check it out unless they've thought of it first.

Not saying I would have chosen the Sheen. But it's very possible that Tiger's Blood courses through the Abarth's turbocharged veins, too!

:lol:

 

I think you're looking far too much into this.

An enthusiast isn't going to be swayed one way or another by a Charlie Sheen commerical. If they are, then they're not really an enthusiast.

 

People associate heavily with commercials.

There is a guy on TheCarLounge with a white 500 who is frequently asked "Is that J-Lo's car?"

 

Made him think about it though, no?

Sure, you and me may look at that as a negative thing. We aren't huge J-Lo fans.

... but he/she thought about it. In order for that person to think about the 500, it was associated with J-Lo.

Like I said, good, bad or ugly... it has worked.

 

FYI, supposedly this commercial was suppose to air during the Superbowl. But, they ran "Seduction" instead.

It's generating buzz. But, I guess we'll see if it helps or hurts.

 

I dislike this ad. Sheen is a ticking time bomb. Fiat made this commercial not only knowing that fact, but exploiting it.

If you want bad boy, use someone with that image, not someone who is literally a bad person.

 

:lol: Regarding my 500, nobody's asked me if "that's J-Lo's car?". But, if they did, I'd probably say, "yeah, she's chillin' back at my place and sent me out for more condoms".

Actually, a few have said, "I saw a commercial for that car on the Superbowl". So, they actually thought it was an Abarth.

 

Well, at the end of the day, I still want an Abarth, so I guess we're good. :lol:

 

They should have at least checked the air pressure in the tires: In the instrument cluster shot 12 seconds in to the video, the TPMS warning lamp is clearly illuminated. So is it just low pressure in one of the tires or could it be the start of Fix It Again Tony?

 

If I recall correctly, the TPMS in the 500 gives you specific info for each corner.

Maybe the ignition was in the "accessory" position. Maybe there were other lights aluminated due to this fact, that we cannot see in the commercial.

 

....although the tach is at 3,500 RPM and the speedometer is reading 45 MPH.

 

Not great, but much better than J-Lo.

Might i suggest to Fiat: Sheen sex tape with an Abarth in the driveway out the bedroom window?

 

The reason I want an Abarth has nothing to do with any of the stupid commercials. It is because I owned an Abarth in 1974. It was not one of the fancier ones with a custom body but was a hot rodded Fiat 850 coupe. It looked pretty much the same as the standard 850 except for the humongous cast aluminum sump with cooling fins and "Abarth" cast in the back of it. That car was a blast. It would rev its heart out for you. I would have a blast running it through the gears until I looked at the speedo and saw that I was going only 45 mph. It had a two barrel Weber on a cast aluminum intake manifold that was cast in one piece with the valve cover. My lust for an Abarth is not logical and may be a sickness.

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