Chevrolet rolled out its latest advertising efforts, squarely putting a target on the Ford F-150 and its aluminum bed. In contrast, the Chevrolet Silverado touts its roll-formed, high-strength steel bed, the centerpiece of the campaign.
The new campaign shows the durability of the bed through a few in-your-face demonstrations. The results? The F-150 walks away a bit battered.
During a conference call with Chevrolet, Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet truck marketing director, stated the new campaign is not a way of dishing dirt at Ford, or aluminum. Rather, it’s a clever way to communicate a serious competitive advantage over rival pickup trucks.
“Our focus is on showing that we put the customer first in everything we do. So it’s not an attack on Ford and it’s not an attack on aluminum,” Piszar stated. “Our engineering team found that we had a competitive advantage in the strength of our bed. Really, we are compelled to get the word out.”
The campaign stirs up old feelings of dire rivalry to understand whether the blue oval or the bowtie builds the baddest, toughest trucks on the market.
Although Silverado sales dipped and F-150 sales climbed, Chevrolet also stated the campaign is not a direct response to that. However, do expect beefed up incentives during Chevy’s self-proclaimed “Truck Month” this June.
Comments
So what if it was an attack against the Silverado’s main competitor.
It was a very good ad nonetheless and should be eye opening for a lot of people when it airs.
I couldn’t agree more. Why should GM be ashamed for proclaiming their strengths and their competitors weaknesses.
You are so right if I were In construction that would be a good selling point for Chevy
Must be Donald Trump’s fault, right Sean?
I was wondering what the Massengill people had to say on this subject.
What’s all this doubletalk that it’s not directed at Ford or aluminum? Or that those are real people?
Well John.
Aluminum is good if used wisely and in the right places. Chevy pointed out that Ford used it in the bed floor and of a gauge that is not up to dealing with simple things like a tool box hitting it from a short drop.
GM’s point is that they have been and will use aluminum where it works well and will not in places that it will fail. In this case Ford needs to thicken up the bed floor or they need to use a steel pan that really is not much heavier if may be lighter once you thicken the aluminum up.
While some make big deals about bed liners most trucks do not have them and a spray in liner protects the surface and does not make the metal stronger so the same result would have happened there too.
Yes these are real people The FTC has pretty strict rules when it comes to endorsements and the use of claimed real people. Now to get these sound bites it may take a week of film to get 2 min of sound bites that work.
The bottom line is GM pointed out that the bed floor in the Ford can and will crack and punch holes with some simple things that happen to real trucks on a regular basis. Ford I expect will not respond as what can they say. This is a test anyone can easily reproduce and most truck owners can relate to as they often will toss things in a bed that could do the same damage.
This is a clear advantage and one that would interest many.
In the future GM will use aluminum in things like doors, fenders and hoods but will still use steel in bed floors welded with their own technology to aluminum supports.
Just because you make something out of aluminum does not mean it is the best material for all applications.
Note Ford is not making the frame rails out of aluminum. That is not good for a truck and we will never see that.
Note even on body panels generally most aluminum panels are replaced not repaired. Aluminum has no memory and is difficult to fix and often will crack or split if bent back too much.
This Aluminum is not like a pop can.
Look at the latest Ford F Series sales for June , after the Chevy attack ad…….no dents or cracks…..actually sales have increased and extended the Ford dominance over Chevy. So, in desperation Chevy tried the bear cage attack ad which failed and now the silly drop blocks ad which failed…..what’s next? How about a baby crying after being spanked?
I am sick and tired of the Chevy Silverado ads
to hell with the big trucks
big Suv drivers drives like 50% the speed limit
I can’t see jack crap when they are around me
Just cause were texans. It don’t mean we all like pickup trucks
the bigger they are the more I hate it.