Marketing
Richard Johnson showed what can happen when a journalist does auto history
(UPDATED FROM 2/19/2021) Histories written by practicing automotive journalists are usually engaging reads with lots of behind-the-scenes anecdotes. However, they can also be analytically superficial and grounded more in access than accountability journalism. In other […]
What would an honest ad for the 1971 Ford Maverick have said?
When a team of copywriters was assigned to produce the print advertising for the 1971 Ford Maverick they were told to be honest. Come up with an approach kind of like the Volkswagen Beetle’s refreshingly […]
What happened when a woman redid a 1967 Mercury ‘man’s car’ ad
Late one night a frustrated female ad copy writer came up with an alternative to a proposed print ad for the 1967 Mercury Cyclone GT. As you can quickly get by reading the ad (shown […]
1965-69 Chrysler: Trying to sell prestige in a rapidly changing culture
(UPDATED FROM 8/13/2021) The Chrysler brand attempted to shake off the trauma of the early-60s with a fresh new persona. In 1965 its product line was dramatically restyled. Meanwhile, advertising adopted a much more expressive approach […]