Omni Automotive Advertising Blog

I’ve been seeing a lot of movies recently (Dark Knight, Step Brothers, Wall-E) and I always arrive a few minutes before the movie starts, during the commercials before the other commercials section. It is during this time that I have seen the commercial below for the all new Kia Borrego, a luxury Kia SUV.

Now I like the commercial. I really do. I think it’s smart, funny and attention grabbing without being in your face.

What I don’t like is the timing. This is probably the worst time to introduce a new SUV into an already bloated sport utility market. I understand that this vehicle was in the works long before the gas and home crisises, so it is not the fault of Kia. Even the great Toyota made the ill-fated decision to dive into the big truck business at a bad time.

So, here’s the question… Can a good advertisement make up for a poorly timed product release? I don’t think so, but only time can tell.

As an advertising agency we pull out all the stops to give the client exactly what they want. So how come we didn’t think of this video.

There has been much talk and speculation about the automakers delay in regard to producing more fuel efficient vehicles. Consumers have been calling for more green vehicles for years. Now, with the rising cost of gas, the inevitable change in the consumers buying habits, and huge profit losses for the automakers, things are starting to change.

Ford has just announced a 8.67 billion dollar loss and will retool 2 more plants to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles. The plants are the North Michigan plant in Detroit and the Louisville plant in Kentucky. Ford will bring six European small car models to the US by 2012.

The company identified only three of the European small vehicles it will bring to North America: the Transit Connect small van, the European Focus and the subcompact Fiesta.

While this change appears to be a move in the right direction,  the  company will continue to make some truck models, such as the Ranger, until 2011. Ford does not predict recovery in the US economy until 2010.

As gas continues to rise consumers are always searching for more information on fuel efficiency. In my last blog I mentioned that the Honda Civic Hybrid was leading the Green Car Rating with a gas efficiency of 45/40 mpg. We all know that Honda and Toyota vehicles have good fuel economy. But what about the rest of the cars, particularly domestic brands?

AOL autos has posted an article about the Most Fuel Efficient Automakers. The article can be a bit confusing as the data initially rates the automakers on combined fuel efficiency, that being an average of all the cars offered. In that group, Chevrolet (23.36 mpg) ranks third below Mini (27.66 mpg) and Honda (23.81 mpg). But Chevrolet offers 88 models, while Mini offers 12 and Honda 27. I don’t know about anyone else but I find this a bit confusing. Bear in mind that with 88 cars to offer that 23.36 MPG would be much higher without all those big trucks mixed into the equation.

Next, the article states that the Toyota Prius wins the singe car rating delivering 48/40 mpg. Don’t confuse this with the Green Car rating of the Honda Civic Hybrid (45/40 mpg). The Green Rating measures a vehicle’s environmental friendliness on a scale of 1 to 100.

Now if your looking at ratings for fleets, the Mini, with it’s models, comes out on top with 27.66 mpg. I don’t know about you but, although I find the Mini a ‘cute’ little car and I don’t have to worry about stuffing a large family into one, I’m not looking to buy a fleet of anything. And who would need a fleet of Minis?

More leaders:

• Yaris - subcompact, 29/35 (automatic transmission), 29/36 (manual)
• Honda Civic Hybrid - compact category, 40/45 mpg, followed by Toyota’s Corolla, 28/37 mpg
• Honda Accord - large car -21/31 mpg (manual) and 22/31 mpg (automatic)
• Honda Fit - small station wagon,27/34 (automatic) and 28/34 (manual)
• Volkswagen’s Passat - midsize station wagon, 20/28 mpg (automatic), 20/29 (manual)
• Ford’s Ranger 2WD / Mazda B2300 - pickup - 21/26 mpg (tie)
• Chevy 1500/2500 - cargo van - 15/20 mpg
• Mazda5 - minivan, 21/27 mpg (automatic), 22/28 mpg (manual)
• Ford Escape Hybrid / Mazda Tribute / Mercury Mariner - sport utility vehicle, 34/30 mp

Are you looking to buy a new vehicle. With gas prices now over $4 a gallon, you’re probably concerned about buying a fuel efficient vehicle. Did you know that the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid (45/40 mpg) is #1 when it comes to going green! Honda vehicles are The GREENEST and one of the most FUEL EFFICIENT CAR COMPANIES IN AMERICA. Get down to your local Honda Dealer for great specials on Honda vehicles like:

• 2008 Accord Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 1.9% APR for 24-36 months or 3.9% APR for 37-60 months
• 2008 Accord Coupe LX-S Featured Special Lease - $249.00 per month for 36 months. $2,699.00 total due at signing
• 2008 Accord Sedan LX Featured Special Lease - $219.00 per month for 36 months. $2,599.00 total due at signing
• 2008 Accord Sedan EX V6 Featured Special Lease - $279.00 per month for 36 months. $2,899.00 total due at signing
• 2008/2009 All Honda Model Graduate Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 4.99% APR for 24-60 months or 5.49% APR for 61-72 months
• 2008 Element Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 1.9% APR for 24-36 months or 3.9% APR for 37-60 months
• 2008 Odyssey Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 24-36 months or 2.9% APR for 37-60 months
• 2009 Pilot 2WD LX Featured Special Lease - $329.00 per month for 42 months. $2,999.00 total due at signing
• 2009 Pilot 4WD LX Featured Special Lease - $329.00 per month for 42 months. $2,999.00 total due at signing
• 2008 Ridgeline RT Featured Special Lease - $239.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing
• 2008 Ridgeline RTS Featured Special Lease -$259.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing
• 2008 Ridgeline Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 24-36 months or 2.9% APR for 37-60 months
• 2008 S2000 Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 24-36 months or 2.9% APR for 37-60 months

For more information, visit your local Honda Dealer:

Central Florida Honda Dealers - Orlando to Daytona FL
Gateway Honda Dealers - St Louis MO
Gulf Coast Honda Dealers - Tampa FL
Hampton Roads Honda Dealers - Richmond VA
North Georgia Honda Dealers - Atlanta G
Northern Ohio Honda Dealers - Cleveland OH
South Florida Honda Dealers - Miami to West Palm FL

Thinking of buying a new car this weekend. The current Honda Finance specials are due to expire on July 7th. Honda vehicles like the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid (45/40 mpg) is #1 when it comes to going green! Honda vehicles are The GREENEST and one of the most FUEL EFFICIENT CAR COMPANIES IN AMERICA. Take this holiday weekend and get down to your local Honda Dealer for great specials on Honda vehicles like:

• 2008 Element Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 Odyssey Featured Special Lease - $259.00 per month for 36 months. $2,499.00 total due at signing.
• 2008 S2000 Featured Special Lease - $349.00 per month for 36 months. $2,499.00 total due at signing.
• 2008 Accord Sedan 4-Cylinder LX Featured Special Lease - $219.00 per month for 36 months. $2,599.00 total due at signing.
• 2008 Civic Coupe Featured Special Lease - $199.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing.
• 2008 Civic Sedan Featured Special Lease - $199.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing.
• 2008 Accord Sedan Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 Civic Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 1.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 Element Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 Odyssey Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 24 - 36 months or 2.9% APR for 37 - 60 months
• 2008 Pilot Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 Ridgeline Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008 S2000 Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 0.9% APR for 36 months or 2.9% APR for 60 months
• 2008/2009 All Honda Model Graduate Special AHFC A.P.R. Financing - 4.99% APR for 24-60 months or 5.49% APR for 61-72 months.

For more information, visit your local Honda Dealer:

Central Florida Honda Dealers - Orlando to Daytona FL
Gateway Honda Dealers - St Louis MO
Gulf Coast Honda Dealers - Tampa FL
Hampton Roads Honda Dealers - Richmond VA
North Georgia Honda Dealers - Atlanta G
Northern Ohio Honda Dealers - Cleveland OH
South Florida Honda Dealers - Miami to West Palm FL

Back when I was a kid the family car was a station wagon. Even then, with four kids and a dog, the wagon really wasn’t big enough or versatile enough. And who wanted to ask Dad for the keys to the station wagon for a Friday night date?

Well todays families have many more options when it comes to choosing their family cars. According to this article on Forbes.com, the family car is no longer a cookie-cutter copy.

“The family car is the multi-use vehicle for many families. Consumers are very demanding in what they want, and they aren’t willing to compromise.”

With that in mind the cars selected had to be versatile enough to accommodate adult and teenage drivers, come equipped with safety features, have plenty of storage space and easy accessibility.

The cars on the list include Volkswagen Rabbit, for smaller families, Saturn Outlook, Saab Sport Combi Wagon, Ford Edge, Ford Taurus, Nissan Altima, Toyota Rav4, Mitusbishi Endeavor, Toyota Sienna, and the BMW Mini Cooper.