We’ve said time and again that we don’t take kindly to boring car ads, which follow the same predictable model and rarely offer up anything new and genuinely praise-worthy. Well, things are certainly not looking up, because according to a report published by Autonews, two global ad agencies, Publicis Groupe SA and Omnicom Group Inc. have just merged with one another, thus creating the world’s largest advertising holding company, which will work with a very wide array of competing automakers.
It is explained that situations that are similar to this have posed problems in the past, with some of the manufacturers involved expressing their discontent with using the same agencies as their rivals, arguing that the private and very sensitive data they provide is never really totally secure, and it could very well seep through and cause insurmountable damages.
The new company, named the Publicis Omnicron Group name (we’ll call it POG for extra convenience) relies on advances made in data security techniques, firewalls and the like, in an attempt to put the fears of those directly involved to rest.
Among those set to use the services of this new corporate entity are Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, Chevy, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz. While POG is expecting some changes to take place within its vast list of customers, they “wouldn’t expect any wholesale changes,” according to the executive vice president of Nielsen Co.’s global automotive group and a former marketing executive with Kia Motors America and Mitsubishi Motors North America, Ian Beavis.
However, do check out the kind of ad we do want to see more often. Said video also illustrates another problem faced by those who are tasked with creating these ads – it is clearly harder to sell a car with no history behind it, and make it seem relevant.
The result is the addition of a lot of filler material, like that seen in Kia’s hamster-themed series of ads, aimed at promoting the Soul when it first came out – they made the crossover seem fresh and cool and ultimately lead to its Stateside success story.
By Andrei Nedelea
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