When is an Ad not an Ad.

Buick took out a full page ad in The Wall Street Journal today. It states that sometimes the best advertising isn't an ad and has the cover of Motor Trend. On this Motor Trend cover it features the new Buick Regal Turbo. It also says " Forget the past 30 years Buick is back!" This is definitley and ad. What Buick is trying to do is satisfy the consumers external search when searching information on a new car. Buick is showing showing consumers that their products are
excellent products on the Motor Trend's criteria. Motor Trend's main criteria many times is performance and most people don't think of Buick when they are looking for a performance car.
However, on the Motor Trend cover it labels the Regal as an Acura killer, the LaCrosse as a Lexus beater, and the Regal GS as an Infiniti fighter. The company has positioned itself against some of the best performance sedans in the industry. Buick is trying to change the belief of the consumer so that can the consumer's behavioral intent and purchase their products as performance vehicles not just sound transportation that your father would buy. After all, if you are a motor head and remember the 1970's the Buick GSX was the fastest quarter mile muscle car in the industry. Also, in 1984 the Buick GNX V6 turbo was faster in the quarter mile than the Corvette. So actually, those of us in the no have always none that Buick can produce a performance automobile. Now maybe the masses will understand.