Ford defends Falcon marketing

Ford Australia President Bob Graziano has defended the company’s marketing of the locally-built Falcon large car despite its continued sales plunge.
Falcon has dropped 27.7 per cent in 2012, suffering along with the Holden Commodore as the large car segment shrinks.

It is no longer advertised on TV and is instead marketed via a campaign using online media and data bases of known large car buyers.

Mr Graziano told motoring.com.au at the Sydney motor show today that while Falcon sales were lower its share of private buyers had actually increased as Ford moved away from chasing fleet sales.

“Our strategy is working,” he declared. “We have tried to really focus our efforts in the private space rather than focus on other channels that may not build the brand at the same level a private customer will.

“We are also looking at doing that so we are building residual values… You are looking solely at volumes in a historical perspective as opposed to what I would consider the quality of share we are getting with Falcon.”

Such has been the criticism from Ford fans, Ford has also explained the strategy directly to brand fans at forums in Sydney and Melbourne.

The attendees were contributors to Ford’s Facebook site and independent forums, as well as concerned fans who had communicated privately. They were briefed in-depth by the company’s General Manager Marketing David Katic after signing confidentiality agreements.

“The feedback I often get is if you won’t have an ad on TV then you don’t have a presence in this market, but everybody should understand the digital space is now an important space to be in as well,” Mr Graziano said.

He also explained investment in Falcon marketing had to reflect its place in a wide lineup of blue oval models that all required marketing investment.

“In terms of the way we go to market with the Falcon we are very targeted, so if you were in the market for a large car you would likely see something from Ford on that vehicle,” said Graziano.

“If you were online looking for a large car you would see Falcon communications and there are a number of different ways we get out to the intenders to talk about that product.”

Mr Graziano also stuck steadfastly to his line that no decision about the future of Ford as a local manufacturer had been finalised beyond the end of 2016 when its current co-investment deals with government to build the Falcon and Territory SUV expire.

However, he rejected the contention that he had come to Ford Australia with a mandate to shut down manufacturing, something some critics point to as evidenced by his niche marketing approach to Falcon.

“I suspect that’s a mandate you ascribed to all my predecessors and I can tell you that’s not my mandate.

“My view is Australia is one of 13 countries that can design, engineer and produce vehicles and if that is something Australia wants to continue to do then I would encourage Australia in regard because I think it is a unique capability.

“But for me to sit here and talk about anything beyond 2016 then that just isn’t going to happen.”

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…