Yes, It's Official: That Stupid "Saved By Zero" Commercial Isn't Working
You, dear consumer, have abruptly stopped purchasing automobiles. GM's sales are down 45%. Ford has sunk by 30% and Toyota, yes, that Toyota is down 23%.
Check this out. It's Auto-Armageddon! From BusinessWeek:
"It was like somebody turned the lights off in October," said GM sales and marketing chief Mark LaNeve. According to GM, October, after adjusting according to sales per capita, was the worst month for sales in the post-World War II era. It was worse even than sales in September and October after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against New York and Washington in 2001. "In my 27 years in the business, I've never seen a month like this," said an exasperated LaNeve.
The declines aren't limited to U.S. brands. "The carnage was completely widespread," said GM's LaNeve. Toyota (TM), despite huge ad spending and zero-percent financing, reported a sales drop of 23%. Nissan (NSANY) was off 33%. Hyundai was down 31%. Suzuki was down 44%. Luxury makes weren't spared. Mercedes-Benz (DAI) was down 26% and BMW was off 10%.
We find it just shocking that that annoying-as-hell "Saved By Zero" commercial that Toyota is mercilessly force-feeding hapless football fans isn't working. Don't you?
Auto Sales Worst Since 1983 [BusinessWeek]
Stop Playing Toyota's "Saved By Zero" Commercial [Facebook]
Toyota Won't Stop Saved By Zero Ads Despite Pleas From Thousands Of Facebookers [Jalopnik]
This is a test using rich text formatting and html links. It's the generic "company" ad that should appear on all posts with the Company category if they don't have an ad attached to a specific company.
Post a comment
Comments:
Does this mean I don't have to listen to that song anymore? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease???
I hate that commercial.
It isn't so bad until the end, when the 'saved by zero' they are singing doesn't correspond to any melody in the actual song.
Will they stop playing that gawdawful song now????
I REALLY DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HATED A COMMERCIAL AS MUCH AS I DO THAT ONE. IN FACT, I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS MY OUTRAGE WITHOUT USING CAPS LOCK.
The only other commercial on right now that can compare for annoyance value is the one with that drunk-sounding harlot driving a caddy and asking "when you turn your car on, does it return the favor?" NO IT DOESN'T NOW GET OFF MY SCREEN WOMAN.
I guess I'm the exception to the rule cuz I like the song, and I liked the original by The Fixx! Any Fixx fans out there?
Sale is extended for another month so the commercial will keep going. Toyota's numbers would have been much worse if it had not been for the 0% sale.
did you know that's a real song? I don't have the link handy, but you can find it on YouTube. If you can beleive it, the original is actually worse, but it doesn't get stuck in your head as easily.
I caught myself singing that while cleaning my apartment this weekend. I then preceded to turn the vacuum on myself in punsuhment.
Damn that commercial! Damn it straight to hell!
I would much rather listen to Denis Leary tell me how much ass the '09 F-150 kicks all day that being saved by 0.
BMW was only down 10%?
Does that mean their prices are high enough to offset the difference, or does it somehow mean more people are buying real cars?
i turn the channel when that commercial comes on. That song "drives" me nuts. What does "Saved By Zero" even mean?
Heroes should adapt it to "Saved by Hiro"
Auto sales in Canada actually rose 1.5% during the same period.
You're welcome.
@weakdome: It means most of those who are buying them are not being affected by the economy. Either that or no one was buying them in the first place.
@karmaghost: I think that's what makes the commercial that much more annoying. Did the baby boomers feel this way when advertising started raiding their childhood for the sake of the almighty dollar?
@catdogpigduck: If that happens, I will track down the guys who thought up the "Addicted to LOST" adaptation of Robert Palmer's hit, and MESS THEM UP.
That's just rude.
As much as I hate that song, and it's a lot, considering that Toyota is down less than the other non luxury brands, I'd say the ads are in fact working.
I do not have TV so I have never seen this. On the good side I am looking at Ram new at the cost of a used one with 100,000 miles on them.
well I was very interested except I did the math and I'd end up paying twice as much a month on the financing than I currently am for my used 99 camry. Frankly working FT and doing school PT I just can't afford it.
Thank goodness!!! I thought I was the only one that hated that commercial. Every time it comes on, I make a point to hit the 'Previous' button on my remote. I don't care what it goes back to, I know it will be better than that awful, awful jingle.
That commercial has caused me to peruse the Toyota lineup though. What I found was a whole bunch of uninspired designs that melt into a sea of uniformity that is made up of most cars available today.
BMWs (the 3s, 5s, 7s, X3, X5, X6, Z4, etc) was down but MINI was up some 55%. Interestingly, Audi was also up, albeit a miniscule amount.
@Burgandy: I haven't seen this commercial in the Los Angeles markets for 2 weeks or more. I saw it once or twice, and nothing since thankfully.
Since we are on "Badvertising" tag the Bertolli commercials on CBS with the blonde Insider "reporter" are seriously way worse IMO.
But if I had to choose, I'd pick the Toyota commercial over "This is our country".
@weakdome: bmw was down 13%. Audi was actually up. Porsche down nearly 50%. The numbers are about unit sales, not profit per car.
If the auto companies are trying to get people even more annoyed at them, their succession of irritating advertising is working really well.
I'm sooo buying a Jeep Wrangler, news like this is a great bargaining chip.
How are used car sales? Just curious...
Saaaave by zeeeeeroo!
To be honest, I don't think I will ever forget this awful commercial, but give me 24 hours and I won't remember the brand it advertises. It worries me that someone, somewhere, enjoyed this enough to buy a crap ton of air time.
Bring back 'dogs love trucks!'; those were good.
Ugh, what an annoying commercial. At least the Subway commercials are goofy and somewhat enjoyable. The problem is that football ad spots = car sales whoring, so every time there's a TV timeout, injury, change of possession, etc, this stupid fucking commercial has to come on. I wonder how many people are or will be lured into buying a car in this economy because of this ridiculous advertising blitz.
Saaaaaaved byyyy zeeeeerooooo.
I heard or read someone suggesting that we nationalize the US car industry. WHAT?!? I can understand helping financial institutions, but seriously, the automakers are just businesses. It's not like people will stop buying cars after the dust settles. Let them fail and merge and do whatever.
maybe this will lead to lower prices for cars....or reliable american cars
That commercial seems to be working very well! You can't say "sales are down, so the commercial didn't work," you need to ask "what would sales be if they _weren't_ doing the 0% promotion and the ads?" Given that their sales are off less than any other major automaker, it sounds like the promotions are a success.
@catdogpigduck: Maybe it's a reference to School House Rock:
My hero, Zero, such a funny little hero,
But till you came along,
We counted on our fingers and toes.
Now you're here to stay
And nobody really knows
How wonderful you are.
The other commerical that pisses me the hell off is the retarded Dodge Ram Challenge one where all those dumbasses get in their dodge ram and drive through burning buildings and down mountains.
Here's a hint, no one in their right minds are buying your stupid ass trucks right now. Stop playing this ad 2 times every commercial break.
@JustThatGuy3: Agree. To say it isn't working sort of misses the big picture. My guess is that Toyota would have seen a good 5-10% greater drop had it not been for this promotion.
I would almost dare to say the promotion is working in spite of the asinine ads!
Hey, Canada had an INCREASE in car sales this month...
I think the auto industry is beginning to deal with the results of building cars that don't actually fall apart three years after they leave the lot. I have a 2005 Ford Escape that hasn't had so much as a single problem with it since I bought it. The used car lots in Nashville are loaded with Toyotas and Nissans that are several years old and have plenty of life left in them.
I'm sure the main factor is the economy, but you have to wonder how saturated the market it right now.
@Mr. Guy: THANK YOU! nothing to chase away viewers like the 'saved by zer - ohh! " song. i hate that frikkin song! AHH! NOW ITS STUCK IN MY HEAD!!!!""
It's always cheaper to fix a used car than buy a new one...
Sung to the tune of the commercial......"Killed by zero sales that is"
@Mr. Guy:
I can't speak for how its doing now, but when "Turn You On/Kate" came out last year, it drove CTS sales up 50%. So that one works, too.
Well, you know, I am driving a Jeep with 190,000 miles on it and all sorts of things are failing at once this month. And given the choice of spending $2,500 to get it fixed up properly to keep going another year or spending $4,200 in car payments, I'll take the $2,500. I looked at new cars last month, and found that they have bells, whistles, gee-gaws and doo-dads that I don't want/need. I don't need cruise control, power windows, power seats, Sirus/XM, DVD players, Bluetooth, heated seats, or any of about a billion other useless features. The best vehicle I ever owned was a Jeep Wrangler - stick shift, no air conditioning, cloth seats and a heater. I'd still be driving it today if it was a 4-door so I could get my infant daughter in and out of it with not so much trouble. NONE of the cars I've looked at today seemed to me to be a good value. That's why I'm not buying.
Sounds like now would be a good time to buy a new car if you can afford one.