Shaken Not Stirred

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Free Advertising

I don't know why this annoys me, but it does. When a person buys a car from a dealership, somewhere on the car is the dealership's info. It's sometimes painted on the trunk, or on the spare tire covers (like mine is). Shouldn't we as the customers have the choice of whether or not we want to advertise it? And if we chose to, shouldn't we get some sort of discount. It is afterall free advertising.

And I'm so glad that the dealership that I got my car from was classy enough not to paint their name on my car. I like my car and to have some weird paint on it would ruin it. I'll keep the tire cover (although the dealership did offer an extra one at no cost), cause I sort of like the design. The only other proof of the dealership is the nice front plate--which I'll keep cause it's also nice.

But I thought of this while driving behind some other cars and seeing painted on the lower half of the trunks, the names of dealerships. Yes, I know, eyes on the road. I was at a stoplight for most of them. And I don't know why, but it annoyed me. You are paying for a car, it shouldn't have other paint on it--especially paint that you didn't put there.

Speaking of annoying advertising, is anyone else sick of the caveman commercials? I don't get them. I don't even get the saying "So easy even a caveman can do it?". What's so easy, the making of the commercial? Enough already--put it to rest.

posted by JM at 11:40 PM

18 Comments:

  • I do mortgage loans for a living. Its a funny job. Some of them are so easy to do, and other ones are ORDEALS. Its done on a percentage basis, so I can actually work LONGER and get paid LESS depending on the loan size.

    Conversely the opposite remains true as well, so it all works out in the end.

    The funny thing about it is the ones I work the hardest on are NOT necesarily the ones I get the most referrals from.

    I personally give my customers "incentives" to help "Spread the word" about me, because although 99% of my customers say good things about me to others, they simply don't always think about(referring) on a day to day basis.

    My incentives consist on fee reductions in future transactions a 25% reduction for every loan refferal. 4 people equals a free loan later.

    One Lady is getting hers this year!

    I don't have the option of tattooing my logo on a persons ass, and making him/her walk around town naked, so we do what we can!

    My answer to your question is YES! You SHOULD have the choice on the advertising, and hopefully if the car dealer did a good job you will want to. BUT if hes smart, he will offer referral incentives.

    Everyone I know who has ANY modicum of success understands the concept of "paying it forward". It works both ways!

    By Blogger twolf1920, at 12:13 AM  

  • Why doesn't GEICO just bring back the gecko?

    Advertising I don't understand is a music ad on the side of a bus. I didn't realize I wanted that Christina Aguilera CD until I saw her face covered in salt and street scum.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:29 AM  

  • A stealership better cut me a deal if they want to advertise on my vehicle.

    Geico saves you 15% my ass. They were nearly 15% more expensive than their nearest competitor.

    By Blogger Aaron, at 7:34 AM  

  • I hate that too, not only do most car dealerships rip you off but then they want you to drive around advertising the fact too.

    I want to smack that caveman in the mouth. GRRR

    By Blogger Pixie, at 12:19 PM  

  • I'm not quite sick of the caveman commercial just yet, sorry.

    The one in the airport still cracks me up every time. ;)

    Steve~

    By Blogger Steven, at 12:49 PM  

  • Amen brother. The decals and whatnot from car dealerships piss me off. Once I bought a car and it had a license plate frame from the dealer and it was the first to go. Those decals are trickier though. I would have them take those off at the dealer, but I'm not sure if they'd even do it. Maybe you could write it into the whole purchase agreement dealie.

    I'm also with you on the caveman commercials getting old. Although, like steve says, the airport one is great since it's nice and understated, it's gotten old overall. and if you watch Heroes I swear that the actor who plays Ted on there looks just like one of those cavemen. I'm not sure if he's actually the same actor or what. Just throwing that in there because EVERYONE should be watching Heroes.

    By Blogger Duck, at 3:46 PM  

  • GOD I hate the caveman commercial, it needs to be put to sleep!

    lets tar and feather the car dealerships!

    By Blogger Phats, at 3:49 PM  

  • I'm sick of the Caveman commercials too! The one I hate the most though: the one for the credit report agency that has the "Freeee credit report dot com!" jingle...ahhh!

    By Blogger Katie, at 8:12 PM  

  • the first thing i do after getting a new car is trash that plate holder...don't need it. don't need one at all in fact, i'm with you, i don't advertise for free. as for the other, if it's a sticker, peel that sucker off. if it's paint i would put a sticker of my choice over it.

    i don't get the caveman either, i never laugh

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:20 PM  

  • I haven't seen that. I would tell to give me an unpainted one, that's BS.

    By Blogger Big Ben, at 10:51 PM  

  • On the subject of things we should get for a discount... if we choose to go in the grocery lane where we "do the scanning ourselves", shouldn't we get a discount there too since we are saving them 3 employees when they only need 1 to run a credit card through (just in case)...

    I'm all about discounts, percentages, and my share. If they can't see fit to do that, make it a small thing or a removable front bumper plate that I can take off and make into something that I like.

    By Blogger BUMBLE!!!, at 11:05 PM  

  • I agree 100%, when possible I remove the dealership "decal" or "plate".

    Like twolf said, thye shold incent you to put the decal on teh car, kind of like the contractor incetns you to pt a sign in your yard.

    Who watches commercials anymore, DVR is the only way to go...

    By Blogger Rocketstar, at 11:20 PM  

  • I listened to my dad rant about the insignia they placed on his car from the dealership for so long...then I finally noticed there was none on his car...he'd made them take it off before he bought the car...but he continued to complain...like it was still there.

    By Blogger Chick, at 8:20 AM  

  • Wow, someone else is bothered by car companies advertisments as well! wooohooo I'm going to bring that up about a discount the next time I purchase a car. I hate when people have "stuff" on their car: bumperstickers, fake bullet hole stickers and my all-time favorite is those ribbons for every cause under the sun. Oh well. Yeah I don't get the cave men either.

    By Blogger Cara Bara, at 12:59 PM  

  • I love when you comment on my blog in that smug little angel get up, very cute,
    great read!

    By Blogger tkkerouac, at 4:38 PM  

  • I am with you all the way on this one. I just bought a new car a few months ago. The first thing I did was go online to find out the best way of removing the sticker. It was a sticker of a thin outside edge of the letters that formed the name of the dealership. The actual letters were cut out (it was like a stencil of their name). I didn't want to ruin the paint. Within the first week, I took it off (a pencil eraser works nicely to take the extra sticky stuff of the surface of the car).

    By Blogger Lee Ann, at 7:43 PM  

  • I tried posting a few hours ago, but word verification was playing up. Now I can't remember what I was going to say, other than I agree with what you say about free advertising !!
    Have a great weekend.
    Take care, Meow

    By Blogger Meow (aka Connie), at 12:50 AM  

  • I read that the cavemen are getting their own tv series. I hope it tanks before the pilot ever airs.

    By Blogger :P fuzzbox, at 9:50 PM  

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