Marisa Steps Out On The Boys In Milwaukee!

Shocked, that's all I can say, completely shocked.......in a slack jawed, "WTF", Charlie Sheen's been arrested again!? kind of way. But there it was, as big and bold as an Enzyte commercial.........my girl, Harley's girl, cavorting with the Captain, making it with Marc, and practicing her True Religion, the horror! And there were others, many others......but I just couldn't bring myself  to look. Apparently dear Ms. Marisa possesses all the loyalty of a Washington lobbyist at a DC fundraiser.........hussy!!

You'd never find Progressive's "Flo" shilling for Budweiser, and I'm pretty sure that obnoxious kid that pimps E-Trade (yeah, cute my a$$, he's wolf in a Huggies suit........don't fall for it) won't be touting the virtues of Cialis anytime soon. And do you know why? It wouldn't work, that's why, it's Marketing 101 Sparky. Folks would say, "hey isn't that the (fill in the blank) from the blah, blah ad?"....then get confused, and blow the whole thing off. Not a good return on ones ad dollars.

Look, we all know we're way too cool to be influenced by any "spokesperson", no matter how persuasive or how hot. At least that's what we say, in survey after survey and study after study. So the gimmick never works right? Well, not so fast. There's a big difference between what folks say, and what they actually think or do.........come on, tell me the focus group for the Pontiac Aztec wasn't having a huge laugh at GM's expense. Really, look it up. The fact is we are influenced by certain individuals, who we deem for whatever reason; past accomplishments, looks, humor, whatever, to be credible with regard to what they're pitching. The key is credibility.........without it, the strategy is toast; maintain it, and you just might have an ad campaign that moves the goods.

This is America after all, folks should expect to get paid for their efforts. No crime, it's the foundation of who we are, and we don't mind if our spokespeeps are on the corporate dole.....we've all got bills to pay. What we don't like is to be too up front about it.......don't make it obvious that you're throwing it around "just for the money"; that we're not too thrilled about. I mean really, when it comes to our sweet Marisa.....don't we just want her all to ourselves? No sharing pal...........not gonna happen.

Not only do we value credibility and loyalty, we're lazy too. When we see someones mug in an ad, on TV, or in a magazine pimping one product or another, and then we see the same person in yet another ad hawking a completely different brand.......we get have to stop and think, we get confused........and then we blow it off and watch Sports Center. Ad campaign effectiveness? Zero.

Here's what your humble fellow Chromie would have advised the good lads in Milwaukee; "EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT". There, pretty basic, you find the person the fits the bill, sign her up, and put the creative crew to work. Get her visage in print, on the web, and most importantly out among customers......but only your customers! I'll grant the Harley folks, Marisa's one fine example of Amazonian spokesgoddess, but I think the fact that she "stepped out" (before or after signing with Harley Davidson, it doesn't matter) on the Motor Company ultimately diminishes her impact. Better to have gotten an unknown with the same, ah, "qualities" that would for all time (or at least the run of the contract) be associated with Milwaukee iron, and only Milwaukee iron. Harley's the star here, not the talent.

But that's just me, and to be honest, it's not all bad. Think about it, some Motor Company execs got to schmooze a supermodel (a great gig now matter how you get it), ad agencies made their fat fees, and some guy's got signed posters and pics at Sturgis......But maybe, just maybe, when HD had an opportunity to really be "genuine", really original, they chose a cliche' instead. Better luck next time..........