Fido's last ride
Motorcycle Retail Just a few weeks before the opening of the 22nd Zweirad Motorcycle Show in Zurich-Oerlikon, Suzuki Motorcycles Switzerland is launching a branding campaign. The St. Gallen-based agency Ammarkt is racing through a TV commercial with the darkest of humor.
Motorcycle trade A few weeks before the opening of the 22nd two-wheeler trade fair in Zurich-Oerlikon, Suzuki Motorcycles Switzerland launches an image campaign. The St.Gallen-based agency Ammarkt is using the darkest humor in a cinema spot for the campaign.With a drop in sales of almost six percent in 2002, the Swiss motorcycle sky has darkened further. In addition to the cold and wet months, the depressed consumer mood is also spoiling business. Importers and dealers alike attribute the meagre figures not only to the almost saturated market - Switzerland has almost twice the motorcycle density of its neighboring countries. The trade is also feeling the restraint of consumers who are waiting for April 1, 2003, when driving license categories harmonized with the EU come into force. However, Daniel Riesen from the trade magazine Töff doubts that this stimulus will be able to lift the market back to the high level of the late nineties: "We assume that the declines can be compensated for at best," he says, dampening expectations. MotorradHändler magazine is also cautious and criticizes the industry for not communicating the new regulation widely enough. Only the trade press was involved.
Lukas Rüdin, Head of Marketing and Sales at Suzuki Switzerland, puts the criticism into perspective: "The harmonization with the new EU standard is unfortunately just a sham." While the EU allows its 16-year-old citizens to ride horsepower-throttled 125cc motorcycles, the same age group is not allowed to do so in Switzerland. On the other hand, 50cc scooters will no longer have a speed limit in the Alpine country. Rüdin considers this provision to be inconsistent and also dangerous for safety reasons.
Dealers see the greater incentive to buy in the higher classes, where the Federal Council has implemented the harmonization. Instead of only after two years of driving experience, the change to the top classes is permitted right from the start: In future, drivers will receive the A1 driving license as a gift, but this will no longer be limited by engine capacity, but by horsepower. The industry is expecting the most growth from the third change, according to which anyone over 25 will be allowed to buy a heavy fire engine without having to have two years of driving experience. Motorcycle editor Riesen: "This is a dream come true for the 'displacement-hungry' Swiss."
However, whether the sales engine regains momentum depends on other factors. "For us, motorcycling is more than 95 percent a hobby. Of course, in the poor economic situation, people are cutting back on leisure activities. On the other hand, there is a general trend in society towards even more activities that distract from everyday life and provide enjoyment. People live for the moment. That's why I'm optimistic about the future," explains Rüdin, who is responsible for Suzuki.
Sarcastic motorcyclistThe new Suzuki campaign, developed and produced by the St. Gallen agency Ammarkt, could probably not be explained in any other way. In the centerpiece - a cinema spot shot in Vancouver - the fun of speed on a GSX-R 1000 is demonstrated with a good dose of sarcasm. In it, a motorcyclist who was looking forward to the ride is ordered to walk the Pinscher.
Grumpy but godly, he hooks the dog leash into a carabiner on his motorcycle suit and chugs off, only to mercilessly open the throttle as soon as he has disappeared from his wife's view. While the woman's face reflects pure horror, the copy provides the resolution: "From 0 to 200 in 7.2 seconds. Suzuki. That's how you make enemies." As crude as the appearance and the brand claim may be, they are also very convincing.
Motorcycling has long been socially acceptable in all social classes. The freedom on two wheels and the rebellious moment have been washed out of the mass hobby by the advertising world with lots of lifestyle and landscape images. In this environment, Suzuki wants to become a pure motorcycle brand and win over the progressive and hedonistic target group with a strong brand personality. "When I ride a motorcycle, it shouldn't be bourgeois, but something very special," says co-owner and consultant Michael Schmid. However, although Suzuki has good values in terms of sportiness, design, comfort and value for money, the brand lacks awareness and a clear and independent image profile.
With the bold positioning field, pitch winner Ammarkt wants to implement these strengths in a surprisingly cheeky way on all communication levels and create a talking point. At the same time, the teaser visual on each of the print motifs shows a situation that creates a pattern of expectations for the viewer. The text on the right-hand side of the image provides a short and dry answer.
With its acceleration, it promises the ultimate kick and plenty of enemies: Suzuki's GSX-R 1000.
Lukas Rüdin, Head of Marketing and Sales at Suzuki Switzerland, puts the criticism into perspective: "The harmonization with the new EU standard is unfortunately just a sham." While the EU allows its 16-year-old citizens to ride horsepower-throttled 125cc motorcycles, the same age group is not allowed to do so in Switzerland. On the other hand, 50cc scooters will no longer have a speed limit in the Alpine country. Rüdin considers this provision to be inconsistent and also dangerous for safety reasons.
Dealers see the greater incentive to buy in the higher classes, where the Federal Council has implemented the harmonization. Instead of only after two years of driving experience, the change to the top classes is permitted right from the start: In future, drivers will receive the A1 driving license as a gift, but this will no longer be limited by engine capacity, but by horsepower. The industry is expecting the most growth from the third change, according to which anyone over 25 will be allowed to buy a heavy fire engine without having to have two years of driving experience. Motorcycle editor Riesen: "This is a dream come true for the 'displacement-hungry' Swiss."
However, whether the sales engine regains momentum depends on other factors. "For us, motorcycling is more than 95 percent a hobby. Of course, in the poor economic situation, people are cutting back on leisure activities. On the other hand, there is a general trend in society towards even more activities that distract from everyday life and provide enjoyment. People live for the moment. That's why I'm optimistic about the future," explains Rüdin, who is responsible for Suzuki.
Sarcastic motorcyclistThe new Suzuki campaign, developed and produced by the St. Gallen agency Ammarkt, could probably not be explained in any other way. In the centerpiece - a cinema spot shot in Vancouver - the fun of speed on a GSX-R 1000 is demonstrated with a good dose of sarcasm. In it, a motorcyclist who was looking forward to the ride is ordered to walk the Pinscher.
Grumpy but godly, he hooks the dog leash into a carabiner on his motorcycle suit and chugs off, only to mercilessly open the throttle as soon as he has disappeared from his wife's view. While the woman's face reflects pure horror, the copy provides the resolution: "From 0 to 200 in 7.2 seconds. Suzuki. That's how you make enemies." As crude as the appearance and the brand claim may be, they are also very convincing.
Motorcycling has long been socially acceptable in all social classes. The freedom on two wheels and the rebellious moment have been washed out of the mass hobby by the advertising world with lots of lifestyle and landscape images. In this environment, Suzuki wants to become a pure motorcycle brand and win over the progressive and hedonistic target group with a strong brand personality. "When I ride a motorcycle, it shouldn't be bourgeois, but something very special," says co-owner and consultant Michael Schmid. However, although Suzuki has good values in terms of sportiness, design, comfort and value for money, the brand lacks awareness and a clear and independent image profile.
With the bold positioning field, pitch winner Ammarkt wants to implement these strengths in a surprisingly cheeky way on all communication levels and create a talking point. At the same time, the teaser visual on each of the print motifs shows a situation that creates a pattern of expectations for the viewer. The text on the right-hand side of the image provides a short and dry answer.
With its acceleration, it promises the ultimate kick and plenty of enemies: Suzuki's GSX-R 1000.
AdSpotMotorcycle dealer Suzuki is running an emotional cinema spot designed by Ammarkt and wants to get the sputtering motorcycle business going again in time for spring.
Ammarkt in the fast laneThe St. Gallen marketing and advertising agency Ammarkt was founded in January 1999 by Heinz Frischknecht and Michael Schmid and now has ten permanent employees. The agency, which specializes in the service, retail, consumer goods and
The agency, which specializes in healthcare marketing, has its own full-service media unit and manages accounts for Interdiscount, Import Parfümerie, Swica, Hypo-Bank Bregenz/St. Gallen, Swiss Leading Hospitals, Suzuki Switzerland and Thurella, among others (la).
Luca Aloisi
