puncha d v e r t i s i n g

Emily KufnEr..................................................rEsEarch DirEctor

amy marEK..........................................................account managEr

JEssica frEnchman.......................................crEativE DirEctor

Kaitlyn somErs.....................................................mEDia DirEctor

courtnEy sohn.............................Public rElations DirEctor

contEnts

situation analysis.........................................................................................4

campaign strategy......................................................................................15

creative Execution......................................................................................27

media Plan..................................................................................................42

Public relations Plan.................................................................................52

punch

4

situation analysis

industry trends: Where are we going?as consumers purchase fewer and fewer new cars, gm and hummEr face the growing obstacles of foreign competition as well as a drastic shift from large suvs and trucks to smaller or hybrid vehicles. in 2007, vehicle sales diminished by 2 million with no projected recovery in 2009. increased foreign competition claims market share that previously be-longed to the “big 3” u.s. auto manufacturers.1

the light truck and sport utility segments confront pricing challenges and lower sales volumes. this change may be attributed to higher gas prices and consumer economic pressures. additionally, as the presence of the big 3 weakens, crossover utility vehicles and sedans secure market share formerly claimed by suvs. the luxury vehicle segment also falls victim to these challenges.1

these changes, both in the industry and inherent in the environment, force u.s. automakers to distinguish their products through branding,2

styling, quality, and innovating upgrades.1

company analysis: Who is gm?

general motors corporation is one of three major players in the u.s. automobile manufacturing industry (the other two are ford and Daimler Chrysler). GM provides automotive and financial services to consumers and stakeholders. it also develops, produces and distributes cars, trucks and related parts around the world. Domestically marketed products of gm include chevrolet, buick, hummEr and saturn.

GM operates financial services such as consumer vehicle and commercial financing, private mortgages, automobile service contracts and auto in-surance. gm also specializes in after-sale maintenance, collision repair, and accessory services. gm markets all products through dealerships and retailers.1 Product history: Evolution of h3

the high mobility multipurpose Wheeled vehicle (hmmWv), better known as Humvee first premiered among the military ranks in 1985. Quickly earning the nickname, “Jeeps on steroids,” they transported troops to command centers. half a decade later, the media cameras covering Desert storm introduced hummEr to the american public, re-sulting in demand for a civilian model. throughout the 1990’s, the hum-

punch

5

MER’s one-of-a-kind styling exemplified American opulence.3

in 1999, gm bought the marketing rights to hummEr and introduced the h2 three years later. the h2 is a smaller version of hummEr for half the price. in 2006, gm terminated h1 production as sales dimin-ished.3 our competition: the big rivalsWithin a competitive mid-size suv market including the Jeep grand cherokee, toyota highlander and land rover lr3, hummEr does not stand out in any distinguishing criterion. With mid-level pricing and 13-mPg city, the h3 maintains a low affordability rating. highlander leads the industry in reliability, while h3, Jeep, and lr3 ranked equally mediocre. The H3’s safety rating is significantly below the Jeep and highlander. in performance and styling, the h3 competes with the other models but doesn’t dominate.

h3’s most direct competitor, Jeep grand cherokee, along with other lux-ury suvs, has suffered in sales in the past few years. the grand chero-kee has a softer appeal; its design aims to attract the family, but also has off-road capability.14

hummEr must depend on its unique look and image to distinguish it-self from competitors that consistently rank higher in consumer satisfac-tion research.

brand analysisas a premium niche brand, hummEr upholds this position with the h3 model. the h3 is geared towards a special group of people who will always have demand for a vehicle with hummEr’s unique design and off-road capabilities regardless of the fuel economy.17

The iconic HUMMER brand is manifested in the smaller, more fuel-effi-cient h3’s boxy exterior and luxurious interior. starting around $30,000 and lower gas mileage of 13 city/18 hwy MPG, the H3 makes the HUM-mEr brand more accessible than ever before.18

as the h3 slogan “like nothing Else” indicates, the h3 has the tradition-al hummEr design that catches both positive and negative attention. the polarizing hummEr brand attracts loyal fans and harsh critics, who see the hummEr as a symbol of american excess consumption.19

after dropping hummEr market share for the h1 and h2 due to high

situation analysis

punch

6

gas prices, the h3 increased hummEr brand sales by approximately 4-5 thousand per month and accounted for two-thirds of hummEr sales in 2006 and three-fourths in 2007.20

although the h3 ranks below competitors in both “off-road suvs” and “affordable mid-size suvs,” it has a loyal fan-base and originality un-matched by competitors. the h3’s uniqueness is, in part, represented by its placement in both of the aforementioned suv category rankings.18

Public perception of hummEr as a gas-guzzling environmental villain is the brand’s primary weakness. however, the h3 gets comparable gas mileage to the mid-size Jeep and land rover models.

the h3 does not lead of the feature rankings, meaning the brand strength resides in its novelty factor. hummEr’s consistent strengths are comfort, personal safety and status.21 hummEr’s niche market maintains demand for the “big and capable” suv.22

our consumers: the h3 Driver

how We found the h3 Driverbecause there is no explicit data on hummEr owners in the simmons data, the simmons data we compiled was a synthesis of mid-size suv and Jeep grand cherokee owners. this is, in fact, more ideal than data on hummEr owners because the hummEr h3 model’s lower price, smaller size and better mileage move the h3 to the mid-size suv cate-gory. We also used Jeep grand cherokee owner data because it is a mid-size suv competitor.

We plan to shift our target to mid-size suv users and rein market share from competitors, such as Jeep grand cherokee, making analysis of these groups most valuable and insightful. if percentages of mid-size suv owners as well as Jeep grand cherokee owners were high, we aver-aged the two. for the purposes of this analysis, we will refer to the target consumer as “mid-size suv users.” the h3 target consumers: mid-size suv Drivers the simmons data revealed a fairly even ratio of men to women among mid-size suv consumers. the most common age groups are 30-34 and 65-69. geographic location

* midwest and West

situation analysis

punch

7

Ethnic composition* most mid-size suv consumers are white* However, there is a significant number of consumers who fall under the “other/non-white” racial category. similarly, latin rock ranked above average for mid-size suv users musical tastes.5

Employment and salary* mid-size suv consumers employed by a fortune 500 company ex-ceed average. * many consumers are chairmen of boards or general managers. * the most common salaries were $250,000 or more and $100,000-149,999.5* there are a notably high number of full-time students who own mid-size suvs. Perhaps these users do not show up as a common age group because their parents have purchased their vehicle for them.5

this high-income, business demographic could be matched by the above-average participation in high-income leisure activities or memberships among consumers. for example, many mid-size suv consumers have membership in business clubs and country clubs. additionally, mid-size suv consumers enjoy golf and tennis more than average.5

the higher-than-average index of Pta membership shows the family status of many consumers with younger children. moreover, many mid-size suv consumers are married. the fact that the “married” index is not higher, combined with the semi-high level of unemployment among mid-size SUV consumers, further indicates the significance of a student consumer market for the hummEr h3. the lower than expected “mar-ried” index could also indicate a single male market.5

attitudes and lifestyle leisure loversmid-size suv consumers are likely to rent weekend homes and even more likely to own weekend homes. owning a weekend home is perhaps consistent with the mid-size suv consumer preference towards suvs that fit their “active lifestyle.” A large portion of mid-size SUV consum-ers felt their suv “matches their active lifestyle”. furthermore, many consumers valued the vehicles ability to handle rough terrain and were willing to pay more for more horsepower.5 outdoorsy and adventurousMid-size SUV consumers’ interest in sports, extreme activities and fit-ness also matches their attitude that “my suv matches my active life-

situation analysis

punch

8

style”. mid-size suv consumers were more active than average and par-ticipated in sports, extreme activities and fitness-related activities. For example, camping trips, hunting, target shooting, running, rock climbing, snow-mobiling, cardio training and weight training were all very popu-lar.5

media analysis: our channelsafter identifying the mid-size suv consumers, to whom we will market the h3, we were able to study the types of media they use.

Each of our markets has specific magazine consumption patterns. Some of the most consumed media by mid-size suv drivers include:

magazines* Women targeted magazines such as cosmopolitan, glamour, in style, redbook, us Weekly, vogue and W magazine. * active lifestyle targeted magazines such as men’s fitness, outdoor life, runner’s World, road and track and EsPn magazine. * A significant sector of women in the 30s read Real Simple. * married couples and homemakers that like to travel read town and country, traditional home, travel and leisure and national geo-graphic.5

newspapers* We found above average readership of houston chronicle, chicago sun times, chicago tribune, long island new york news Day, boston globe, Dallas morning news, cleveland Plain Dealer, atlanta Journal constitution and the san antonio Express news.5

internet* Our markets find banner ads and e-mail ads relatively useful* mid-size suv drivers tend to use the internet for informative pur-poses such as online banking, downloading music, e-mail, financial in-formation and stock trading, internet radio, news and weather, sports and real estate.5

television* mid-size suv consumers use cable television more than network television* networks used most include foX, nbc, followed by abc* of the programming, our consumers tend to favor music, sports, game shows and daytime drama. of these, sports is one of the most

situation analysis

punch

9

significant categories of programming mid-size SUV owners consume. in order, they watch the nfl, nhl, Pga, college football, mlb, college basketball and the nba.5

radio* mid-size suv drivers are relatively heavy radio users* they prefer classic rock, sports, alternative, newstalk/business, old-ies rock and modern rock * mid-size suv drivers subscribe to satellite radio at a higher than average rate. this includes people who already subscribe or plan to in the next 12 months.5

in print media, gender and interest targeting is prominent in magazines while geographic targeting is key in newspapers. internet banner ads are prominent and should be placed on information-based sites. research shows that successful television ads will circulate around sporting events focusing on nfl and nhl. mid-size suv drivers also show heavy satel-lite radio usage. by tailoring messages to appeal to our targets through these media channels, h3 will maximize its impact.

creative analysis: our messagesanalyzing hummEr advertisements gives a true sense of gm’s cur-rent and past marketing strategies. hummEr’s overarching campaign slogan is, “like nothing Else,” positioning it is a unique machine. the hummEr television spots differentiate the h3 based on distinguishing attributes in an attempt to reach their desired audiences. hummEr tai-lors each message to appeal to specific market segmentations and their advertisements reflect their marketing strategies.

headline heroesthe h3 campaign features hummEr’s ability to do what other cars cannot in times of need and crisis. the message also directs the audi-ence to the h3 micro site, which offers more information about hum-mEr’s hero mission. a television advertisement that hones in on this theme is referred to on hummEr’s Web site as “headline heroes.” the television spot begins with images of the H3 barreling through flooded and snow covered streets, while other cars sit useless on the sides of the road. accompanying these images are headlines from newspapers such as, “hummEr owners banned together,” and “worked together helped stranded motorists.” the end of the advertisement has the phrase, “pur-pose built,” which defines HUMMER as more than just an SUV, but as a reliable machine with a greater meaning behind it. the commercial does not contain any speaking; it is just the startling images of the storms

situation analysis

punch

10

along with the aforementioned copy.6

the “headline heroes” campaign reinforces a waning positive image of the good hummEr could do on a communal and individual level. by positioning the H3 as heroic, it personifies the SUV, increasing the emo-tional appeal. the advertisement connects with viewers affectively as well as places fear into viewers’ minds in regards to their safety in natu-ral disasters. the tv spot leaves a lasting memory by placing the h3 as the perfect solution for a storm.6 the right toolthe second group of hummEr advertisements highlights different functional features of the automobile—persuading viewers that the h3 is a superior suv. a television commercial titled, “the right tool,” focuses on the necessary tools people need for conquering extreme forces such as hoses that fire fighters use and harnesses for rock climbers. The overall message is that the h3 is the perfect tool for driving.6

alphathe hummEr is positioned as the “alpha” of all suvs. an advertise-ment for the h3 alpha shows predators, such as wolves and scorpions hunting in a dark forest. the h3 appears in the night with its bright lights and intimidating stature, only to scare all of other predators away. the ad highlights the hummEr’s formidable strength and dominance; the h3 is on the top of the food chain. the strategy is successful for appealing to a market seeking the alpha male status and an suv with muscle.6

video gamethe last two ads appeal to a younger segment, more interested in having fun with their suv than saving the world with it. the ad titled, “video game,” shows the h3 being raced in a video game. using the features of the video game, the virtual player selects from an array of colors, design and tire options. the player then leads the h3 through various rough terrains, highlighting the suv’s uniqueness, capabilities and features. in the setting of a video game, the h3 looks youthful and fun.6

h to the 3the “h to the 3” campaign also appeals to a youthful audience. the ad shows the h3 in an urban setting, contrasting with previous tv spots. the use of hip-hop inspired beats and a city setting in this advertisement shows hummEr’s attempt to connect with the youth. the urban music and setting appeal to a hip metropolitan, less rugged audience and posi-tions the h3 as not just an off-roading vehicle, but a trendy suv.6

situation analysis

punch

11

challenge geographythe h3 and h2 are featured in a series of print advertisements titled, “challenge geography.” the aesthetic of the ads are reminiscent of national geographic magazine covers. the familiar yellow border along with “Geography” in the headline of the ad solidifies the connection to national geographic. the ads depict the hummEr models in rugged situations, such as driving through heavy brush or on a rocky mountain. the tagline, “hummEr, like nothing Else,” is featured at the bottom of the ads, and drives home the point that the hummEr can conquer dif-ficult geography or terrain like no other vehicle.8

competitor analysis: Jeep grand cherokee’s “opera man”a competitor for the h3 is the Jeep grand cherokee. one tv spot for the grand cherokee is, “opera man.” the commercial shows different Jeep drivers and various settings all using their Jeeps for a wide range pur-poses yet all singing beautiful opera. the humorous ad leaves viewers entertained and wanting more.7

in comparison with Jeep grand cherokee, h3’s previous ad campaigns highlighted:

* Philanthropic endeavors* Problem/solution* features* high status* trendiness

conclusionalthough h3 ads target different audiences, a few similar threads encom-pass all campaigns. in general, the h3 advertisements do not contain any memorable music, celebrity endorsements or humor. the ads are very image-based and there is little or no speaking. also, the ads are typ-ically male-oriented. the next step for the h3 may be to take a lighter approach.

Public opinion and stakeholder analysis: our Position

criticisms and market sharethe public opinion of hummEr involves a hot debate concerning envi-ronmental issues. merely two years ago, the hummEr brand radiated “cool” with its frequent appearances in hollywood, in popular sporting events and on the red carpet.9 since then, the public’s perception has shifted in an adverse direction. today much of the public views hum-mEr as a “gas guzzler”- posing an environmental and economic hard-ship. as a result of this, hummEr’s sales have gone down.

situation analysis

punch

12

* hummEr’s sales climaxed at 71,524 in 2006. from 2006 to 2007, HUMMER’s sales dropped 21.7% to 55,986. HUMMER’s U.S. sales plunged 40% in the first half of 2008 to only 16, 158.10

Some HUMMER owners find the social implications of owning the ve-hicle a burden. for example, one owner cited in a new york times article said the “dirty looks and nasty gestures from other drivers that finally persuaded her to give up the family’s $55,000 hummEr h2.”11

general motors has been debating whether to sell the brand and rid themselves of the difficulties they are facing because of its image.

* in an ad age poll 63% of readers felt gm should sell the hummEr brand.

stakeholders stakeholders of hummEr can be divided into a list of subcategories, each affected in their own way by the h3 campaign.

gm EmPloyEEs: Depend on the success of the brand for livelihood.

car DEalErshiPs: Depend on the success of the brand for busi-ness reputation and to attract customers.

consumErs: Depend on brand to deliver the quality product for which they pay that meets their motives for purchase.

comPEtitors: Depend on h3’s established image from which they differentiate their product and attempt to place it in a more positive light to increase sales.

govErnmEnt: Depend on brand’s partnership with organizations to increase visibility.

gm has established partnerships with:* governmental organizations, such as voluntary initiative on Energy greenhouse gas Emissions and freedom car.* ngos, such as safe Kids Worldwide, global road safety Partner-ship, and make a Wish foundation.* business partnerships with World business council for sustainable Development and u.s. council for international business.13

the image portrayed by this campaign will, in turn, affect the images of all the organizations above. it is important to maintain the values of these organizations and also to convey hummEr’s attributes in a truth-

situation analysis

punch

13

ful light. as stated previously, the hummEr is viewed as a threat, but gm’s partnership with many environmental organizations as well as children’s safety initiatives position the brand to combat this negative image.

Pr and Promotional strategies

the hummEr brand enjoyed great success in its golden years when trendy and masculine celebrities such as governor arnold schwarzeneg-ger, and the men of hbo’s hit series Entourage were spotted and tele-vised with it.9

one of hummEr’s most recent marketing campaigns, “hummEr he-roes,” aimed to humanize the suv and reduce the “bad guy image” it has acquired over time. in conjunction with a television ad, consumers are directed to a Web site titled “hummEr helps” that shows various foot-age of hummErs helping people in times of natural disaster.

gm has committed to donating a total of 72 of the vehicles, totaling $600,000, to red cross chapters throughout the united states.15 simi-larly, a group of hummEr owners under the acronym hoPE, or hum-mEr owners Prepared for Emergencies, have partnered with red cross to give aid in local and national disasters.16

although the hummEr heroes campaign was a way to feature the suv in a new light, more must be done to give the h3 a softer appeal. by doing this, the brand will position itself more centrally and appeal to a wider market range.

sWot analysis

strengths:* hummEr consumers enjoy a “notice-me” image and prestigious status.* hummEr is well known for its distinguishable styling, positively affecting brand recognition.* hummEr consumers create brand community and loyalty due to its uniqueness.* hummEr has a great reputation for off-road capabilities and func-tionality in challenging terrain.

Weaknesses:* With current high fuel prices, many consumers believe hummEr is too expensive to drive and lacks practicality.* With the public’s growing environmental consciousness, social impli-

situation analysis

punch

14

cations of the “gas-guzzling” hummEr may project a state of envi-ronmental disregard onto its drivers.* hummEr’s performance, safety or reliability does not stand out among its competitors and lacks a practical asset to market to con-sumers.

opportunities:* By emphasizing the H3’s smaller size and increased fuel-efficiency from previous models, we’ll inform consumers of h3’s increased prac-ticality.* the mid-size suv advertising climate lacks distinction and memo-rability among advertisements. a campaign showcasing h3’s dis-tinguishable style and status in a light and relatable way will set it apart from current competitors’ campaigns.* the scope of the h3’s target markets demonstrates the versatility of the vehicle. a demonstration of an active yet familial lifestyle will maximize its appeal.

threats:* the poor economy threatens vehicle sales overall. that, paired with high fuel prices and environmental concerns threatens the entire suv market.* the market is moving towards smaller cars, hybrids, even suv hybrids.* less presence of the “big 3” allows foreign manufacturers to gain market share.* Environmental groups pose public relations threats to the hum-mEr image.

situation analysis

punch

15

camPaign stratEgy

Punch has designed an integrated marketing campaign for the h3 that will diversify the hummEr consumer market, expanding to women and a more youthful demographic, to alter the brand image, ultimately aim-ing to increase sales and market share. to do so, Punch has outlined a plan that will improve hummEr’s public image, reposition the h3 as a mid-size suv, and alter the hummEr brand to make it more inclusive and accessible to an expanded, more youthful market.

the campaign will have a cohesive message, yet it will be adapted to three specified target markets. Campaign efforts will begin in the onset of winter and the onset of summer, when the specified markets are more likely to consider purchasing a car suitable to the season’s upcoming ac-tivities, such as driving through winter snow to go skiing or driving up to a summer cabin.

The primary market we plan to expand to is the younger family, specifi-cally the mother, age 30-34. our secondary market is the single male age 30-34. We will target an older male demographic, who is active and long-ing youth, in the tertiary market.

While Punch realizes the ambitious nature and wide reach of this cam-paign, we feel expanding h3’s consumer base is essential to changing the public image and altering the brand. Punch believes our efforts must be collective to change negative public perceptions causing decreasing hummEr sales and, more broadly, suv sales. the Punch plan will remind the public of the continuing need for suvs while propping up the h3 as the superior mid-size suv that people with active lifestyles need.

current state of the hummEr h3hummEr is a distinguished brand with a solid brand community. hum-mEr has a reputation for its off-road capabilities and ability to handle rough terrain. We need to take this solid brand identity and shed a more positive light in the wake of expensive fuel prices and environmental concerns. the hummEr brand has been a target for environmentalists, acquiring a negative stigma, seen as impractical and expensive. Potential consumers are turned away by hummEr’s negative social implications of excess and disregard for the environment.

it is clear the hummEr brand stands out, and Punch wants to make the h3 stand out in a positive light, returning to its “cooler” past image during the 1990s.

Due to rising fuel prices and a less than optimal economy, people have been trading suvs for smaller cars or hybrids, and buying fewer new

punch

16

cars in general. Smaller cars don’t have the capabilities and benefits of SUVs, so our campaign must emphasize the benefits of a capable SUV, specifically the H3, and thus, the practicality. We need to make sport util-ity vehicle a priority for those with active, adventurous lifestyles.

While the h3, with the highest share of all hummEr models, has mar-ginally increased hummEr brand sales, we need to exploit new markets to change the brand image and work towards increasing future h3 sales.

communication objectives1. the hummEr has strong name recognition, however, with the rise of both fuel prices and environmentalism, the hummEr now battles negative connotations. in our survey, over 70 percent of our sample perceived hummEr drivers as “obnoxious” and “arrogant” and al-most 60 percent said they were “ignorant.” our integrated advertising and public relations campaign will reverse negative changes in hum-mEr brand perception and return to when hummErs were con-sidered “cool” through lighter, fresher advertising and, more subtly, reducing negative public perceptions through public relations.

2. the hummEr brand has a very specialized market segment that will always see value in hummEr, but we need to diversify market prospects to increase sales and market share. our campaign’s prima-ry expansion target market is to mothers of young families between ages 30-34. We will soften the brand slightly to give it a broader ap-peal inclusive of women and families.

3. Punch will show the essential need for a hummEr h3 for those with active and weekend-traveling lifestyles, while also showing its image-based advantages by appealing to underlying desires for status and coolness.

Public relations goalsit is essential for advertising and public relations, combined with tai-lored media placement, to directly reach our targets, to work together to promote awareness of the H3’s better fuel-efficiency and more afford-able price, to reduce negative “gas-guzzler” perceptions, and increase new markets consideration of the h3. a Punch survey of public opinion showed over 50 percent of the general public are “not at all familiar” with the h3’s differences from the h1 and h2, and only 10 percent were familiar with these differences. furthermore, when asked if they would be more likely to consider the h3 to other mid-size suvs after knowing

camPaign stratEgy

punch

17

about the better mileage and lower price, almost 50 percent answered yes or maybe.

Public relations must generate interest in the target markets. to do so, public relations will host events, sponsor giveaways, establish partner-ships and find avenues of free publicity that:

* Highlight the HUMMER brand’s flashy status reputation* associate the hummEr brand with an active lifestyle* Illustrate the practical benefits of a HUMMER H3* improve public perceptions of the hummEr brand

advertising goalsadvertising efforts will complement public relations by reinvigorating and adapting the distinct hummEr brand in the better-than-ever-before h3, giving it a more youthful and universal appeal.

because the hummEr h3’s price and size put it into a new affordable mid-size suv category different from the previous h1 and h2, the h3 advertising will be placed in media very tailored media to each consumer segment in the mid-size suv market, as supported by the simmons data for mid-size suv consumers. this will accompany public relations work to promote awareness of the H3’s new size, fuel-efficiency and price. How-ever, the hummEr will still be branded as unique and luxurious.

in a phone interview with the primary market, a primary market respon-dent said she would not purchase an h3 because she did not feel it was a family car. as a part of softening the brand, the advertising campaign will have specific ads geared to the primary market of the young mother, with the goal of establishing the h3 a family-friendly vehicle.

the Punch advertising campaign will:

* Work to soften the hummEr brand and continue to emphasize the h3’s unique style, status and superiority.* connect the notorious hummEr capability to the active lifestyles of our target markets.

thE Punch intEgratED camPaign Will:

1. Raise target market interest and consideration of the H3, specifical-ly the primary and secondary markets, by 15 percent within one year.

camPaign stratEgy

punch

18

2. begin reestablishing the hummEr brand as “cool” through fresh-er, lighter ads that emotionally capture the target markets.

3. make the hummEr h3 brand synonymous with an active lifestyle, by showing the practical benefits of an SUV, and make it more family-oriented for the primary market

4. begin reversing hostile feelings towards the hummEr brand.

Expected future for the hummEr brand

* Put the h3 in the forefront of the mid-size category * Establish social acceptability of the hummEr brand* Put SUVs back in the forefront, specifically the H3, working to re-verse the trend of americans switching to smaller vehicles. We want to reinvigorate the demand for suvs to create a more favorable envi-ronment in which to market the h3 and other hummEr products in the future.

advertising target marketPrimary Market Secondary Market Tertiary Market

• 30-34

• Female

• Married with

children

• $100,000 –

150,000/year

household

income

• Active

• Educated

• Owns weekend

home

• 30-34

• Male

• Single

• Fortune 500

Company

• $100,000 –

150,000/year

• Educated

• Active and

adventurous

• Owns weekend

home

• 65-69

• Male

• Married

• Retired

comfortably

• Active

• Educated

• Owns weekend

home

 

camPaign stratEgy

punch

19

rachael bay* age 34* northbrook, illinois* Married, 3 Children (Ages 5, 7, 8)* Works from home, husband works for fortune 500 company* household income: $150,000/year* new money* activities: going to their family’s weekend lake home in northern Wis-consin, tennis, golf, cardio fitness* Interests: Style, celebrity news, fitness* memberships: Pta, country club, local gym

Why is rachael interested in the h3?it is practical for her busy lifestyle as a mother and the active lifestyle of her family as well, yet it also indulges her underlying desire for attention, status and luxury.

scott carter * age 30* mill valley, california* single* Employed by fortune 500 company* $100,000/year* activities: Weight-training, snow-mo-biling, rock climbing, renting weekend homes in tahoe, running, water and snow skiing, camping, traveling* interests: Extreme activities, sports, adventure, fun, outdoors* memberships: business clubs

Why is scott interested in the h3? scott values off-road capability, horse-power, utility and durability. he needs a vehicle that matches his active lifestyle, providing for fun driving and attention-grabbing. the h3 lets people know what a fun (but also successful) guy scott is.

camPaign stratEgy

punch

20

this is our secondary market for the h3 because it is less of a stretch from the traditionally male-oriented hummEr consumers, differenti-ated primarily by youth and a more extreme lifestyle.

the tertiary market will be delegated the least resources because we want our campaign to expand hummEr to younger markets to establish it as fresher, more youthful brand. this tertiary market is attracted to the youthful quality of the HUMMER H3. Since the first two markets are most synonymous with the desired image, they are also more valuable in achieving the desired hummEr branding and positioning.

Public relations target marketPublic relations efforts will supplement the advertising campaign by sponsoring giveaways and events that would encourage sales, promote a better image for the h3 and increase the desired branding.

the public relations campaign will focus on our primary and secondary target markets. Public relations and advertising efforts will coordinate to attract these potential consumers. for example, Public relations will direct target markets towards the hummEr h3 and advertising will convince them, or vice versa.

John hartford* age 65* Keystone, colorado* married* Retired with sufficient disposable funds* 2 children, 5 grandchildren* used to own small business* activities: going to his cabin, hunting, fishing, darts, spending time with his family* memberships: country club, retired travel club* interests: sports, cars, hummEr, the outdoors, travel

Why is John interested in the h3?he has worked hard and wants to enjoy his life thoroughly in his retirement. the h3 is youthful, fun and adventurous, giving him sense of nostalgia while also serving his needs of driving to his week-end home, with grandchildren inside and a boat towing behind.

camPaign stratEgy

punch

21

the secondary focus of public relations will be the general public, includ-ing hummEr stakeholders.

1. Public relations need to reduce negative perceptions of hummEr through philanthropy. this will also make it more likely that the pri-mary public relations focus (young mother and single male) will pur-chase a hummEr because they won’t have to consider the negative social implications projected upon them by the public at large.

2. Public relations must remind hummEr stakeholders to stay loyal by making them aware of the fact that hummEr is better than ever before.

competitive advantagessince auto reports revealed the hummEr does not dominate in any of the practical categories among competition, such as safety and reliabil-ity, its competitive advantage is image-based. additionally, in the class of mid-size suvs, hummEr is also a luxury suv. the combination of the hummEr h3’s placement in both of the aforementioned categories and its established unique image make up the competitive advantage. the HUMMER H3 is in a beneficial position because it retains strong brand recognition and unique style but with a lower price and better fuel effi-ciency that allow it to be placed in the mid-size suv category. moreover, data revealed mid-size suv drivers value an suv’s ability to handle rough terrain, with which the hummEr brand is strongly associated.

because hummEr ranks lower than the competition in consumer satis-faction research, the competitive image must rely on its unique look and image to distinguish itself.

selling proposition:

* a mid-size suv that stands out* the h3 is practical for everyday life yet still indulges the consum-er’s underlying desire for status, luxury and fun* the h3 has a unique, luxury design reminiscent of the brand while remaining affordable* a unique luxury mid-size suv

camPaign stratEgy

punch

22

Positioning statement

Present Position: bought by general motors in the nineties, the hummEr brand has a patriotic history and strong reputation for its luxury and off-road power. hummEr has enjoyed a cool image in the past, driven by celebrities and rappers, but has recently been seen as unacceptable and excessive in the wake of mounting gas prices and environmentalism, losing market share to foreign competition and smaller vehicles.

these changes in the automobile industry and economy create a need for the hummEr brand to distinguish itself with branding and styling. Due to the hummEr brand’s uniqueness, hummEr has a loyal brand com-munity, which can be exploited and expanded to increase market share in a welting suv market, because there will always be a nEED for hum-mEr’s capabilities and a DEsirE for its classic boxy styling and status associations.

Desired Position:the campaign will increase sales in the midsize suv market by present-ing the unique h3 option. Punch will maintain the brand status and “notice-me” image while reducing negative social implications associated with hummEr.

the h3’s position will sustain the overall hummEr brand position (of the h1 and h2) as a luxury suv, but will, additionally, be shifted to a new, affordable class of mid-size suvs.

* male and female drivers* a practical mid-size suv with superior style and off-road capability * mid-size suv and luxury suv

branding statement

Present brand Personality: the h3 campaign slogans, such as “like nothing Else,” have positioned hummEr as a unique machine and highlight hummEr’s ability to do what other cars cannot in times of crisis and need with efforts such as the hummEr “hero mission.” h3 advertisements such as “the right tool” emphasize the h3’s utility and superiority to other suvs.

the Punch campaign will continue to move in this direction with the h3, yet will also soften the brand to open it up to women. the h3 has

camPaign stratEgy

punch

23

been portrayed as an “alpha” of suvs with advertisements showing predators, highlighting hummEr’s strength and establishing an in-timidating, formidable image. the “h to the 3” campaign is closer to the youthful, trendy approach we need to increase, highlighting its coolness rather than solely its off-road capabilities.

Punch plans to take a lighter, more female-oriented approach to adver-tisements, while maintaining hummEr’s rugged appeal by continuing to emphasize the h3’s capability and power, which is also practical for a young, traveling family.

Desired brand Personality:

* unique, noticeable* luxurious yet Practical* stylish, cool* flashy and unique * matches a healthy and active lifestyle * capable and superior

message strategy

Why should you be interested in the hummEr? …because you stanD out!

Primary: rachael bay* you’re a busy working mother and you’re always doing things for ev-eryone except for yourself. the h3 has enough cargo to bus your kids to soccer practice and carpool to school, but once the kids are dropped off you can drive home in luxury and solitude, turning heads and grabbing the attention you still deserve.

Key Points Key Words

• Stand out in a good way

• It’s perfect for your active

lifestyle

• You don’t have to choose

between practicality and fun

• Active

• Capable

• Practical

• Stylish

• Cool

• Fun

• Adventurous

• Superior

• Noticeable,

Unique

 

camPaign stratEgy

punch

24

secondary: scott carter* you are active and cool, just like the hummEr h3. When you’re driv-ing a hummEr, you can look as cool as you are with the h3’s capabili-ties. you can carry out your extreme lifestyle in your driving, while still indicating your high status and career success.

tertiary: John hartford* you’ve worked hard your entire life and now that you’re retired, it’s time to really enjoy your life doing the activities you love most. you de-serve to indulge in life. the h3 serves your mobile lifestyle while making you feel youthful and nostalgic and reminds you that you can still be ac-tive, adventurous and cool. it reinvigorates your drive and purpose and is perfect to hold your grandchildren for a fun outing.

What do you want me to do?* consider buying an h3* buy an h3* spread the word about the new h3* rethink your ideas about hummEr* View HUMMER as a perfect fit for your lifestyle* recognize your continuing need for larger vehicles

Why do i care and believe you?because hummEr is a long respected brand known for its capabilities and style, and now that it has lower price and better fuel efficiency, you can finally have your own HUMMER!

how should i feel?

campaign implementation strategiessince hummEr consumers own or rent weekend homes, Punch’s cam-paign has three surges during the onset of “cabin seasons” in the win-ter and summer, making for an ideal time to acknowledge the practical

Primary Secondary Tertiary

• Practical

• Cool

• Fun

• Noticeable

• Prepared

• Successful

• Cool

• Hot

• Capable

• Noticeable

• Nostalgic

• Reflective

• Active

• Reinvigorated

• Youthful

 

camPaign stratEgy

punch

25

advantages of an h3 for an active and traveling lifestyle. the geographic focus will be metropolitan areas in the midwest and West, where data showed mid-size suv drivers are common.

first campaign Kickoff: Winter cabin seasonfebruary 2009

* launch with super bowl advertisements * launch new interactive h3 Web site, along with banner ads and keyword search ads* launch national television advertising * launch supplemental radio advertisements* launch magazine advertisements * launch newspaper advertising* outdoor advertisements will be up throughout this period

second campaign Kickoff: onset of summermay 2009-June 2009this will be the same schedule but things will be summer season related. the messages will be the same, except placed in a summer context to bet-ter fit the upcoming summer season.

* increase national television advertising * continue supplemental radio advertisements* continue magazine advertisements * outdoor advertisements will be up throughout this period * launch movie theater ads, as kids are out of school

third campaign Kickoff: onset of winternovember 2009-December 2009

* continue magazine advertising* continue radio advertising* increase television advertising* bring back newspaper advertising* launch movie theater ads to go along with higher attendances around the holidays

rEgionalityour campaign will be geographically focused in the midwest and West, where our mid-size suv target markets are most concentrated. addition-ally, it will focus on metropolitan regions on the spectrum in between urban and rural, such as suburbs and large towns, where all three of our markets live.

camPaign stratEgy

punch

26

scoPEWhile most of our efforts will be focused on the primary market because it is the furthest from the traditionally male hummEr consumers, we will make sure to allocate resources less dramatically to the secondary and tertiary markets. the discrepancy in resources allocated to the pri-mary and secondary markets will be much less than that between the secondary and tertiary markets. We hope that by expanding the hum-mEr h3 to youthful, active markets, the older tertiary market will follow with less effort. moreover, our primary and secondary markets are also the most valuable to achieving our desired youthful brand association, so success in the tertiary market is less essential.

Evaluating our campaign’s successPunch will evaluate the success of our campaign in changing public perception of hummEr and increasing target market interest through various methods, including surveys, focus groups, communication with dealerships, and monitoring Web traffic and press coverage. Because the Punch campaign will have two seasonal surges, we will conduct evalua-tions after each surge to evaluate ongoing success.

the primary means of evaluating our success in changing public percep-tion of the hummEr brand through public relations and advertising will be to solicit public opinion through surveys, focus groups and phone interviews. additionally, we will track hummEr’s presence in the press to see if it has been portrayed in a more positive light.

to evaluate our success in raising the target markets interest in the h3, the PUNCH team will track consumer reviews, monitor dealership traffic and visitor interest in the H3, and monitor Web traffic on the H3 site.

camPaign stratEgy

punch

27

crEativE EXEcution

hummEr: DrEam bigafter extensive research and subsequent analysis, Punch determined the best method for stimulating hummer h3 sales was through a wide-reaching approach, expanding to new mid-size suv markets and target-ing a more youthful crowd.

the creative execution of the Punch strategy is responsible for creating advertisements and tweaking the brand image to reflect these changes. advertisements will work to establish a lighter, more broadly appeal-ing hummEr brand that appeals to active and youthful targets. more specifically regarding the HUMMER H3, advertisements aim to estab-lish the h3 as a perfect match for those with an active lifestyle who also value success and standing out. additionally, because the primary mar-ket reported she did not feel the h3 was a family car, advertisements will make the h3 seem more family-friendly.

objectives

* reduce negative perceptions of the hummEr brand and revert back to when hummEr had a cool brand image by positioning the h3 as a desirable, capable and superior mid-size suv.* spark interest and consideration of the h3 in target markets by making an emotional appeal based on hummer’s image-based advan-tage * long term: reinvigorate the popularity and desirability of suvs.

target audiences

Primary audience:* female, age 30-34, married with children, household income of $100,000-$150,000/year, educated, owns weekend home

secondary audience:* male, age 30-34, single, working for a fortune 500 company, income of $100,00-$150,000, educated, active and adventurous, owns weekend home

tertiary audience* male, age 65-69, married with children and grandchildren, retired, edu-cated, active and youthful, nostalgic, owns weekend home

punch

28

goals for creative messages

* soften the hummEr brand, to make it more inclusive of women and families.* Establish the hummEr h3 as a match for active lifestyles by con-necting the notorious hummEr capability to the lives and activities of our target audiences.* focus on the h3’s unique style, coolness and superiority by empha-sizing the h3’s desirability and dream-worthiness.

campaign theme: DrEam big

the Punch creative campaign will be executed under the umbrella theme and slogan “Dream big,” positioning the hummEr h3 as a status symbol and making the h3 more desirable and dream-worthy than all other mid-size suvs. by highlighting the coolness, superiority, and capa-bilities of the h3, our target audiences will become a part of this larger, shared dream.

because the h3’s advantage over competition in the mid-size suv mar-ket is image-based, the creative messaging will take a brand focused, soft sell approach. the h3’s unique selling proposition is that while the h3 retains the luxurious and unique styling and off-roading capabilities of previous hummer models, its decreased price and better mileage put the h3 into a new mid-size suv class, making it the superior choice in that class.

this selling premise is encompassed in the creative campaign’s “Dream big” theme on multiple levels:

* first, the idea of dreaming big reminds audiences that their dreams, or goals, should be big and boundless, and the h3 epitomizes a big dream. at the same time, by setting the agenda that audiences should “Dream big” and dream for the h3, this positions the h3 as a dream-worthy automobile and therefore, a status symbol consistent with the previous high-status associations with the hummEr brand. the “Dream big” theme portrays the h3 as the superior choice in the mid-size suv mar-ket, with luxury, status and practicality.

* second, dreaming is an idealistic activity associated with children and young people with their whole lives ahead of them, so the “Dream big” theme connects to this idea of youthfulness, while encouraging audiences to have unbounded dreams to appeal to success-driven individuals.

* additionally, on a more long-term, abstract level, the “Dream big”

crEativE EXEcution

punch

29

theme references the actual size of the h3 and ultimate goal of working to put suvs back in the forefront after a poor economy and environmen-tal concerns brought criticism of large vehicles. our campaign aims to work towards reinvigorating the demand for suvs to create a more fa-vorable environment to market the h3 and other hummEr products in the future. as consumers are switching to smaller vehicles, the “Dream big” campaign helps to shed a positive light on a larger model and em-phasize the benefits of an SUV unmatched by smaller vehicles, such as four-wheel drive.

the execution of the “Dream big” campaign theme takes two forms:

1. one aspect of the “Dream big” campaign illustrates the literal dreaming and desiring the h3. Echoed in television commercials and print advertisements, there is a warm-hearted dream theme that con-nects with both the primary female and secondary male audiences. images and scenarios of relatable people dreaming and daydreaming is a literal connection to the “Dream big” theme.

2. fufill your fantasiEs: the second facet of the “Dream big” message will be seen in several print, banner, and billboard advertise-ments that take dreaming one step further under the tagline “fulfill your fantasies.” instead using literal dreaming, these advertisements play on commonly known fairytales and highlight their dream-like aspects. the ethereal images reveal a softer side of the hummEr brand, specifically targeting the primary female target audience, the family market, and also appealing to children. the ads also re-late to dreaming big because the fantasies that are portrayed are typical fairytales often read by parents to children at their bedside before putting them to sleep to dream. by playing off fantasies and fairytales, the “Dream big” theme further beckons audience members to chase their dreams and fulfill their fantasies.

the “Dream big” campaign theme captures the target markets by em-phasizing the qualities of the H3 that both fit their youthful, active life-styles and make the h3 dream-worthy. for example, for the primary market, the h3 is portrayed more as a family car, with multiple adver-tisements involving children and fairytales. the travel imagery, such as a commercial showing a ski lodge, draws a parallel to the secondary market’s lifestyle and desires. the tertiary market is nostalgic and will be drawn in to the appeal of these ads when they are placed in his media. The fairytale “fulfill your fantasies” spinoff will appeal most to the prima-ry and tertiary markets because they are family-oriented. additionally, their aesthetically pleasing qualities will have a wide appeal and will also have the potential to become collectables.

crEativE EXEcution

punch

30

ad Design

* the overall aesthetic of the creative campaign shifts from literal to fantasy* the image-based ads are all simplistic in design and vibrant in color* the “Dream big” commercials take the theme of dreaming in a literal sense by representing scenarios that different members of our target markets can relate to. * the “Dream big” print, billboard, and banner ads use the tagline that “fulfill your fantasy” are connected through their whimsical themes and aesthetic layout. * the larger white margins on these print ads reveal a sense of fan-tasy to the ads and show that the portrayal is a picture or a fantasy situation. also, the lower case copy is less imposing and more visually pleasing.

crEativE EXEcution

storyboard

Tommy, 6-year-old boy, playing with a toy H3 in the sand box.VO: Tommy: “Vrrrm.”Sounds of children playing in the background.

H3 driving through sand dunes.SFX: Sound of revving engine and wind.

Tommy in the playground pushing his toy H3 though a puddle.VO: Tommy: “Splash.”

H3 driving through flooded street.SFX: Sound of car going through water.

Tommy pushing his H3 toy over a mound of grass in the playground. VO: Tommy: “Vrrrm.”

The back of an H3 driving away from the shot over a grassy field with the HUMMER logo and slogan appearing in the corner of the shot.VO: Tommy: “Dream Big.”

storyboard

Matt, 30, sitting behind his modest desk talks to Peter, his older boss. Matt begins daydream.VO: Peter: “Keep up the great work Matt, one day you’ll be sitting in my office.”

Matt, in dream office, looks at a picture of his corporate jet, then stares out the window and daydreams.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

View of the corporate jet, from the picture in his dream office, flying in the sky.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

Matt at his private ski chalet with snow covered mountains and a ski lift.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

Matt’s dream H3 pulled up to Matt’s private ski chalet.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

Matt’s dream H3 with skis and snowboards to the back.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

Matt in original office wakes up from his daydream and picks up an H3 brochure.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream fades into ordinary office sounds.

HUMMER logo and sloganVO: Deep, male voice: “step one beings today.”

storyboard

Madison, an 11-year-old girl wakes up in her bed.VO: Madison: Yawning sounds.

Madison with an excited expression looks out the window and sees snow.VO: Madison: “Snow day?”

Madison daydreams about skiing down a snowy mountain with Beth, her 34-year-old mother.Audio: Everly Brothers – All I Have To Do is Dream.

Beth leans over Madison’s bed.VO: Madison: “Mom, is it a snow day?”

Madison and Beth chat in Madison’s bed.VO: Beth: “No sweety…it’s never a snow day when you have a HUMMER!”

Close up of Beth’s face VO: Beth: “Let’s go skiing!”

Beth and Madison ski down a snowy mountain with their H3 in the background

HUMMER logo and sloganVO: Madison: “Dream big.”

Print ad

With the H3’s increased fuel efficiency and the luxury you expect from HUMMER, your dreams can become a reality.

Print ad

With the H3’s increased fuel efficiency and the luxury you expect from HUMMER, your dreams can become a reality.

Print ad

fulfill your fantasies

Print ad

fulfill your fantasies

Print ad

fulfill your fantasies

billboard ads

fulfill your fantasies

fulfill your fantasies

banner ads

punch

41

radio scriptssfX: tinKling fantasy bElls

music: Whimsical orchestral will play throughout the duration of the advertisement.

Primary marKEt: (mid-30s female voice) mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most stylish of them all?

mirror: (late 50s male, british voice) Why the hummer h3, of course!

Primary marKEt: mirror on the wall, who’s the most capable of them all?

mirror: Why, the hummer h3 again, of course!

anncr: With one-of-a-kind styling and functionality perfect for your family, come see what hummer has to offer you. hummer: Dream big.

Primary marKEt: Who’s the most deserving of them all?

mirror: but of course, it’s you!

music: Playful instrumental music will play throughout the dura-tion of the advertisement and will have a strong introduction.

young boy: (7-year-old boy sing-songy voice) hickory Dickory Doon, the h3 Drove over the moon, out a volcano, through an igloo Dream big and adventures come true.

anncr: (late 50s male, british voice) test Drive an h3 at your local dealer and you will be automatically entered into the chance of a life-time. Win a trip to hawaii, the icEhotel in sweden, or even a launch to outer space.

young boy: hummEr: Dream big.

music: music has strong closing, signifying the end of the advertise-ment.

crEativE EXEcution

punch

42

mEDia Plan

media objectives the Punch h3 media Plan encompasses several forms of media in order to correspond with the overall campaign strategy to diversify the hummEr consumer market. the plan uses a wide variety of media that will help stimulate interest among our target markets. Punch tai-lored the messages to each target market and will reach these markets through specific media selection.

Demographic target

reach and frequency goals by using a variety of media including magazines, television, radio, inter-net, billboards, newspapers and product placement, Punch estimates its media plan will reach nearly 85% of its market. According to market research, many mid-size suv consumers enjoy watching sports, espe-cially football and hockey, so the advertisements on the super bowl and nhl Playoffs will reach a large proportion of our secondary market. ad-ditionally, due to the popular nature of these sporting events, the adver-tisements on the nationally telecasted and extremely popular events will reach many members of our primary and tertiary markets. also, as the super bowl attracted 97.5 million viewers last year, the advertisements will reach nearly half the country’s population with those ads alone. as the h3 market is extremely active, advertisements will be most com-mon during three pulsing periods prior to the outdoor seasons of winter

Primary Secondary Tertiary

• Women aged 30-34

• Married with kids

• Look for status,

utility & safety

• Works out of home

• Midwestern suburban town

• Family income >$100,000

• Looks to stand out

• Enjoys fashion

magazines, TV

• Males aged 30-34

• Single

• Career oriented

• Status driven

• West coast

• Enjoys sports and recreation

• Enjoys standing out

• Loyal sports fans

• Couples aged 65-69

• Retired

• Reinvigorating

their youth

• Active lifestyle

• Rocky Mountains

 

punch

43

and summer. as our consumers are getting ready for the winter and summer cabin seasons, the advertisements will stimulate interest and sales. Punch expect that of our three target markets, consumers will be exposed to our advertisements at least four times through our media mix. The extra advertising within our five spot markets will increase the likelihood that our targets will be reached. by using three pulsing pe-riods timed with the seasons, we will not over saturate the market with advertisements; rather we will stimulate interest in test-driving the h3, resulting in increased sales.

Duration and scheduling strategiesPunch will launch the h3 media campaign in february of 2009 with the beginning of its first pulsing period. This timing coincides with the winter cabin season along with other outdoor winter sports. the launch will start with the super bowl advertisements. additionally, the adver-tisements on the nhl playoffs in april will help set the tone of the entire media campaign. there will be advertisements throughout the entire year; however, during the pulsing periods, there will be additional adver-tisements, especially in the spot markets.

the next pulsing period will take place in may and June 2009, with the onset of summer. consumer research showed that a majority of the h3 market uses cabins during the winter and summer months. as a result, our increase in advertising in may and June may stimulate purchases as consumers prepare for the summer cabin season.

the third pulsing period will take place in november and December 2009, prior to the onset of the winter season and the holiday gift-giving season. these advertisements will be aimed at clearing out the year end models, along with the holidays and winter outdoor activity. this period will mark the end of our yearlong media campaign.

timing of the Dayboth the primary and secondary markets are active and hard workers. the primary market is very family-oriented and the secondary market is business-oriented. in order to reach these markets, Punch will focus advertisements during the commute hours for radio, and primetime for television spots. Due to our primary and secondary markets’ busy sched-ules, they are likely to relax and unwind in the evening, so Punch will focus its television advertisements during the evening hours. 4% of the Punch media budget, or $3.2 million, will go towards primetime ad-vertising and half of that for late-night advertising. finally, the tertiary

mEDia Plan

punch

44

market is less tied down by responsibilities, yet still tends to be enjoy-ing the outdoors during sunlight hours, so the timing coincides with our primary and secondary markets.

regional Emphasis and spot marketsthe Punch media plan ultimately seeks to spread nationwide aware-ness about the new H3; however, there are five spot markets of particu-lar importance for our media campaign. media research shows that increased media saturation within five urban centers will help reinforce our campaign. The extra advertisements within these five cities will target the wealthy urban dwellers along with consumers within the more affluent outlying suburbs. PUNCH will focus on the following cities:

chicago Denver san francisco los angeles tampa bay

These five cities serve as particularly strong areas of concentration of our target markets. Particularly, through market research we found the pri-mary market living near chicago, the secondary near san francisco and the tertiary near Denver. this is in part due to their occupations and their activity level. We also chose tampa bay because it is the location of the super bowl in 2009.

media selection criteriathe Punch media campaign incorporates a diverse variety of media to match the diversification of the H3 market. We extensively researched our targets’ demographics and psychographics. additionally, after under-standing what kinds of people make up our target market, we were able to conclude what type of media they use. We will attempt to reach our entire market multiple times in multiple ways throughout our yearlong campaign. With specifically tailored messages to our markets and well-planned media placement, we plan on reinforcing hummEr’s unique brand image.

media selection rationales and budget Distribution

magazines --30% of expenditures-- $2.4 million

30% of our media budget will be used in placing advertisements in na-tional magazines. magazines serve as an important form of entertain-ment for much of our target market, especially the women in our primary market. magazines are ideal because they have a high reproduction quality and they are not fleeting. In total, we will reach 777.72 GRPs

mEDia Plan

punch

45

through our magazine portion of our media campaign.

With the theme “Dream big,” people can expect to see a variety of adver-tisements with the same theme. With a good campaign, this helps in-crease the buzz around advertising, as people look for other examples of advertisements. 12% of this advertising will be placed in general interest magazines, which will likely reach all of our targets. 13% will be placed in women’s magazines because media research shows that mid-size suv-owning women read fashion and lifestyle magazines more than average. the remaining 5% of magazine advertising will be placed in men’s maga-zines.

market research led Punch to believe that most of our target consum-ers use magazines for entertainment more than information. thus, we chose magazines that follow the trends of our consumers’ hobbies and interests. of the general interest publications, many go along with our consumers’ interest in owning cabins and outdoor recreation. simmons research showed that our primary market enjoys fashion maga-zines. also, going along with our secondary market’s interest in sports and fitness, the publications targeting men go along with that trend. We plan to use the general interest magazines during the early stages of our campaign to increase h3 awareness. Punch will advertise in the sports magazines in conjunction with major sporting events such as the super bowl and the nhl playoffs. for the primary market, we will advertise at relatively constant levels through-out the campaign. in total, we plan on advertising in 20 magazines (listed below) all of which have extremely high subscription rates as well as store-purchase rates. the magazines are listed in order of importance, according to simmons research on what magazines mid-size suv own-ers read.

General Interest Women’s Magazines Men’s Magazines

• National Geographic

• Traditional Home

• Town & Country

• Travel & Leisure

• Runners World

• Fitness

• Outdoor Life

• Time Magazine

• Cosmopolitan

• Glamour

• In Style

• Real Simple

• Redbook

• Shape

• Vogue

• W Magazine

• ESPN

Magazine

• Men’s Fitness

• Motor Trend

• Road and

Track

 

mEDia Plan

punch

46

national television --total: 12% of media expenditures-- $9.6 million 12% of our media budget will be used for placing advertisements on na-tional television. as americans watch more television, they are exposed to more advertisements. our media plan seeks to stand out amongst the highly saturated media market. Within national television, we plan to advertise during primetime, sports and late night. as mid-size suv owners are very interested in sports, we will allocate half of the national television budget to advertising during sports programming. this does not include special events such as the super bowl and the nhl playoffs, as we have a separate impact media budget for those events. because mid-size suv consumers are family-oriented and business-oriented, they often find themselves unwinding after a long day while watching primetime programming, so we allocated 4% of our budget to such advertisements. also, simmons research showed that our consum-ers watch quite a bit of late night television, so we will save 2% for ad-vertising on late night television. We used simmons market research information to find our consumers’ favorite television networks and show types, so we included possible outlets and shows where we will advertise.

cable television --total: 20% of media expenditures-- $16 million

through our market research, Punch found that our target markets watch cable television more than network television, which is why we designated 20% of our media budget here. cable television is especially helpful for segmenting the target audience due to the specialized nature of the content. We will tailor the messages to the particular markets that watch certain networks. cable advertising will be relatively con-stant throughout our campaign, due to the high cable viewing levels we found among our target markets. We will use the entertainment cable networks as well as information networks to effectively reach our target markets. along with cable’s versatility, it has a relatively low cPP, which means our larger budget allocation will have an especially high impact

FOX NBC ABC National Sports

• 24

• American Idol

• House

• Bones

• Prison Break

• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

• The Office

• SNL

• Desperate Housewives

• Grey’s Anatomy

• Dancing with

the Stars

• Jimmy

Kimmel Live

• Football

• Baseball

 

mEDia Plan

punch

47

on our ability to advertise there. again, the listed networks are in order of importance, according to simmons data on mid-size suv owners.

radio --total: 7% of media expenditures-- $5.6 million

Punch found that our targeted consumers listen to the radio above av-erage. Due to the target market’s busy schedules, we believe drive times (to and from work) will be the best times to advertise, so 5% of our radio budget will be used during these times. the remaining 2% will be allo-cated for nighttime advertising. simmons data shows that our markets listen to the radio at night regularly. our tertiary market is a likely tar-get for night radio advertising, and the secondary market is likely to hear our advertisements during drive times from the outskirts of the city into their offices downtown. When properly used, radio advertisements can be the most successful, as they allow the consumer to draw a mental im-age, which helps them remember commercial messages. We will use our fairytale portion of the “Dream big” campaign on the radio spots because it lends itself to creating mental images, or dreams. also, this will be in conjunction with fairytale billboard advertisements on the heavily traf-ficked freeways into our five spot market cities.

internet --total: 3% of media expenditures-- $2.4 million

market research showed that almost 100% of our target markets use the internet everyday. We found that the most common uses were for bank-ing, financial information, news/weather, sports and downloading music. also, internet advertising lends itself well to advertising high involve-ment products, such as the h3. a successful internet advertisement will lead the consumer to the hummer Web site where our targets can learn more about the unique features of the new h3. simmons research showed that our markets more than average find banner ads useful. Also, keyword advertising can be a helpful source of Internet traffic. This will be particularly useful during our special advertising segments on the super bowl and the nhl playoffs.

Sports Entertainment News

• ESPN

• ESPN2

• HGTV

• Travel Channel

• TBS Superstation

• USA Network

• TLC

• Food Network

• CNN

• Weather Channel

• CNBC

• Fox News Channel

 

mEDia Plan

punch

48

research shows that successful super bowl advertisements lead to viral marketing, whereby consumers show other consumers the ads, which leads to more buzz. for this reason, our pulses on the internet will coin-cide with television advertising. We will place banner advertisements on important web sites, such as espn.com, weather.com, and cnn.com. our keyword advertisements will go along with “super bowl,” “luxury suv,” and “nhl Playoffs.”

outdoor --total: 5% of media expenditures-- $4 million

Punch has created several outdoor billboard advertisements that coin-cide with radio advertisements. They will be placed within our five spot markets on busy highways and near car dealerships. the simple mes-sages will lend themselves to successful outdoor advertisements and will be reinforced with radio advertising. because we are only placing bill-boards in five cities, this will be relatively inexpensive compared with the increased reach we will gain.

Possible placements:

national newspapers --total: 3% of media expenditures--$2.4 million

because newspapers are still a very popular source of information for interested car shoppers, we will allocate 3% of our budget to place adver-tisements in major newspapers. We will especially use newspaper adver-tising during the holidays, and year-end close outs. People seek year-end car sales, which often lead them to look at newspapers, so we will place ads in major newspapers during this time. media research shows that newspaper readers tend to be older and more educated, which coincides with our tertiary market. simmons data showed that our target markets most commonly use (in order of importance):

chicago sun times houston chronicle los angeles times usa today new york times Wall street Journal boston globe

movie theatre advertisements--total: 4% of media expenditures-- $3.2 million

Punch will place advertisements before major motion pictures during

Chicago Tampa Bay San Francisco Denver LA

• I90

• I94

• I290

• I275

• I4

• US101

• I280

• I80

• I70

• I25

• I10

• I405

 

mEDia Plan

punch

49

our yearlong campaign. We will feature movie theater advertisements in featured films during the summer and holiday seasons, when attendance rates at movies are high.

impact media--total: 11.53% of media expenditures-- $9.23 million

market research showed that mid-size suv owners are very interested in sports, especially nfl football and nhl hockey. in order to make a splash at the onset of our media campaign, we will place advertisements during the 2009 tampa bay super bowl. We are allocating 7.42% of our budget to this event alone. the super bowl is watched by nearly half of the population of the united states and the commercials tend to be a very popular point of discussion in the weeks following. for this reason, we plan to start off our campaign strong by placing advertisements dur-ing this major sporting event.

second to nfl football, our consumers are heavy nhl hockey fans. this is a somewhat specialized market, so we thought it would be an excellent way to zero in on our target market. We will place advertise-ments during the nhl Playoffs when more hockey fans will be watch-ing. because of the sports utility provided by the h3, we will be able to strongly market the h3’s capabilities to sports fans during their favorite sporting events.

Product Placement--total: 4% of media expenditures-- $3.2 million

We allocated 4% of our budget to product placement in a major motion picture. because of the increasingly cluttered advertising environment, product placement is a unique way to show the h3 in action. because we have to sign a deal with a movie production company early, we plan on working with the crew of iron man 2. iron man was a very popular action movie amongst children and families alike. for this reason, we think it will be an excellent way to target our primary and secondary markets and even the tertiary market if they take their grandchildren to the movies. iron man 2 will be released to theaters in may 2010, which is soon after the end of our yearlong media campaign. this will be an excellent cap to the campaign because throughout our various advertise-ments, we will inform people about the h3’s capabilities, and they will all be displayed during the movie.

contingency fund--total: 0.47% of media expenditures-- $373,920

the remainder of the media budget will be reserved in a separate contin-gency fund. this money will be reserved for any additional unplanned advertising or Pr activities, or donations.

mEDia Plan

punch

50

buDgEt allocation

grP Distribution

 

 

mEDia Plan

punch

51

Punch media Plan

Punch Media Plan

Media

Categories Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total

National

Magazines 94 62 83 73 62 62 62 62 62 94 62 778

General Interest 21 11 11 21 11 11 11 11 11 21 11 151

Women's 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 495

Men's 28 7 28 7 7 7 7 7 7 28 7 140

National TV 57 57 57 57 57 285

Primetime 19 19 19 19 19 95

Sports 25 25 25 25 25 125

Late Night 13 13 13 13 13 65

Cable TV 144 126 126 126 126 648

Cable

Primetime 126 108 108 108 108 558

Spot Cable

Primetime 18 18 18 18 18 90

National

Radio 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 1914

Radio- Drive Times 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 1375

Radio-

Nighttime 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 49 539

Internet 280 280 560

Banner Ads 267 267 534

Keyword 14 14 28

Outdoor 114 114

Spot

Billboards-5 cities 114 114

Newspapers 25 49 74

Movie

Theatre Ads 13 13 13 39

Impact

Media 100 72 172

Super Bowl 100 100

NHL Playoffs 72 72

Product Placement

Major Motion

Picture

Contingency

mEDia Plan

punch

52

Public rElations Plan

opinion trendsPunch has performed extensive research in order to make assessments concerning the public’s opinion of the h3 and judgments of the hum-mEr brand. Punch analyzed articles in the media, public opinion sur-veys, fan groups, and anti-hummEr groups. additionally, we conducted a survey to find out what the public values in an automobile and what information they already knew about the h3. by gathering and evaluat-ing this data, we were able to determine where the hummEr’s image is flawed and how we can promote the H3 in a positive light.

objectivesthe biggest obstacles for the h3 are its image and its resulting consum-ers’ unwillingness to purchase. considering these hurdles, Punch has developed a list of objectives and solutions that will combat the obstacles and solve the problems. Punch seeks to:

* raise target interest and encourage consideration of the h3* change the public’s perception of the hummEr brand, and reestab-lish it as a selfless luxury vehicle* Differentiate the h3 from other competitors by branding it as a car that can be associated with an active and exciting lifestyle* reverse hostile feelings toward the hummEr brand with chari-table events and partnerships

increase interestPunch will increase interest in the h3 with lavish events, exciting giveaways, and adventurous vacations. by reminding stakeholders why they bought their hummEr, and bringing in new consumers to an es-tablished and loyal community, the brand will have rejuvenated strength.

changing the imagePUNCH will emphasize the benefits of the H3 and steer consumers away from its flaws. The H3 will create general goodwill, by expanding its part-

Problem Reason The HUMMER

Perception

Effected

Stakeholders

PUNCH

Pressure to

“Go Green”

Political and

Media Influence

“Gas Guzzlers”

“Selfish”

Feel ashamed

Lower Sales

Highlight H3’s benefits

Foreign

Competition

and Hybrid Cars

Less sales for

SUVS, no new

cars

“Unnecessarily large”

“Expensive”

Dealerships facing a

decline in profit

margins

- Differentiate the H3 from H2 and

SUV competitors

- Tailor to Targets

- Show why it is good for their image

A Downward

Economy

Complex “Not an essential

purchase”

Facing lowered

annual sales

- Bring consumers into the dealerships

- Find interesting ways to inform consumers

 

punch

53

nerships with stakeholders who already hold a good image in the public eye. additionally, by donating h3s to people who are in need, Punch expects the public to associate the h3 with generosity, as opposed to self-ishness.

charity and sponsorships will give back to the community, giving the h3 a softer image than its ancestors. this will help pull in the market of younger families for whom we’ll aim. at the same time, Punch will highlight the adventure that comes along with driving a hummEr. by holding events, and giving away vacations, we will build upon this ben-eficial distinction.

targets

Primary focusone of h3’s primary targets is the younger mother of a family that has a household income of around $100,000 or more per year. she is edu-cated and has enough disposable income to maintain a weekend home that suits her active lifestyle. she likes to show off her style, but the well being of her children is her chief concern. according to Punch’s phone interviews, she considers herself active, adventurous and youthful at the same time. she looks up to celebrities or politicians who make their life about philanthropy and service.

the h3’s secondary market focuses on young, adventurous bachelors with comfortable incomes. he is in his 30s and wants to have a good time during his weekends. this active target enjoys time outdoors. he wants a car that appears powerful but at the same time is attractive to others. he wants to stand out and look good.

secondary focusThe secondary focus aims at the general public and more specifically stakeholders, including hummEr owners, dealerships, and employees. currently, the general public holds concerns about the economy and the environment.

important issues to our targets* brand Distinction* luxury* safety* adventure* Philanthropy

Public rElations Plan

punch

54

Opinion Management and InfluenceIn order to fulfill objectives, PUNCH will provide exclusive giveaways, host charitable events, and also events that maintain the hummEr’s image as an adventurous vehicle. luxurious getaways will appeal to the targets that seek adventure and luxury. charitable events will generate good publicity, restoring hummEr’s positive image.

Public Presence

interactive and informative Web sitethe internet is integral for consumers researching new car purchases. Punch will create an interactive and informative Web site, where consumers can go to learn anything they want about the h3. the site’s contents will be organized depending on who visits it. it will also act as a research module, by asking the site visitor a few questions about him-self first in order to customize the web site according to his needs. Some sample questions might be:

* are you male or female?* how old are you?* What is your marital status?* how many children do you have?* What brings you to our web site?* Do you own a hummEr?

Depending upon the answers, the site will be sorted according to what is important to its visitor. the visitor will also have the option to skip the questions. instead of a Web site full of standard facts and photographs, the h3’s web site will be much more interactive. visitors would be able to take a quiz to find out what kind of HUMMER suits them best, and what extra features they should order. stakeholders might take another quiz to prove how much they know about the hummEr brand, and the differences of the h3. visitors can make additions to an interactive map, showing routes they’ve traveled in their h3. also, visitors can take a vir-tual test drive of the h3 in exotic destinations. this “test drive” would be similar to a racing video game, except designs for a much smoother ride.

Events

big Dream chasers’ festival – summer tourPunch will plan a summer tour entitled “big Dream chasers’ fes-tivals.” the tour, which will be held in stadiums throughout the u.s., includes 12 weekends of off-roading, racing competitions, prizes, and a tradeshow. at the festivals, hummEr owners will camp out around the

Public rElations Plan

punch

55

stadiums, and enjoy an exhilarating atmosphere complete with live mu-sic, barbequed food, and adventure.

HUMMER owners will be notified of the event by email, using the con-sumer database. additionally, hummEr and its national, regional, and local hummEr enthusiast groups will supply information on their sites. national media, as well as local media near the stadiums will be provid-ed with a press release, in hopes of generating massive publicity.

Punch will supply dealerships located within 100 miles of each stadium with information for customers. interested attendees would purchase tickets on hummEr’s web site or at their dealership. the festivals will be held in the following stadiums and on the following dates:

the Punch linecreating unity and strengthening brand loyalty among hummEr con-sumers is key during a time period when the suv market is struggling. also, the tour will encourage old and establish new brand communities and traditions.

the events aim to reinforce the reason consumers bought their hum-mEr, and the tradeshow should even encourage them to upgrade to the h3. the festivals emphasize an exciting time in the outdoors – something all hummEr fans value. additionally, this event appeals to the second-ary market of the active, young bachelor. this target has free weekends to go out and bond with others like him, and this event presents the perfect opportunity to do so. the festivals will be held near large cit-ies throughout the united states, so hummEr owners will not have to travel too far to attend.

 Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL June 5 - 7

Reliant Stadium Houston, TX June 13 - 15

Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA June 19 - 21

Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte, NC June 26 - 28

Izod Center East Rutherford, NJ July 3 - 5

Roberts Stadium Evanville, IN July 10 - 12 

Metrodome Minneapolis, MN July 17 - 19

Tacoma Dome Tacoma, WA July 24 - 26

US Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH July 31 - Aug. 2

Pepsi Center Denver, CO Aug. 7 - 9

Mellon Arena Pittsburgh, PA Aug. 14 - 16

Arco Arena Sacramento, CA Aug 21 - 23

Public rElations Plan

punch

56

big Dream suv – make a Wish WeekPunch will build upon gm’s sponsorship of make-a-Wish foundation. HUMMER will produce an H3 “Dream SUV” specifically to deliver wish-es to children with life-threatening illnesses. the h3 will be painted blue and covered with sparkling stars to allow for partnership recognition of both hummEr and make-a-Wish. after the child is delivered the gift, the family of the child is allowed to keep the car to travel anywhere in the u.s. for one week.

“Dream big Week” will last a full year, one wish per month, delivering wishes to 12 children. Punch will focus especially on families in the midwest and West.

three weeks prior to the inaugural “Dream big Week,” Punch will work with the staff of make-a-Wish foundation to distribute a press release announcing the plan. Punch will also send the releases to local media in the areas in which children are receiving wishes.

the Punch linea primary target of the campaign is the mother of a family with and income of $100,000 or more. sponsoring “Dream big Week” with make-a-Wish foundation will appeal to her because she will relate it to her own family. it in turn lends the h3 to a softer image. it also gives off the image that with an h3, a person can do anything.

Punch hopes this plan will inspire and give hope to a struggling child, stimulate a fun adventurous family weekend and promote a safe and self-less image to the families of america.

Dream big bids and Wishes – make a Wish auctionin addition to the Dream suv, Punch will plan two auctions sponsored by hummEr in which proceeds would go to make-a-Wish foundation.

both auctions, one in chicago and another in los angeles, will be held in the beginning of December. hummEr owners that live in either one of these areas will receive an invitation, by e-mail, to the event. addition-ally, Punch will provide a press release to local media, and hold a press conference providing specific details. PUNCH will seek out donations for the bidding items. some types of prizes would be a spa package, dinner at a fancy restaurant, jewelry, signed memorabilia, sporting tickets, etc. in return, the donors will be allowed to advertise their business at the auction. all of the items will be items that wealthier families could enjoy.

at the end of the night, hummEr will donate an h3 to be bid upon. Wine and hors d’œuvres will be served to guests.

Public rElations Plan

punch

57

the Punch linePunch believes that the auction will appeal to h3’s targets, both the single male, and the mother of an upper-middle class family. the prizes will be suited to their tastes, and will inevitably attract them to the auc-tions. additionally, the auction works to better h3’s image as a caring brand since proceeds are going to make-a-Wish foundation. the event emphasizes what the H3 seeks to be – a selfless luxury.

the auctions will be held in the beginning of December since it is the “season for giving.” With holidays coming up, consumers are more likely to spend money, buy gifts, and be in a giving mood.

Dream big, Party hard – super bowl after Party super bowl Xliii – february 1, 2009 the castle night club – tampa, florida

Punch wants the h3 to kick off the year with an event that will not only stand out, but also excite as many people as possible. to accomplish this task, hummEr would sponsor a super bowl after Party. the a-list of special guests will include top athletes, and performances by hot musicians. cel-ebrating in style is important to our targets, so the party will be compli-mented with champagne and gift bags.

PUNCH will create a raffle and announce 10 winners during the half-time show. Each winner will be provided two free tickets to the event. to get the word out beforehand, Punch will place information on the web site for the super bowl, on the h3 Web site and also create a temporary Web site specifically for the party. Interested attendees will be provided contact information on who to reach to purchase tickets.

the Punch linethis event would be appealing to the primary target. Punch’s research showed that this target felt distinction, style and luxury were very im-portant. this prestigious and high-class event will allow the target to associate the hummEr brand with this theme. additionally, announcing raffle winners during the half-time show would allow gain the attention of sports fans and super bowl attendees.

the media department has jumpstarted the h3’s advertising campaign with the super bowl, and the party will help to reinforce this big kick-off.

 

Public rElations Plan

punch

58

Promotions

Dream big getaway – Exclusive vacation giveawaysDrivers of the hummEr are status-oriented adventure-seekers. because hummEr drivers are people who like to “go big or go home,” Punch has decided to fulfill their extravagant desires. On the last day of June, July and august, Punch will give away exciting trips to hawaii, swe-den, and outer space. a family of four will travel to hawaii and their trip will include roundtrip

airfare, a 6-day stay in a renowned fam-ily hotel, Winners can tour volcanoes and waterfalls, a fishing trip, a spa day, and surfing lessons.

the adventure in sweden will be at the icehotel, known for “its unique concept, its fantastic works of art, and its extraor-dinary experiences.” the winner and a guest can go on snowmobile rides, par-ticipate in ice sculpting class, eat dinner

in a starlit wilderness, and go skiing and snowboarding. the third and grand-prize winner will win a trip to outer space. this prize would mark a first for corporation give-aways and Punch expects it to generate a great amount of press coverage. the winner will have an inimitable experience on his flight on Richard Branson’s Virgin galactic spaceship.

to be eligible for each getaway, par-ticipants must test-drive an h3. While journalists at national newspapers will receive information of the promotion in a press kit and at a conference, Punch will remind consumers with billboards strategically placed close to the dealer-ships. additionally, Punch will pro-duce a radio advertisement, reminding consumers to stop by their local hum-mEr dealership.

 

 

 

Public rElations Plan

punch

59

the Punch linethe three getaways will generate buzz for hummEr, especially the grand prize, because it is the first time a corporation has sent a person off the planet. the trips also align with the hummEr’s brand image of adventure and thrill seeking.

Whether consumers purchase an h3 or not, bringing them into the dealership will allow salesmen to inform and persuade. according to a PUNCH survey, 58.2% of participants did not know the difference be-tween an h2 and h3. additionally, when they received information about the benefits of an H3 compared to other luxury SUV competitors, 45.2% said they would consider purchasing it.

Dream big – collectors’ PostersPunch will create limited edition poster-sized models of the “Dream big” print advertisements. the posters will be sold on the new Web site. a new poster will be released each month. Punch will create 10,000 posters for each ad.

the Punch linePunch hopes to facilitate the collection of these advertisements. be-cause the ads feature different fairytales, Punch believes children will be attracted to them. following the success of absolute ads, and milk ads, Punch will generate buzz and publicity for the h3 in much the same format.

Public rElations Plan