U.S. Car Manufacturers Distance Themselves from ‘Soccer Mom’

It was only a matter of time before the suburban stay-at-home mother of 2.5 kids decided that she wasn’t fond of the moniker “Soccer Mom.” After all, her little ones are into Lacrosse now.

Arguably, the reason for the desired change is the stereotypical choice for transportation. What do all “soccer moms” drive? Minivans.

Enter Cadillac:

This story from AdAge claims that Cadillac, Nissan, Buick, and others, are reconsidering their approach to advertising the sport utility vehicle market.

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R.I.P. to the King of Endorsements

MJToday we say goodbye to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Over the next few months, the general public will dissect all things MJ — what will happen to his three children, and what his musical legacy will become. I’m more interested in is his impact on the advertising world.

Until 1984, it was virtually unheard of for a superstar to endorse products on TV, until Pepsi inked a $5 million deal with Jackson, paving the way for future deals with Madonna, Cindy Crawford, Ray Charles, and Britney Spears. In fact, Jackson’s relationship with Pepsi was so successful that brands such as Buick, American Express, Cover Girl, and Jell-O also pursued celebrity deals, elevating those brands to unseen levels of popularity.

The Pepsi-Jackson deal also broke creative ground — at the height of “Thriller,” Jackson rewrote “Billie Jean” to create a version specifically for Pepsi, rather than sing the original jingle, thus taking the concept of branding to a new level. The Wall Street Journal credits Jackson for breaking barriers that gave way to iPod commercials starring Coldplay as well as car commercials featuring indie rock songs that have yet to get radio play, but are sure to be the next big thing.

Not bad for a kid from Gary, Indiana, huh?

Photo Credit: the Associated Press

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via Twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.