Hasta La Creative!

According to The New York Times, gasoline prices surpassed $3.50 a gallon nationwide for the first time and oil jumped to a record high on Monday.

Given the intense price pressure on consumers, it’s interesting to note this article in Ad Age about consumers buying gas on brand preference, not price.

Karen Wildman, brand and communications manager of the Shell brand at Shell Oil Co., said the industry hasn’t done a good job in the past five to 10 years of educating Americans about their fuel products.

She said the $35 million she spent last year for the gas brand’s “Passionate Experts” campaign was a good investment and is spending the same amount this year to continue the effort.

Ms. Wildman said Shell’s quarterly research shows that consumers’ perception of the brand’s gasoline has improved dramatically since the campaign began running, though she declined to provide specifics. She credits improvement partly to the simple message that Shell gasoline can “stop gunky buildup” in engines.

Personally, I don’t purchase gas from Exxon/Mobil, nor Shell.