Hasta La Creative!

Subaru’s “Love” campaign is among the most recognizable and enduring marketing efforts in the automobile category. But the brand has not always been this consistent. In the 1990s alone, Subaru cycled through various taglines, including “What to Drive,” “The Beauty of All-Wheel Drive,” “Driven by What’s Inside,” and “Think, Feel, Drive.”

These are among the advertising tidbits Subaru of America shared this week as it prepares a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. The celebration culminates on Feb. 15, 2018, when it will mark its founding on that date by American businessmen Malcolm Bricklin and Harvey Lamm. Together they sold Subaru franchises that marketed Subaru cars imported from Japan. (Fuji Heavy Industries acquired Subaru of America in 1990.)

The first Subaru to reach the U.S. was called the 360 and it cost just $1,290 — which was then $300 cheaper than the competing Volkswagen Beetle, according to Subaru. With its early advertising, Subaru of America’s sought to differentiate its vehicles from other foreign car brands, leading to one of its first ads declaring that “Subaru is not a Japanese Beetle.” The marketer embraced affordability, like in the ad below that declared it “the economy car for today’s economy,” while other ads stated, “Cheap and Ugly Does It.”

Continue reading at AdAge.com