Jeep creative says Mitsubishi’s new ‘It’s a Mitsi’ campaign is ‘a little desperate’
Jim Ingram and Chris Jeffares presenting onstage at Mumbrella360
One of the creatives behind the successful ‘I Bought a Jeep’ campaign has described the new Mitsubishi ‘It’s a Mitsi’ campaign as desperate and said it could be damaging to the brand.
Cummins & Partners co-executive creative director Jim Ingram, speaking at today’s Mumbrella360 conference on the Jeep campaign which he claimed had generated $2.5bn in incremental sales over four years, described the Mitsubishi campaign as “flattering” but said it will not “resonate in the same way”.
“In fact I think it might do some damage because it somewhat cheapens what I think is a very strong brand, it feels a little desperate. It feels they’re chasing a certain market,” he said in response to a question from the audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8SiBnJdS8A
“One of our brand values is trying to create jealousy for our clients in their world. If you work in Fiat Chrysler marketing right now you’re top of the stack when it comes to their industry, there’s a lot of brands looking at what they’re doing and wishing they had something similar.”
Jamshop is Mitsubishi’s creative agency of record.
When quizzed on comments made my former Jeep marketer Mark Mcraith around social media not demonstrating an ability to drive a lead and sell a car from social activity, Cummins & Partners CEO Chris Jeffares said the power of social media lies in the conversations being had beyond official brand groups or handles.
“People completely misunderstand what social media is, they talk about it like it’s your own Facebook group or your own Twitter handle. That’s not where the excitement is, or the power of this is,” he said.
“The power of this is all those conversations that are going on that are miles away from your Facebook groups or your Twitter handles.
“I used to work in a business where they banned the phrase social media and said we’d prefer you to talk about social networking because that’s what it really is, it’s the conversations that go. It’s been very powerful in that regard at a brand level”
Ingram said social “gives you an excuse to associate with a brand”.
“You might not make a direct purchase through a social engagement but they’re all compounding factors that help you make that decision when you finally walk into a dealership or a shop or put a hand on a product on a shelf.
“That’s where social engagement can be a powerful tool, as soon as you’re connecting with a brand on any level you’re on step closer to partnering with them.”
During the 45-minute presentation Jeffares and Ingram outlined Jeep’s transition from an American car company struggling to be relevant to an Australian audience to a brand thats tagline ‘I bought a Jeep’ has become one of the most-well known, and parodied, lines in recent years.
“Jeep was our first client in our very first week. A lot of what we were talking about is what is their problem? We clearly thought there was no brand relevance in the Australian marketplace. People don’t necessarily like to buy American cars either,” said Jeffares.
“The advertising of the time actually compounded that as an issue for the brand.”
“The very first thing we did with Jeep was embrace the spirt of adventure,” Jeffares said.
Embracing the “spirit of adventure” led to Cummins & Partners developing the ‘Don’t Hold Back’ platform for the brand.
Ingram added: “What that actually did to tap into the Australian psyche, most people who buy a 4WD they don’t take it off road but they like the idea that they just might one day and that was the principle that launched the Don’t Hold Back platform and why it was so right for Jeep at the time to give it relevancy in the Australian market.”
Cummins & Partners continued to push the ‘Don’t Hold Back’ idea before introducing the retail positioning of ‘I bought a Jeep’ to complement it in September 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XimP9cIR0uE
“We developed I bought a Jeep, it was actually one of the bravest things I’ve been involved with from a marketing point of view for a number of reasons,” said Jeffares.
“What they did in the very first piece of communications is they ran advertising that showed the purchase of a Jeep was a totally surprising purchase, almost to the point of idiotic, and then through the same communications it showed a level of acceptance for that and then the idea of ‘you know what that’s a pretty good decision’.”
The challenge more recently was to tie the retail idea of ‘I bought a Jeep’ with the ‘Don’t Hold Back’ embracing adventure brand platform, Jeffares and Ingram explained.
It saw the ‘I bought a Jeep’ idea applied to demonstrate people who buy a jeep are able to escape from every day life and have adventures.
“Our next challenge was to take I bought a Jeep and actually allow us to extend our brand platform of ‘Don’t Hold Back’ so the next iteration of I bought a Jeep campaign started to represent what buying a Jeep meant to people,” said Ingram.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtH77HItrvg
Miranda Ward
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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“the Jeep campaign which he claimed had generated $2.5bn in incremental sales”….I find that somewhat difficult to believe
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Given some recent consumer disaster stories, “They bought a Jeep?” has become somewhat ironic. But at the same time “It’s a Mitsi” sounds a desperate attempt to spawn a catchphrase.
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Who even calls them Mitsi’s anyway? Shitsi maybe, but not Mitsi.
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Reminds me of what we used to call Mitsubishi’s as kids: Bits-a-mis-sing
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“I bought a Jeep” is an idea. “It’s a Mitsi” isn’t.
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I feel for anyone who bought a Jeep or a Mitsi, it’s not going to be a happy ending!
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I’m not sure the ad campaign you created Jim was responsible for the $2.5Bn in sales.
A few small things like incredibly keen pricing, a fast expansion of the range, increasing dealer network and a 50 year old brand might have had something to do with it.
If The “Mitsi” campaign comes across as a little “desperate”, then you might have just come across as a little “arrogant”
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‘power of social media lies’
says it all really
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jonty and middo
Clearly none of you work on automotive brands. Well I do. And there is no disputing the amazing results for the Jeep brand over the last 4 years. And there is a simple government regulated measure. VFACTS. And what they say in generated sales …over 2 billion. ..is probably quite accurate. I write this because whilst I work for a competitor brand, it is corrosive to look for ways to deride other’s work. Better to marvel how it was done and learn and them try and top it. Two years ago VW was almost frame for frame copying Jeep. Now Mitsubishi has tried…and perhaps not succeeded.. in getting name recognition. But rather than bag Jeep..let’s finally applaud Cummins for creating an Aussie created campaign that spoke to Aussies about an American brand. It is far cleverer than anything I have seen in this space. We used to see “oh what a feeling” as the benchmark. Now…”Don’t hold back” is. And so too the retail “I bought a jeep”. I am glad I have written this response because rather than be a sceptic…secretly I have admired this campaign….. now I want to go out and beat it. Not bleat about it.
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As good as Jim is he had absolutely nothing to do with the creatibg the Jeep campaign.
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It honestly feels like it’s a parody / taking the piss out of the Jeep campaign. Are we sure it’s not? (PS: I drive a Mitsubishi ASX and have called her Mitzi for the past 3 years… Love that car!)
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“It’s not a car, it’s an Alfa Romeo” was desperation.
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One of the strangest ads I’ve ever seen. “Mitsi” is a dog’s name like Rover and Spot, and I thought the last thing any brand would want is to be called a dog.
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As well as the concept being based on/reminiscent of the Jeep campaign, isn’t the mnemonic at the end of the spot a bit of a copy of Toyota’s? Never heard of a Mitsubishi being called a Mitsi, either.
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I’m disappointed that Miranda has chosen to lead with this comment as her story. After delivering a 45 minute presentation on the Jeep campaign as a whole (including Don’t Hold Back & I bought a Jeep) I responded to a question from the audience – the very last question asked – it was a question about the current Mitsubishi campaign and my answer was brief. It certainly was not the focus of the presentation. Articles like this make me seriously reconsider volunteering my time to participate in further Mumbrella presentations like 360 in future.
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@Facts….VFACTS! I made no comment on the work whatsoever. I work on cars, and I genuinely believe the Jeep work is strategically smart, well executed and bang on brand. Cummins should be highly commended for this. My point, if you read my post, is that it is difficult to believe the campaign led to $2.5B of incremental sales. Jeep sell 30,000 vehicles per year, which suggests their sales are circa $1.25B per year. So to attribute every single sale to this campaign is absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention the fact that this is total sales, not incremental sales. Its the sort of chest beating, egotistical bullshit that makes clients think we are too far up our own arses. So well done to Cummins who deserve credit for fantastic work, but lets not assume that an advertising campaign generates $2.5B in incremental sales…
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Hi Jim,
Firstly thanks for your time at 360 yesterday – it was a great session and the audience appreciated it.
Just on this note – it’s very tough to take 45 minutes of insights like you presented and convey them in a coherent news story and do them full justice. However we will be posting a video of the full session in the next few weeks so people have the chance to see all of the whole session for themselves.
Best,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
I worked on the Mitsubishi brand for over three years. First day on the job, the National Brand Manager told me, ‘We’re followers, not leaders.’
And nothing’s changed much since.
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I feel for you Jim. The headline did make me read the article though. I wouldn’t have otherwise.
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How many of you were talking about Mitsubishi 12 months ago? the conversation is now happening on social media or social networking as some call it. A presso about Jeep also has more discussion about Mitsubishi Not working and desperate …. I don’t think so.
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What do you expect Jim? You said it. They supposed to not report what you said?
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Your frustration seems valid Jim.
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@Mel.
I think Jim’s point is he did them a favour and then they went out of their way to make him look like an ass. (Though I’m sure that wasn’t their specific intention- rather to get eye-balls). So basically they burnt him for their own ends.
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Whilst I agree the the ‘It’s a Mitsi’ campaign is terribly brand damaging (and desperate), and the Jeep campaign has led the way in recent years (although extremely sceptical that this has led to $2.5bn increase), I can’t help but focus on how many spelling and grammatical errors this article contains.
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Jeep sold hardly any cars in the past – their shabby, ancient and meagre offerings made indifferently were bought only by the most patriotic expatriates. So to claim responsibility for the fact that the Italians have resurrected the brand is spurious indeed.
Pfft, selling cars is the easiest ad job. They basically sell themselves.
The nations top selling car is advertised by woman dressed up as cats !
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I tend to agree “Its a Misti” is just piss poor copywriting that lacks direction. The whole campaign looks like it was a master stroke from the work experience kid.
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For me, the Jeep campaign is one of the most enlightened marketing strategies for the last 30 years. Highlighting a brand negative and turning it into a positive is a diabolically dangerous brand strategy. DDB did it with Volkswagen in the 60’s and Cummins has pulled it off for Jeep in this decade and backed it with rock-solid, simple creative. Who cares about the actual vehicle sales numbers – whatever they are is amazing anyway – this is a complete and undeniably successful brand re-invention.
Mitsubishi – who is striving for some re-invention of its own – has fallen into a trap. I would bet my last dollar that the word “mitsi” either dropped out of a research group(s) of current owners or is vernacular used on Mitsubishi forums or both. In other words, it came from the converted. The trap then is to expect that “mitsi” can be mainstreamed to a non-owner audience – for whom the brand lacks relevance, not a moniker. Don’t show me a picture of us in love – make me fall in love with you.
The Jeep strategy didn’t say ‘look at me’. It said ‘I know you’re not looking at me”. Clever stuff.
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The only people that call their Mitsubishi a ‘Mitsi’ are the people who work in marketing at Mitsubishi. I’d say they are the ones who led this campaign. And yes, it’s terrible.
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Horrible headline and I too would be outraged if I was Jim.
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It’s an unfortunate reality that off-the-cuff references regarding profit figures and criticism of others’ work will gain attention (even if uninteded). But this really shouldn’t come a surprise to any speaker….
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VFACTS May Sales:
Jeep -9.1%
Mitsi +6.4%
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@wato – interesting
I have to say, ‘Mitsi’ is catchy as hell.
Does make me think of popping pills though
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Advertising people analysing advertising. Introverted and unhealthy. The only thing that matters is what the public think and the sales numbers
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#33, what’s sad is your lack of understanding about what successful advertising looks like, and it’s not short term sales or popularity. Great advertising can change hearts and minds, and be the first step to inspiring long term purchasing behaviour and passionate advocacy. Those of us who work in this industry that merges commerce and art have great passion and respect for it, as I hope you also have for your chosen career.
We all get better at our crafts by analysing and discussing what works, or doesn’t. What would be unhealthy is to not do it at all.
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If a country, ocker, Aussie, bloke said, (in a deep gruff voice): “It’s a Mitsi”, that would sound okay to me, if it referred to the Triton. However when it is a city dwelling, happy, man, or woman, in an annoying high pitch voice, that goes up at the end; that is when this campaign fails.
Characters are everything in film, tv and should be everything in a tvc. Whoever decided to have the squeaky, smiley faced city dweller, saying “It’s a Mitsi’, quite simply has little to no EQ.
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I have owned both brands. Actually, I have owned most brands that have a towing capacity of two tonne or higher.
My buying decisions are based on quality. The Pajero will win over any Jeep any day. Doesn’t mean I don’t love and prefer the Jeep ads though! LOL
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I think BenG is spot on. The ‘It’s a Mitsy’ ad has taken the piss out of the ‘I bought a Jeep’. Before the former ad appeared on our screens we were comparing both and the criteria of the option to go off-road certainly applied. The Mitsubishi won out in that department and the thought of the kids joking “Mum bought a jeep” made me cringe. Not everyone wants to keep up with the Joneses. Happy Mitsubishi owner.
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I think this whole branding thing is misunderstood. Nobody buys a “Mitsi” – they may buy a Pajero or Lancer, but those are completely different models.
Consider Yamaha. Do people say “I bought a Yamaha”? Because if they do, it is not clear if they have bought a guitar, drum kit, waterctaft, snow machine, motorbike or what.
Yamaha is a great example: their pianos are great pianos, not great Yamahas. Their off-road bikes are great off-road bikes, their cruisers are great cruisers. Each dominent or close to dominent in their own category.
I don’t know if buyers of Yamaha R1 motorbikes are thrilled by the smooth key action of the Yamaha GrandPiano or if they just like it that the R1 is blisteriingly fast. What do you think?
Does anyone buy Kawasaki bikes because Kawasaki makes really big ships?
Staying with the bike theme, would anyone buy a Harley Davidson TV?
Sadly, for me, while a Pajero is a Pajero (and we’ve owned some), the term “Mitsi” just reminds me of Mitsubishi – most famous for building Zero aircraft. Probably not what they were hoping.
Disclaimer: I’ve bought Land Cruiser, ML320, Rav4, Pajero but never a Jeep.
Both my kids have bought Jeeps.
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