Writing For Auto Industry

This is terrific work from Volkswagen, illustrating some of the most important features of effective advertising. 1. Be consistent. Remember that VW Darth Vader ad back in 2015 that changed Superbowl ads forever? This is using the same creative strategy, in a modern way, almost 10 years later. They haven't reinvented, they've refreshed. Bringing the same strategy into the modern world. 2. Be distinctive, not different. There are a lot of self parking cars out there now. VW aren't claiming this is a unique feature but they're using it to (again) show us they are the most enjoyable and family friendly car there is. Relative differentiation. This is how positioning works out of the marketing text books. It's not obvious, but it's real and effective. 3. Entertain, don't sell. No one is hard selling us on the benefits of self-parking cars in this compact 30sec TV ad. It's a fun story with a family that forms positive emotions that will last. Making the brand slightly more salient for years to come. How brand building needs to work. A bit of nostalgia and a throwback also helps here. 4. Stand out creatively. Finally a car ad with some bite. No swooping shots of a car driving along a mountain. No montages of electric or lights, with a VO about changing how we "see energy". This will stand out from the wall-paper of car advertising. It's so easy to get washed away with category tropes. Saying no to these things takes effort, someone really trying to do their job. Kudos to the team at DDB Spain. 5. BRAND BRAND BRAND. System1 have tested this ad for effectiveness. It's in the top 2% for brand building UK car ads ever tested, out of nearly 1000 TV ads. But what's impressive is the 94%+ brand recognition it achieves. Most of the time people can't remember what brand an ad is for. Keeping he brand front and center whilst being this interesting and enjoyable is tough. Ads need to be remembered for who they are for. This ad achieves that in spades. Truly class #advertising. I've made the full #effectiveness ad research free in the comments.

Cold emails are all about precision. Each word should serve a purpose - if it doesn’t add value, CUT IT. The key to success lies in your ability to craft a message that not only gets opened but also compels the recipient to take action. Start with your subject line—this is your first impression, and it needs to grab attention immediately. Avoid overly salesy language; instead, aim for curiosity or a value proposition that’s hard to ignore. Keep it short (under 50 characters) and relevant. Test different approaches like asking a question, stating a benefit, or referencing a recent event related to the prospect. Once they’ve opened your email, the next step is to deliver a concise, value-packed message. Start with a strong opening that connects to the subject line, then quickly transition into how you can solve a specific problem they’re facing. Highlight the specific benefits of your product or service, and back it up with social proof, such as testimonials or case studies. And let’s not forget your CTA. In my experience, it's all about the soft CTAs that generate curiosity and draw the prospect in instead of hard CTAs like "Call Now".

A car doesn’t sell because it moves It sells because it moves people. Use this 10-question framework to do a quick audit of an automobile company. 𝗜. 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 & 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝟭. 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲?  If your story isn't distinct, no campaign will save it. 𝟮. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲?  ➝ Cars don't sell specs. They sell freedom, status, security, and escape.  (If you're selling ""mileage"", you’re still in 2005) 𝟯. 𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 '𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗨𝘀' 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆?  ➝ Great brands sound like movements, not manuals. 𝟰. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱?  ➝ If all people remember is your logo, not your form, silhouette, or vibe, you have an identity crisis, not a brand. 𝟱. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻?  ➝ Viral ads are cute. A cultural movement is unbeatable. 𝗜𝗜. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧 & 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝟲. 𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 > 𝟱𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲?  ➝ If not, you're either spreading yourself too thin or have no standout offer. 𝟳. 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲?  ➝ ""Adventure redefined."" ""Luxury without compromise.""  ➝ If you can’t headline it, you can’t advertise it. 𝟴. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀?  ➝ If you're adding tricks (like 10 more USB ports) instead of solving range anxiety, parking struggles, or maintenance fears, you're missing the plot. 𝟵. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗽𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁?  ➝ post-purchase communication should feel like a loyalty movement, not a discount coupon spam fest. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿, 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀?  ➝ If you hesitate even for a second, your ads won’t work either. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 If any of these 10 points made you pause, you don’t need a new marketing campaign. You need a sharper brand. Because in today’s cluttered market, the best storyteller wins, not just the best engineer.

The best marketing doesn't just sell a product, it creates an emotional shortcut. 🎯 On paper, the product update might have been straightforward: "We made a sportier, more dynamic version of the Fiat 500." An ordinary marketing campaign would show spec sheets, highlight the rims, and talk about engine performance. 📋 Instead, the creative team chose a completely unexpected narrative: engineers physically "massaging" and slapping muscle into the car to give it that athletic edge. It is funny, memorable, and instantly communicates the concept of "handcrafted attitude." 🛠️✨ In business and marketing, we often get bogged down in technicalities, features, and dry data. But the truth is: 📖 Features inform, but stories connect. People do not buy what you do; they buy how it makes them feel. 🚀 Creativity is a business accelerator. A brilliant creative concept can make a limited budget punch way above its weight. 🤝 Human-centric hooks matter. Striking a chord through humor, irony, or shared human experiences will always outperform a generic list of product benefits. When you are looking at your own marketing strategy, challenge your team to look beyond the literal. How can you turn a standard feature update into a story that sticks? 🤔 What is your favorite commercial that managed to turn a simple product feature into brilliant storytelling? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇 #MarketingStrategy #Branding #CreativeAdvertising #BusinessGrowth #Storytelling

Most safety ads get ignored. This one made the whole theatre go silent. Volkswagen wanted to teach a lesson people would feel, not forget. So they set up a sting operation inside a movie theatre. ▶️ The ad starts, a car is calmly driving down a road. 📱 Seconds later, the audience receives a text. 💥 Everyone looks down. The car crashes. Silence in the theatre. Then, the message: “Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel.” “A reminder to keep your eyes on the road.” 20 million+ views. Zero statistics. 100% emotional punch. Why did it work? Because most safety creatives fall into this trap: ❌ Over-explaining with data ❌ Assuming fear equals attention ❌ Being "technically correct" but emotionally flat VW flipped the script. ✅ Used behavioral realism instead of lecturing ✅ Let the audience’s own reaction drive the message ✅ Played by the algorithm’s rule: engagement is everything Lesson? The best creatives don’t always come from classrooms. They come from instincts, speed, and emotional clarity. This is how performance storytelling wins. #Storytelling #MarketingStrategy #Volkswagen #CreativeMarketing #BrandStrategy #EmotionalMarketing #PerformanceCreative

Tired of sending cold emails that lead to zero meetings? Here’s a mash-up of two proven frameworks to help you craft emails that actually get replies: 1. Personalize from the Start Reference a podcast appearance, recent press, or industry news. Show them you’ve done your homework—keep it short and relevant. 2. Spark Curiosity with a Question Highlight an immediate pain or challenge (“What are you doing to onboard new hires in 30 days?”). Mention a relevant case study or success story to pique their interest. 3. Provide a Quick Value Statement Show how you’ve helped a similar company achieve real results (e.g., reducing ramp time from 92 days to 32). Keep it data-driven and easy to digest—no 200-word monologues. 4. Keep It About Them Remove formalities, jargon, and endless product talk. Focus on their goals, their pain points, and their success. 5. End with a Single CTA A simple “Is it worth exploring more?” or “Open to learning more?” works wonders. If they open the email but don’t respond, follow up the next day—consider adding a short, personalized video. Bottom Line: Cut the fluff. Go straight to the trigger. Make it about the prospect. And keep it super short. You’ll be surprised how many more meetings you can book by simply ditching the old, confusing, salesy language and focusing on clear, concise, personalized outreach. What’s your top tip for writing cold emails that get replies? Drop it below!

Great Branding Sells the Story, Not Just the Specs As Super Bowl season reminds us, the most memorable ads aren’t the safest ones—they’re the boldest. A past campaign from Jeep did exactly that with the Grand Wagoneer. Instead of leaning only into the “family SUV” label, the brand flipped expectations using humor, surprise, and self-awareness—expanding the vehicle from practical to aspirational. That’s the power of emotional advertising. Most brands talk features. Great brands create feelings. Jeep didn’t just sell a car—it reframed identity. Family vehicle, date-night ride, road-trip machine, lifestyle statement. One product, multiple narratives. This is how legacy brands endure. Not by playing it safe—but by becoming memorable. When marketing makes people laugh, lean in, and see themselves in the story, you don’t just gain customers. You create loyal advocates across generations. That’s not advertising. That’s brand leadership. #Leadership #BrandStrategy #MarketingExcellence #CreativeLeadership #LegacyBrands #EmotionalMarketing #SuperBowlAds

"Should your ads be THIS crazy?" Science says yes 👇 The science of "Narrative Transportation" First, let me introduce you to Jennifer Escalas. Her research will change how you think about storytelling. I came across her advertising study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology called "Narrative Processing: Building Consumer Connections to Brands". During her time at Vanderbilt, she studied ads like this from Audi. Ads that required mental effort to "keep up" with the story. Ads that are not immediately obvious from the start. Her research CONSISTENTLY showed that when following a storyline requires cognitive work, viewers become MORE engaged. Not less. AKA... The more effort viewers put into understanding your story? The MORE involved they become with your brand. And with your product as a result. She calls this "narrative transportation" in her research. The degree that we get get drawn into a story. As narrative transportation increases, so do emotional responses. More transportation leads to more persuasion. 👀 The simplified version? Most people process life through stories. When we watch an ad with a clear narrative arc like someone overcoming a problem or chasing a goal, we subconsciously compare their story to our own story. That’s called narrative processing. If the brand plays a meaningful role in that story, we form what researchers call a Self Brand Connection, or SBC. Which makes us subconsciously think things like: "This product fits into how I see myself" "This is my kind of brand" "I like this brand" 📌 TLDR for you 1) Narrative structure activates narrative processing. 2) Narrative processing increases SBCs 3) SBC connection predicts brand preference and action AKA, loyalty and purchase intent So make sure your ad mix includes storytelling that takes some degree of mental load to follow. Because the more you can engage your consumers to follow your convoluted story and see themselves in it? The more likely you are to earn their SBCs Invest accordingly ✌️  

Some ads fade. Others echo. Two decades later, while most car brands still shout… Audi whispered — and everyone listened. The 2004 “Touch the Future” campaign remains one of the smartest lessons in storytelling and product-led differentiation. A tiny, unexpected protagonist exposed every competitor’s flaw, while the Audi A3 solved the problem with quiet confidence. Three timeless lessons: 1. Show, Don’t Tell Audi didn’t boast. They demonstrated. Visual storytelling builds trust faster than claims ever will. 2. Simplicity Wins A short, silent, relatable moment made more impact than any complex campaign. In today’s noisy world, clarity is the real power. 3. Innovation Speaks for Itself No exaggeration. No hype. Just a product proving its point. When the engineering is real, the story tells itself. For marketers, this is a reminder: Great storytelling doesn’t scream — it resonates. It makes people feel, not just see. Audi’s “Touch the Future” is still a masterclass in branding and advertising. #Audi #Marketing #BrandStorytelling #Innovation #Authenticity #AdvertisingLessons

Car brands have quietly mastered something most marketers still miss. They don’t sell “features”. They sell feelings, story, and status. Here are the best examples and the principles behind them. 1. Range Rover Principle: Sell the escape. Show what life looks like when your product removes the constraint. 2. BMW Principle: The Timeline. Educate the audience by showing where the category started vs where it is now. 3. Daihatsu Principle: Reframe the boring. If your product is practical, make the angle funny and human. 4. Porsche Principle: Sell the childhood dream. This is desire, not logic. 5. Volkswagen Golf Principle: Mirror life stages. Make the product feel like it grows with the customer. 6. Volvo Principle: Proof beats copy. Show the USP working in the most extreme environment possible. 7. Toyota Land Cruiser Principle: Hyper specific humor. Oddly precise stats are memorable and funny. 8. Porsche Principle: Create a villain. Traffic is Darth Vader. The car is the Jedi. 9. Porsche Le Mans Principle: Brag with wit. Confidence lands better when it entertains. 10. Dodge Neon Principle: The second read. Reward people who slow down and pay attention. 11. Audi Principle: Let the audience connect the dots. Give 2 plus 2. Let them feel smart doing the math. 12. Chevy Camaro Principle: Make it giftable. Design moments that feel cinematic. 13. VW Beetle vs The Beatles Principle: Cultural borrowing. Tap into something people already love. 14. Porsche 911 Principle: Push the metaphor. The more extreme the comparison, the more it sticks. 15. BMW vs Audi Principle: The competition dunk. Playful, cheeky, and only when you can win. Takeaway: Great ads do not explain. Great ads make people feel clever for understanding.