XPO | Old Dominion TV ads

bhenning

TB Lurker
Credits
0
Anyone seen the prime time Old Dominion commercial?

Just talks about moving freight.

Nothing in the ad about race cars!!!
 
[quote author=bhenning link=topic=79263.msg821951#msg821951 date=1271378395]
Anyone seen the prime time Old Dominion commercial?

Just talks about moving freight.

Nothing in the ad about race cars!!!
[/quote]
How can a company make money moving freight without having a race car? It's unthinkable!
 
[quote author=primadona link=topic=79263.msg822005#msg822005 date=1271388454]
[quote author=bhenning link=topic=79263.msg821951#msg821951 date=1271378395]
Anyone seen the prime time Old Dominion commercial?

Just talks about moving freight.

Nothing in the ad about race cars!!!
[/quote]
How can a company make money moving freight without having a race car? It's unthinkable!
[/quote]

What the hell is OD thinking? Just talking about moving freight...and no race car.

There is something unnatural and ***** about this entire line of thought...downright eerie!...

Good thing we have Colin Braun and the Mustang.

Hell....if it weren't for Rousch the only thing we would have to offer is...

[glow=red,2,300]On time ...exception free service...[/glow]

And that just scares the hell outta me...

Rat
 
If Conway spent $11 million on tv ads, the same people would have a problem with it.

Unless they're spending the money on YOU, you have a problem with it.
Don't be a "fair-weather" employee. You've got to accept the good with the bad.
 
[quote author=beerfd link=topic=79263.msg822045#msg822045 date=1271416593]
If Conway spent $11 million on tv ads, the same people would have a problem with it.

Unless they're spending the money on YOU, you have a problem with it.
Don't be a "fair-weather" employee. You've got to accept the good with the bad.
[/quote]

OK. I'm ready for the good.
 
Honestly now, what good does it do to advertise to the public. Do they thing that a private citizen is going to ship a skid of freight somewhere?
 
[quote author=dodge ram link=topic=79263.msg822233#msg822233 date=1271470263]
Honestly now, what good does it do to advertise to the public. Do they thing that a private citizen is going to ship a skid of freight somewhere?
[/quote]

Exactly what I was thinking, it doesn't matter how many times a freight manager see's this commercial, he/she wants the freight company to come to him and give a presentation and a big discount to get him/her to change from their current carrier, (re: grease the palm). LTL freight is typically above the needs of the average homeowner, package freight is able to satisfy most homeowner shipments. But then again, the same could be said for the stupid car. How many drunk, redneck, nascar fans are going to ship something on a pallet?
 
[quote author=dcmilkwagon link=topic=79263.msg822254#msg822254 date=1271473018]
[quote author=dodge ram link=topic=79263.msg822233#msg822233 date=1271470263]
Honestly now, what good does it do to advertise to the public. Do they thing that a private citizen is going to ship a skid of freight somewhere?
[/quote]

Exactly what I was thinking, it doesn't matter how many times a freight manager see's this commercial, he/she wants the freight company to come to him and give a presentation and a big discount to get him/her to change from their current carrier, (re: grease the palm). LTL freight is typically above the needs of the average homeowner, package freight is able to satisfy most homeowner shipments. But then again, the same could be said for the stupid car. How many drunk, redneck, nascar fans are going to ship something on a pallet?
[/quote]

I have always thought the same thing. The guy watching Nascar is not the guy who makes the decisions about what gets shipped where and by who. The guy watching Nascar is either the guy driving the truck or the guy loading it.WTF!!!!!!
 
[quote author=dcmilkwagon link=topic=79263.msg822254#msg822254 date=1271473018]
[quote author=dodge ram link=topic=79263.msg822233#msg822233 date=1271470263]
Honestly now, what good does it do to advertise to the public. Do they thing that a private citizen is going to ship a skid of freight somewhere?
[/quote]

Exactly what I was thinking, it doesn't matter how many times a freight manager see's this commercial, he/she wants the freight company to come to him and give a presentation and a big discount to get him/her to change from their current carrier, (re: grease the palm). LTL freight is typically above the needs of the average homeowner, package freight is able to satisfy most homeowner shipments. But then again, the same could be said for the stupid car. How many drunk, redneck, nascar fans are going to ship something on a pallet?
[/quote]

How many redneck Nascar fans indeed!...happens by the truckload in my neck of the woods.

The OD commercials put out to a general audience make a helluva lot more sense than sponsoring a race car.

For one your average Nascar fan doesn't give a hoot in hell about who sponsors the car...its the driver or the team that calls in the fans...but mostly the driver.

There are some cars that are unmistakeable in their color scheme for sponsor recognition but it isn't the crux of the focus...again its the driver. These Nascar fans are a love'em or hate'em breed...fiercely loyal while it the same moment berating their fav for doing something stupid...or how they got robbed from a victory by another driver. Notice I said driver....not sponsor.

The OD commercials are about brand recognition. They are not about sports sponsorships...there are many companies that sponsor sports because that is the focus of their business...athletics is a large part of their biz...Nike...Gatorade...and the like.

Then there are the generic advertisers that have a recognition all their own...GM...Ford...and whoever else. The Mastercards of this world don't need to sponsor any particular sport or person (althought they do) their name is all they need...they are household words.

LTL carriers are not household names...we are the peeps who get in the way of Joe Commuter on his way to or from work... and if by some chance they have the occasion by to interact with an LTL company by virtue of their employment we represent work...either by inbound materials or outbound finished product. It is the nature of the beast.

If just one person of importance sees the commercials and is impressed by them...it could very well pay for the cost of the air time and some profit as well. Every shipping manager everywhere watches TV...and the one thing that is lacking in their TV viewing is LTL ads...then out of the blue comes OD with a presentation...something no one else is doing...the shear impact of being different in its presentation/advertising has to be attention getting.

Being different is sometimes the better avenue to follow...we used to do that...back in the day.

This is similar to the computer business.

Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) had the ingenious idea of giving away computers to schools. His thoughts were if we can indoctrinate the youngsters to the Apple platform as they get older they will be loyal to the brand. Once they get into the workplace they will be comfortable with the Apple and hence will purchase the Apple brand before a competitor's machine.

The tax funded local schools bought into this hook, line, and sinker...afterall it was free computers for their students and essentially cost them nothing. Jobs tried this approach with the secondary and post-secondary institutions...it didn't work. The reason is quite clear...the result of a fatal flaw in the thinking of the folks at Apple. They held onto their operating platform long after the IBM/Windows system had became the defacto industry standard. There were a few Apples at the colleges but they were mainly used for music and arts purposes...in which the Apple computer excels. By the time Apple decided to be Windows compliant the opportunity had passed. Eventually Steve Jobs left the company (and has since returned) but the chance to make a dent in the marketplace for business oriented machines had passed.

Fast forward...

Along comes a young entrepreneur by the name of Michael Dell (founder of Dell computers)

He massed produced computers using every cheap method available...many parts from sub-standard manufacturers overseas...made high powered machines available to the average person...recognized the internet would be the machination by which most peeps would purchase...offered refurbs at a discount...

But most importantly...use the Apple approach... give 'em away to the colleges and universities..knowing full well that brand recognition would have its benefits...and it has.

Look around at the brand names on the computers at your customers place of biz....many say "Dell" somewhere on the box...

The OD commercials are unique...different in its approach...not following the crowd...setting the standard for others to pursue.

This is something Con-Way did back in the day...not the biggest but definitely the best.

We don't do those things anymore...now we are more concerned about telling the employeees what a wonderful thing the VPP replacement will be...spewing the Bruce M. idiocy of how no other carrier is giving a bonus....and evidently neither are we we.

Figures lie and liars figure...and you can count on these liars figuring on enhancing your VPP.

The OD model is admirable...seems to have a lot of committment...integrity...and excellence...

Where are they hiding ours?...

Rat
 
[quote author=beerfd link=topic=79263.msg822045#msg822045 date=1271416593]
If Conway spent $11 million on tv ads, the same people would have a problem with it.

Unless they're spending the money on YOU, you have a problem with it.
Don't be a "fair-weather" employee. You've got to accept the good with the bad.
[/quote]

I don't know about fair-weather employees but all in all, every company has an allotment they set aside for advertising. Each company spends this money as they see fit. Some deliveries are better than others. Now I don't want to read anything into it but Yellow Freight used to sponsor a car. FedEx and UPS sponsor cars but that is mostly all about the package side of the business. So, is it right that we spend money on a car? I don't know. I do know that they will spend that much money on something else if not the car. So, that money is allocated for advertising and is going to be spent. So don't hate the Mustang, Colin or Rousch.
 
[quote author=bigfoot077 link=topic=79263.msg822546#msg822546 date=1271567168]
[quote author=beerfd link=topic=79263.msg822045#msg822045 date=1271416593]
If Conway spent $11 million on tv ads, the same people would have a problem with it.

Unless they're spending the money on YOU, you have a problem with it.
Don't be a "fair-weather" employee. You've got to accept the good with the bad.
[/quote]

I don't know about fair-weather employees but all in all, every company has an allotment they set aside for advertising. Each company spends this money as they see fit. Some deliveries are better than others. Now I don't want to read anything into it but Yellow Freight used to sponsor a car. FedEx and UPS sponsor cars but that is mostly all about the package side of the business. So, is it right that we spend money on a car? I don't know. I do know that they will spend that much money on something else if not the car. So, that money is allocated for advertising and is going to be spent. So don't hate the Mustang, Colin or Rousch.
[/quote]

Whether or not we spend the money on the racecar is a highly debatable issue. I think that we can all agree that since we have a racecar, we should hire a driver that can at least finish a race without crashing. Colin Braun sucks and should be fired.
 
[quote author=radman link=topic=79263.msg822648#msg822648 date=1271600767]
[quote author=bigfoot077 link=topic=79263.msg822546#msg822546 date=1271567168]
[quote author=beerfd link=topic=79263.msg822045#msg822045 date=1271416593]
If Conway spent $11 million on tv ads, the same people would have a problem with it.

Unless they're spending the money on YOU, you have a problem with it.
Don't be a "fair-weather" employee. You've got to accept the good with the bad.
[/quote]

I don't know about fair-weather employees but all in all, every company has an allotment they set aside for advertising. Each company spends this money as they see fit. Some deliveries are better than others. Now I don't want to read anything into it but Yellow Freight used to sponsor a car. FedEx and UPS sponsor cars but that is mostly all about the package side of the business. So, is it right that we spend money on a car? I don't know. I do know that they will spend that much money on something else if not the car. So, that money is allocated for advertising and is going to be spent. So don't hate the Mustang, Colin or Rousch.
[/quote]

Whether or not we spend the money on the racecar is a highly debatable issue. I think that we can all agree that since we have a racecar, we should hire a driver that can at least finish a race without crashing. Colin Braun sucks and should be fired.
[/quote]
Really? Fired? You think it might have something to do with being a rookie and he has a lot to learn? I don't know how long you have been driving trucks but I am sure your first year you weren't all that great. I am assuming that you are much better now or at least I hope you are. Because a baseball player doesn't hit a home run every time at bat, should he be fired? :smug:
 
Yes he should be fired. He is not a rookie. He was driving our race truck before he was driving our race car. He has crashed in almost every race. If I crashed that much I would definitly get fired and so would you.I am surprised that you are defending him. He is not a very good race car driver.
 
[quote author=dodge ram link=topic=79263.msg822233#msg822233 date=1271470263]
Honestly now, what good does it do to advertise to the public. Do they thing that a private citizen is going to ship a skid of freight somewhere?
[/quote]

Companies have a certain amount per year they can write off on their taxes, may as well reduce your tax liability at any cost...
I read somewhere for every dollar FedEx spends on advertising, they get 4 back
 
[quote author=radman link=topic=79263.msg822735#msg822735 date=1271627075]
Yes he should be fired. He is not a rookie. He was driving our race truck before he was driving our race car. He has crashed in almost every race. If I crashed that much I would definitly get fired and so would you.I am surprised that you are defending him. He is not a very good race car driver.
[/quote]He hasn't crashed in this weekend's race....yet. It's been post-poned, as well as the big race, until tomorrow.
Been raining for two days now :(
 
[quote author=radman link=topic=79263.msg822735#msg822735 date=1271627075]
Yes he should be fired. He is not a rookie. He was driving our race truck before he was driving our race car. He has crashed in almost every race. If I crashed that much I would definitly get fired and so would you.I am surprised that you are defending him. He is not a very good race car driver.
[/quote]
See now, you don't know a whole lot about Nascar. He was in the truck series and now the nationwide series. Two different animals. You can drive for 30 years in the truck series and then switch to the nationwide series and you are a rookie. What ever the reason, it is not as easy as it looks. If it were, everyone would do it.

I am not defending him personally, but I am defending the system. Do you remember that rookie that was crashing in the Sprint series all the time? Joey Logano? He is doing quite well now but he was crashing all the time. Give the man a break. And remember, when there is an accident, everybody is looking and what better car for everyone to be looking at? Conway Freight no. 16!
 
There's another audience OD's trying to reach with these TV spots many people don't think of ;potential investors and existing shareholders the're selling an image to them as with customers, as a publicly traded company keeping the stock price up and raising capital are important tools for the business.
 
[quote author=DayliteDean link=topic=79263.msg822836#msg822836 date=1271647581]
There's another audience OD's trying to reach with these TV spots many people don't think of ;potential investors and existing shareholders the're selling an image to them as with customers, as a publicly traded company keeping the stock price up and raising capital are important tools for the business.
[/quote]

Good point...well observed!

Rat
 
In a nutshell, it's all about getting your name out there. How often to you buy something made by a company you never heard of, and know something about?
I remember a story I was was told years ago about the founder of New Penn, don't know if it's true. But when it was a one or so truck operation, he would driver around with empty crates tied on to the back of the truck. Next day he'd do it again, with the crates painted a different color. Shippers and receivers would see this New Penn truck driving around, looking pretty busy. Got the brand name out their, opened up some doors, pretty soon those crates were full.
 
Traffic managers, lead dockmen(sometimes they can make or atleast influence decisions), small business owners all eventually go home and i'm sure they own a television. At one point a couple years ago i was looking for auto insurance, and the last commercial i remember was from progressive. Sure enough i went on their website to research and then called them for a quote. I am with them until this day.
 
Top