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The coronavirus effect in the automotive industry 5:50
New York (CNN Business) –– Uber and Fiat Chrysler are taking an unusual tactic in their ads during the coronavirus, urging people not to use their products.
A recent Uber 60-second television commercial shows a montage of scenes of people quarantined at home.
"Stay home for everyone who can't," says the commercial at the end. "Thanks for not riding Uber."
It's not uncommon for companies to run ads trying to tap into the national mood during a time of crisis and tragedy, said Joseph Turow, a professor at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He added that the Uber ad is unique in that it really urges people not to use the product.
- Uber suspends ridesharing service
"Speaking rhetorically, they are aligning with the nation's goals, all the things that make up the definition of the United States," he said. "He is saying, 'We are part of this, think well of us.'" He explains that Uber is also doing some damage control, after stories suggested that its drivers were at risk when transporting passengers during the crisis.
Thomas Ranese, vice president of marketing for Uber, said the company will publish the announcement over the next two weeks to emphasize the importance of staying home.
The public service announcement is "a company that is synonymous with movement, thanking you for not moving, because right now that helps save lives," it said in a statement.
Fiat Chrysler is not specifically telling people not to buy cars. But a social media campaign on Friday asks people to leave their cars parked and not drive for now.
He reused his ad in the Super Bowl "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray. But instead of showing him enjoying the same day replay due to his chance to drive a Jeep, as the original commercial was, it contains a message about being stuck at home.
"We understand that every day begins to seem the same," says the ad, before moving on to the original commercial that showed Bill Murray waking up again with the song by Sonny and Cher "I've got you babe."
"Stay at home. Stay healthy, ”says the ad. Then he shows a Jeep driving off-road with the words, "When all this is over, the trails will be waiting."
It also has ads online with Chrysler Pacifica and the company's Ram and Alfa Romeo brands.
The Jeep ad is similar to the ads that were published near the end of World War II, Turow said, as companies that had been unable to make consumer products during the war promised customers that they could buy their products again. soon. The most famous of those ads was one that promised "There is a Ford in your future."
US auto sales They have fallen dramatically during the crisis, with many dealers closing or limiting sales.
"He is signaling that things will eventually change," says Turow. And it's trying to generate future interest in the company's products for when that change occurs, even if people can't buy the product right now.
Fiat ChryslerUber