Suzuki Super Bowl Ad Strategy Promotes Kizashi

The Super Bowl ad strategy is being hyped by Suzuki as its first entry into marketing for the big game on Feb. 6, but it's really a backdoor approach. National Super Bowl advertising is left to significant players like Audi, GM, and Ford.

Suzuki's Super Bowl ad strategy is going to focus on the all-wheel drive Suzuki Kizashi with a commercial called Wicked Weather that highlights the Kizashi's ability to fight the worst winter weather. It features evil snowmen chasing down the Kizashi and eventually being vanquished.

Suzuki says its Super Bowl ad strategy is to focus on its top 14 markets "where all-wheel drive inspires driver confidence in handling winter’s inclement weather." The ad will air in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Mobile-Pensacola, Ala., Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Nashville, Tenn., Burlington, Vt., Charleston, W.Va., Harrisburg, Pa., Johnstown, Pa., Bluefield-Beckley, W.Va., Roanoke, Va., Rochester, N.Y., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Charleston, S.C. (Not quite sure when Charleston and Mobile became wintery areas but they are in Suzuki's top markets).

While other car companies saw growth in 2010, Suzuki headed in the other direction with a 37.9 percent decline from 38,689 to 23,994. The Kizashi has been a positive sign for Suzuki, which could explain why it is in the forefront of its Super Bowl ad strategy.