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Subaru wants to hear your First Car Story

Subaru has announced the launch of a new website today, allowing people to retell the story of their most memorable of cars, their first car.

The new website, FirstCarStory.com, allows people to showcase the story of their first car. Subaru features a groundbreaking animation generator that allows users to recreate the story. You tell the website your first car story and the software picks out specific words or you choose which words to highlight. It utilizes pioneering text-to-video technology, it will turn your words and phrases into custom animations. Pretty cool!

The experience begins when you land on the home page. You will find the car generator allowing you to find a shape and style of car that fit the first car you owned and drove. The website allows you to choose different colors and different degrees of condition. If your car was in amazing shape you can show that, if it was a jalopy you can show that too.

Next the you cruise over to the story entry page to tell their story through text.  The animation generator tool isolates key words to begin populating visuals that bring the story to life.  Users can also select key words and phrases to highlight in their story that they feel will most help in generating an accurate animation of their first car story.

A storyteller can then take the driver's seat and record a personal, vocal narrative to accompany the animation.  Before publishing, the storyteller selects an appropriate soundtrack to complete the personalization of their video. A range of musical styles and songs are available and people should find something to their liking or what fits their first car story. The narration and music give more pizzaz and zest to the story.

The storyteller is also able to tag Facebook friends to include in the video.  Once completed, the storyteller then can share and publish their directorial debut across wide array of social media platforms.

After you are all done sharing and showcasing your story, you can see other first car stories. The user community will show what other people's first cars were like, and you can compare great stories, or laugh at horror stories.

"Everyone loved their first car, no matter how bad, beat up, or borrowed. That first car became a new chapter in life or a ticket to freedom and first car stories are often the most memorable stories we have," said Alan Bethke, director, marketing communications for Subaru of America.  "The First Car Story campaign provides a creative outlet for reliving those unique, funny, unforgettable car experiences anyone who had a first car can relate to."

I tested out the website and told the story of my first car (a '96 Honda Accord). I found the car generator a lot of fun to play with. Writing about the car did bring back found memories of when I drove across country with it. (I currently still own it and it runs strong!) I definitely recommend you test out the website.

I should note you need to provide your Facebook profile information or name and email. Subaru has obviously not missed out on the chance to tell you information about the all new 2012 Subaru Impreza on the website by the way. Of course the new Subaru Impreza is a great car and I don't think there's anything wrong with that since Subaru built the website.

This new social media campaign is a great idea from the inventive minds at Subaru. Who doesn't have found memories of their first car? Pretty much nobody, even if it was piece of junk.

Comments

Aaron Turpen    February 24, 2012 - 7:30PM

Pretty cool! Even though my first car was a Toyota, not a Subaru, my best friend in high school had a Sub and we did the Dukes of Hazzard with it off a road berm and into a farmer's field. Totaled the car. :)

Anonymous (not verified)    February 25, 2012 - 2:49PM

You don't even mention the best part. You can enter to win a 2012 Subaru Impreza at firstcarstory.com, too!

pat raymond (not verified)    April 12, 2012 - 9:13PM

Referring to the First car story equating the smell of mothballs and the smell of a Grandmother --I am that Grandparent, and I am disgusted, insulted, and furious by your commercial.
I will use social media to air your lack of sensitivity toward senior citizens and the way we "smell". I may see feedback concerning the purchasing power seniors.edfi

Aaron Turpen    April 14, 2012 - 1:26PM

In reply to by Theresa LaSalle (not verified)

Oh look, another person with no sense of humor. Get over yourselves. I listen to white guy, middle-aged, red headed, country hick jokes all day and don't get offended - yet all of those could be considered "personally offending" to me.

Sorry, folks, you're not that important. You older people, of all of us, should understand that political correctness is a load of crap.

We are people, we are unique, and we deal with ourselves through humor. Lighten up.

Theresa LaSalle (not verified)    April 14, 2012 - 7:00AM

In reply to by pat raymond (not verified)

Dear Pat,

I am a grandmom...attractive...no face lifts...and I'm insulted for all the grandmas. I left a message in their advertising dept. saying they are ageist and it is 2012 and I can't believe the ad guy/woman still writes stuff like this and the CEO would approve it.

I will tell all the grandmoms and grandpas not to buy this car ever and I will also tell my 20 something and 30something and 40 something children never to buy this brand.

Also, I still teach high school..yes..grandmas still are in the workforce...and I wil tell all my students to tell their parents not to buy this brand ever. Oh did I mention I teach economics.....One of our topics is about companies that do right by the public.

Theresa

Adam Yamada-Hanff    April 15, 2012 - 10:39AM

In reply to by Theresa LaSalle (not verified)

Theresa,

I highly doubt that Subaru wanted to offend anyone. I also doubt many people will not buy a Subaru because of the Youtube video they posted that you are upset with. (It hasn't had that many views even.) I think there are much more offense ad campaigns out there.

Subaru makes reliable, sturdy, and versatile cars. Ask anyone in New England!

In terms of doing right by the public, I hope you are teaching you students that it isn't fair for automakers and large companies to get bailouts.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this.

Adam

Ruby Sutton (not verified)    March 2, 2021 - 11:19PM

3/2/2021. My first car was an orange Subaru sedan in 1975 or so. I bought it in San Mateo or Burlingame, California. I remember it cost me $4000.00 and came with 100 gallons of free gas! I just drove up to the dealership and they would fill my car with gas! I loved that car!