Fiat 500 sales in the U.S. not meeting expectations, says Olivier Francois
By Andrew, 28 Sep, 2011. 0 Comments
2012 Fiat 500
Sales for the Fiat 500 haven’t been hitting expectations but Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer and head of brand marketing communications for Fiat-Chrysler, thinks that the problem isn’t the car but rather, it’s an awareness issue. Fiat-Chrysler chairman Sergio Marchionne set a target of 6,000 units each month in the U.S. market but after six months, its sales are nowhere near this goal. Dealerships are complaining that they only have one model (the 500) available. Fiat has ended its partnership with its original U.S. agency, which may have been too small and poorly equipped to manage a full-scale car launch.
Fiat had been preparing for a celebrity-filled marketing campaign but things didn’t go as planned and had to be canceled, says AdAge. The most recent ad stars Jennifer Lopez in a music video but already, it is being criticized due to its creative and media placement.
Francois, chief marketing officer and head of marketing and communications for Chrysler, has a full plate but has added oversight of Fiat marketing this month. Last January, Ad Age said that Fiat North America CEO Laura Soave had chosen Impatto to manage its creative duties and event strategy. Impatto is a boutique agency based in Southfield, Mich., that’s headed by Michael D'Antonio.
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