“Looking at this simply from only the ad effectiveness side, the answer is no. One of the primary requisites for ad effectiveness is to first establish relevance with a target. On that basis, it would be safe to assume that inclusion of religion would only be relevant to those with fairly strong religious beliefs. To others, it would be disqualifying. But for those who do feel strongly about religion, placing it on the level of a commercial consideration would be inconsistent with the value that such believers place in faith.” - Bill Daddi, president, Daddi Brand Communications, New York
“A religious auto ad may not receive the best results across the nation due to our country’s religious diversity. This receptivity may change on a regional basis. For example, targeting a specific religion would probably be more successful in a state such as Rhode Island, where over half of the population is Catholic. The best way to include a religious aspect would be to incorporate something welcomed by all faiths, such as promoting the well-being of others. Another great opportunity for automakers is to establish a connection with Christianity through the pope. Pope Francis … used a Fiat 500L and Jeep Wrangler during his visit to the U.S. last September. FCA Group’s connection with the pope has certainly improved the brand’s image with Christians without opposition from other religions.” - Mike Bernacchi, marketing professor, University of Detroit Mercy
“Building brand faith, creating followers, making people identify with your values and principles as a brand, and having customers see the brand as a representation of themselves — I think that type of religion is one all automotive marketers would subscribe to. The best automotive brands are ‘religious’ — they build identification with the brand’s values and principles, create communities of shared values, and have active followers and customers who believe in the brand, seeing it as an extension of themselves and what they stand for. It’s about generating brand faith.” - Lara Koslow, global leader, Boston Consulting Group Center for Customer Insight
