Not The Best

I heard a great commercial on the radio today. It was for a car dealership.

I grew up in Los Angeles. As a huge radio listener and a latch-key kid whose after-school babysitter was a 25" Zenith color tube television, many an ad jingle still resides in my brain. Especially for car dealers. We had Worthington Ford which featured Cal Worthington and his dog Spot. Spot being some form of wild animal like the tiger pictured here. Cal would "stand on my head to beat anyone's deal." The song went something like this (hum "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" in your head)...

If you need a car or truck
Go see Cal
If you want to save a buck
Go see Cal
Drop by and bring the kids
You'll be awful glad you did
Go see Cal
Go see Cal
Go see Cal

Then there was Pete Ellis Dodge. To this day, if I'm driving on the freeway and I see the Firestone exit, all I can think of is:

Pete Ellis Dodge
Long Beach Freeway
Firestone exit
Southgate

Hear it for yourself in this 1981 ditty...



So today I hear this auto dealership advertising that they are not the top seller, not the biggest dealership in the country, not an award winner. However, they say, if you want a small dealership that doesn't spend a ton of money bragging about their attributes, and instead, can give you the best deal around, then come visit them.

Brilliant.

When was the last time you heard any company claim not to be the best. It is so counter-intuitive in the world of advertising.

Which is why I LOVE it!