Fender Ads on the Tube

scalino65

weird, just been on the tube and there are loads of massive posters for fenders on the walls. Weird! How come the much more prominent advertising? Its got me thinking as I cant remember ever seeing an advert for any guitar outside of a guitar mag.
Great ads though - loads of strats and teles in all those fancy fiat 500 colours:)

thebreeze

I think that's interesting.  It might mean it's a company full of confidence with money to direct at pushing sales further or conversely, the opposite, and it's a bold attempt to boost sales that are flatlining.  In another thread @richardhomer was speculating that manufacturers would probably start opening stores and selling direct to the consumer.  I know Fender have got some kind of "flagship" store in London, perhaps it's a precursor to this too?

scalino65

Ahh..yes, that figures doesn't it. Pre-cursor to the flagship store (which totally passed me by!) I would love to get one of the big posters for inside my shed!

scrumhalf

The up escalator at Kentish Town (currently the only escalator as the other has been working for a while and needs a good rest) is plastered with them. I can't understand why, there's nothing Fender-y about Kentish Town.

DrBob

There’s a massive one hanging from the roof as you come off of the trains at platform 1&2 at Glasgow Central

dindude

I think Fender’s marketing is pretty good, even some of their YouTube vids try to be a bit different and try to appeal to the yoof, it’s colourful and vibrant, not unlike some of their lengendary 60’s poster adverts but modernised.

I’m in two minds about Andy Mooney’s Fender generally though - I like the range rationalisation, like the marketing vibe, some stuff has been fixed (the latest Blues Junior for example is a genuinely great sounding amp), yet outside of the Custom Shop, I just don’t like many of the actual guitars. 

Bigsby

Back in 2014 Fender had some double-decker busses decorated in Stratocaster paint schemes to celebrate the Strat's anniversary. I only ever noticed them on routes that passed Denmark Street.

I can't think of another guitar manufacturer that's done such high profile advertising, but it does create an image of their brand as THE electric guitar brand.

scalino65

I can imagine quite a few people seeing them and thinking 'ooh, I've always meant to have a go at learning the guitar' could be good advertising....it's even got me thinking about having a bash myself;)

skullfunkerry

The sponsored ads that pop up on some of the apps on my phone have been for Fender lately... I like it, it's much better than an advert for some crappy app that I have no need for  

TTBZ

Fenders marketing is spot on at the minute! Even as someone who doesn't really like Fender products I always watch their videos, for inspiration if nothing else.

JerkMoans

I’ve seen a couple of London buses decked out all over in Fender marketing livery. Cornering the bus riding public guitar slinger market, I suppose.

Philly_Q

All I've seen is a single poster for a Jazz bass (which was surprising enough in a Tube station).  They must not be targeting my part of London.

thegummy

I've always wondered why brands like McDonalds or Coke (and Fender could be included in the world of guitars) even bother to advertise any more because everyone knows they exist already.

Think someone once told me there was a reason but can't remember.

Whitecat

thegummy said:

I've always wondered why brands like McDonalds or Coke (and Fender could be included in the world of guitars) even bother to advertise any more because everyone knows they exist already.

Think someone once told me there was a reason but can't remember.

In a word: conditioning. 

In many words: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/themarketingagenda.com/2013/11/25/why-do-coca-cola-bother-advertising/amp/

JerkMoans

Wonder what happens to the posters after they take them down...  

thegummy

Just saw a big jazzmaster billboard in Glasgow!

Not in a hipster area though so bad choice of model :P 

steer

I noticed that a fender ad came up on a electronic billboard in Liverpool city centre the other day, so it must be some kind of national campaign. 

scalino65

JerkMoans said:

Wonder what happens to the posters after they take them down...  

They get recycled as FIAT posters?

grappagreen

Just spent the day in London at various meetings - spotted 9 posters on my various travels...

Kitsune

I've been noticing them around too - theres a couple on the district line - and remarked to a friend, who then started noticing them as well.

Obviously doing it to shit on Gibson during Henrys woes, aren't they? 

maltingsaudio

Saw one on a bridge into Bristol on Saturday  but it was for a Jazz Bass .. guess they know their market!