Harry Kewell the new face of FPV?

SEZ213 · 18-09-2011, 12:29 PM

Interesting reading this morning...if this is a repost, I'm sorry - I couldn't find anything about it...

Quote:

TOP PERFORMER KEWELL JOINS FPV

Australia’s biggest sports signing, Harry Kewell, joins Ford Australia as their official Ford Performance Vehicles ambassador

MELBOURNE September 17, 2011: Australia’s number one professional footballer, Harry Kewell has become an official partner of Ford Australia and face of Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), effective immediately, Ford announced today.

Having recently returned to Australia and as the latest signing to local A-League Melbourne Victory team, the partnership marks the pairing of two of Australia’s high performance athletes.

“Bringing FPV and Harry Kewell together we have created a relationship between two of Australia’s high performing sports brands and this was a natural choice for both. Ford and FPV are incredibly excited to confirm our partnership with Harry as we continue to grow the FPV brand. “ said Rod Barrett, FPV General Manager.

xm289 · 18-09-2011, 12:47 PM

what a great signing, be interested to see how they use him

g220ba · 18-09-2011, 12:51 PM

This must have been one of the outside sponsorships that lured him downunder. Very good signing in my opinion.

Falc'man · 18-09-2011, 12:57 PM

Awesome news. Thanks Sezzy.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2011/09/18/...pv-ambassador/

**Polyal** · 18-09-2011, 01:03 PM

That is great! The grey nomads still have AM and those with a pulse can perhaps relate more to HK.

I do say that in jest, I hope AM is kept and ussed for motorsport/club marketing and Kewell can look at "luring" younger people perhaps?

I think Ford/FPV do have image issues with the younger generations, the XR6T has help enormously, and the F6, but the GT IMO is seen as an older mans car. Fair enough too, im sure the average age of an owner is 50 (yes its a guess), but that might have more to do with disposable income aswell.

Either way, a good move as his going to get massive publicity.

Sprint XR8 · 18-09-2011, 01:11 PM

FG_Frodza · 18-09-2011, 01:22 PM

Saw him having a couple of hot laps with Will Davison before the Phillip Island race today.. Now I know why. Good signing IMO.

Rodp · 18-09-2011, 01:23 PM

Maybe I'm missing the point. A soccer player winding down his career promoting a performance sedan? Seems a little disjointed to me.

**Polyal** · 18-09-2011, 01:37 PM

Its got nothing to do with the link but pure marketing. Who do you think is going to be in the news all the time with a FPV logo near by?

When he rocks up at training and they film him getting out of his car..guess what he will be driving....

Just product placement basically. He will do more for brand awareness than AM ever will, AM has the cred with the enthusiasts, but they already know who FPV are.

flappist · 18-09-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

That is great! The grey nomads still have AM and those with a pulse can perhaps relate more to HK.

I do say that in jest, I hope AM is kept and ussed for motorsport/club marketing and Kewell can look at "luring" younger people perhaps?

I think Ford/FPV do have image issues with the younger generations, the XR6T has help enormously, and the F6, but the GT IMO is seen as an older mans car. Fair enough too, im sure the average age of an owner is 50 (yes its a guess), but that might have more to do with disposable income aswell.

Either way, a good move as his going to get massive publicity.

What you mean is that those who have actual new motor vehicle driving and buying experience still have the man who drove the Phase 3 GTHO when it won at Bathurst and those playstation drivers have a soccer playing TV personality to talk about when on their breaks during school or university.......

But I suspect you are right about the age of buyers. When I bought my BA GT-P at 44 I was the second youngest person on my FPV day (the first one on QLD). In the subsequent 6 or 7 years money became easy to get and there seemed to be a lot of younger people buying basic GTs with stripes on 7 years finance and 40% balloon (I know a couple of them) but now the economy is a bit tighter and buying an expensive new car is a lot more difficult.

What goes around comes around and shortly the economy and confidence will be strong again and people (of all ages) will be more inclined to buy toys rather than necessities so GT sales will increase.

**Polyal** · 18-09-2011, 01:55 PM

Back handed praise with that post Flappist?

My point about the younger generation is that building the brand is not always about targeting buyers right now. When people go on about HSV/Holden having good marketing its not just about the adds on TV. They somehow get into the minds of younger people, the brand is just about a household name. I wouldnt be confident saying the same for FPV.

Todays dreamers are tomorrows buyers, doesnt mean you spend all of your energy on them but to discount them as useless is also incorrect and doesnt help for growing your business.

Hence why I think AM is good for current buyers and someone like Kewell, who is going to get MASSIVE airtime (I dont like soccer, but his in the news down here all the time now) is good for growth and attraction.

Put it this way, its sure as hell not going to hurt the brand. And if all it takes is a company car and some V8SC tickets then thats cheap IMO.

4stanger · 18-09-2011, 02:01 PM

I am am a Football tragic, I have played, coached, refereed and administered the game locally, so I am biased.
It seems a positive move to me, maybe not to the next person.
If you needed a celebrity or sports star to sell cars who would it be? Maybe that should be another topic!
Harry Kewell is nearing the end of his playing days, like a lot of other players who have been here before playing in the A league, as they are not a hot item in Europe where the REAL money and competition is.
Harry is a BIG draw card when he is here playing football and doesn't have a bad reputation or a chequered past.
Football (soccer) is like cricket & basketball, it isn't tied to states. It is played all over the nation with very high junior registrations.
These kids look up to these type of players. Hopefully this will be ground work by Ford or FPV for the future buyers!
This signing by Ford or FPV would have been part of the sign on package with Melbourne Victory, He wouldn't be cheap, I wonder what Hyundia (as an A League sponsor) have to say about this.

FG50T · 18-09-2011, 02:10 PM

Fantastic news. You'll be surprised how many people have no idea who AM is

Franco Cozzo · 18-09-2011, 02:14 PM

Hold up, people actually watch anything to do with Soccer here?

FG XR · 18-09-2011, 02:31 PM

Is Allan moffat is an ambassador aswell? Couple of people on Facebook saying fpv dumped him?

Falc'man · 18-09-2011, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Hold up, people actually watch anything to do with Soccer here?

It works the way around.

tex · 18-09-2011, 02:56 PM

Moffat wasn't a comfortable, marketable fit IMO.

Hk will provide a greater level of exposure to the aspirational market, tomorrows owners.

While a lot of those kids won't buy one in the short term, as a longer term strategy it should work well.

Moffat was never an approachable, yet alone likable guy. Unlike someone like john bowe. He would have been a better fit than a retired dude with an accent.

XESP351 · 18-09-2011, 03:04 PM

Good signing. Kewell has done wonders for the Politix brand, hopefully he can do the same for FPV.

Auslandau · 18-09-2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodp

Maybe I'm missing the point. A soccer player winding down his career promoting a performance sedan? Seems a little disjointed to me.

.......... and if he signed with HSV there would be whinging because FPV missed a marketing opportunity. I suppose there is always those that what ever happens they are there to knock ........ bit of a coup if you ask me and I don't follow soccer at all.

RAPID_BA · 18-09-2011, 03:39 PM

I used to go to school and play soccer with harry kewell in the earlier years, a trememdous talent not only at soccer but other sports too.

I've seen him do some magical things on the soccer field that is obviously harder to pull off against international competition. At the age of 8 I was certain he would at least play for australia.

Fpv can't do any harm to associate with such champions. He really is at the top of his game.

Bucknaked · 18-09-2011, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

.......... and if he signed with HSV there would be whinging because FPV missed a marketing opportunity. I suppose there is always those that what ever happens they are there to knock ........ bit of a coup if you ask me and I don't follow soccer at all.

Damned if you do, damned if you dont. One thing I guess about ford fans, they are never satisfied.

Kewell coming back to Australia will do good things for Football in this country. Well, that's the plan I'm sure. So why wouldn't ford want to be part of this. Yeah it's nice to have racing legends as ambassador's, but there's a new generation of FPV buyers coming along. Not many of the younger generation can associate with Moffat and most never saw him race anything outside of Youtube. I don't think many people care who Moffat is. He's just some old dood who used to drive fords at Bathurst. A different era. Having Kewell onboard is a good thing.

AMGC63 · 18-09-2011, 03:47 PM

Ok, lets see.... On one hand you have HK, an idol to many 15 to 50 year old sports orientated men, then you have FPV, trying to sell their brand to 15 to 50 year old sports orientated men..

Seems like a great "connect" for FPV.

JC · 18-09-2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodp

Maybe I'm missing the point. A soccer player winding down his career promoting a performance sedan? Seems a little disjointed to me.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Perhaps his english/aussie hybrid accent that attracts him to FPV?

FPV should sign Fevola while they're at it.

kinksta · 18-09-2011, 04:04 PM

Ford will kick some goals with this.... oh wait Soccer, bugger all goals haha.

All jokes aside I can't see this hurting Ford.

JC · 18-09-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinksta

Ford will kick some goals with this.... oh wait Soccer, bugger all goals haha.

All jokes aside I can't see this hurting Ford.

Best Ford can hope for is a 1-1 draw, I'd reckon.

No.6 · 18-09-2011, 04:26 PM

as a young guy (27 is still young...right?) i could not relate at all to allan moffat. He peaked no interest in me for fpv products whatsoever. He was just an old man with an accent driving a car that had something to do with fords.

Take that as the average car buyers attitude. AM appeals to those car enthusiasts mainly from his generation or those that grew up watching him in his racing days. Its a very limited marketing option. HK on the other hand is internationally well known soccer player..a sport watched by thousands if not millions more than v8 supercar fans.

Its a good move and will definitely work in fords favour.