Subaru Debuts `What Do I Know?' Ad Campaign Featuring Star Women Athletes
15 March 2000
Subaru Debuts `What Do I Know?' Ad Campaign Featuring Star Women Athletes LPGA GOLFERS MEG MALLON AND JULI INKSTER LPGA golfers Meg Mallon (left) and Juli Inkster. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 NINE-TIME WIMBLEDON CHAMPION MARTINA NAVRATILOVA Nine-Time Wimbledon Champion Martina Navratilova. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 SUBARU INTRODUCES NEW AD CAMPAIGN FEATURING JULI INKSTER Subaru introduces new ad campaign featuring LPGA golfer Juli Inkster. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 MARTINA NAVRATILOVA FOR SUBARU Subaru introduces new ad campaign featuring nine-time Wimbledon Champion Martina Navratilova. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 DIANN ROFFE-STEINROTTER FOR SUBARU Subaru introduces new ad campaign featuring two-time Olympic medal skier Diann Roffe-Steinrotter. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 SUBARU INTRODUCES NEW AD CAMPAIGN FEATURING MEG MALLON Subaru introduces new ad campaign featuring LPGA golfer Meg Mallon. (PRNewsFoto)[KI] CHERRY HILL, NJ USA 03/15/2000 New, Active Lifestyle Campaign Features Tennis Champion Martina Navratilova,
Golfers Juli Inkster, Meg Mallon and Olympic Skier Diann Roffe-Steinrotter
CHERRY HILL, N.J., March 15 Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA),
a pioneer and marketer of crossover all-wheel drive vehicles designed for the
active lifestyle driver, is introducing a new advertising campaign featuring
nine-time Wimbledon Champion Martina Navratilova, LPGA golfers Juli Inkster
and Meg Mallon, and two-time Olympic medal skier Diann Roffe-Steinrotter. The
"What do I Know?" campaign, created by Temerlin McClain, Dallas, targets
active lifestyle women, and is part of its new creative that features the new
2001MY Subaru Forester.
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The new ads reinforce the Subaru commitment to supporting activities that
appeal to outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to strategic partnerships with
more than 18 outdoor organizations including The National Ski Patrol and The
American Canoe Association, Subaru was recently named the official car of LPGA
and currently sponsors both Juli Inkster and Meg Mallon in their quest for
LPGA Tour tournament titles in 2000. Diann Roffe-Steinrotter has teamed with
Subaru since 1992 to coordinate the Subaru Master the Mountain women's ski
clinics at select resorts nationwide.
"Subaru owners are `doers,' and enjoy a wide range of outdoor sports,
rather than sit on the sidelines," said Bill Cyphers, vice president of
marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. "Subaru is a proud supporter of active
lifestyle women who personify the central themes of the Subaru brand -- fun,
freedom, adventure, confidence and control. This campaign really showcases
our commitment to the active lifestyle and reinforces our already strong image
among consumers. We're confident that Martina, Juli, Meg and Diann will
resonate well with our current Subaru customers, as well as invite new
audiences to experience the Subaru brand."
The TV ads feature three short vignettes of Navratilova firing a serve,
Inkster teeing off and Roffe-Steinrotter carving turns. Each athlete tells
the audience "what they know" about topics such as performance, grip and
control -- characteristics directly linked to Subaru all-wheel drive
technology. Following an informative delivery of 2001MY Subaru Forester
features such as great horsepower, limited-slip rear differential and
full-time all-wheel drive, Martina turns to the camera and asks humorously,
"But what do we know? We're just girls."
"Most people know me for my accomplishments on the tennis court, but I
keep active all year round by participating in a number of outdoor sports such
as mountain biking, hiking, skiing, kayaking and ice hockey to name a few,"
said nine-time Wimbledon Tennis Champion, Martina Navratilova. "I think it's
important to get outside and play ... participating in activities that you
really enjoy, to stay in shape and keep life balanced. Subaru supports a
number of organizations which appeal to my interests, and I'm happy to be
associated with them."
The "What do I Know?" campaign will include print and television
executions. The television spots will air primarily on cable networks
including ESPN, ESPN2, The Golf Channel and the Outdoor Life Network. Print
ads will appear in sports enthusiast publications including Golf for Women,
Fitness, Runner's World, Shape, Sports Illustrated for Women, Women's Sports &
Fitness. Print ads will be augmented with a prominent outdoor lifestyle
feature advertorials in USA Today, scheduled to appear in the March 16, 22, 29
and April 10 issues.
"Our research told us that women overwhelmingly feel that car companies
don't speak to them in a meaningful way," said Dennis McClain, CEO & Executive
Creative Director, Temerlin McClain. "This campaign says to our active
lifestyle female target: `We care about you, and with Subaru all-wheel drive,
we are relevant to your lifestyle.'"
The 2001MY Forester is a "best of both worlds" sport-utility vehicle,
combining the rugged versatility of an SUV with the handling, ride comfort,
safety and fuel efficiency of a passenger car. Forester was recently
distinguished as part of AAA's 1999 Top Car Awards for "Top SUV Priced Less
Than $25,000" and was selected as a "Best Buy" by Consumers Digest Magazine.
Additionally, Strategic Vision presented Forester with its "Total Quality"
award for 1999. The 2001 Forester will be available in dealerships in
mid-March, 2000.
Subaru Supports Outdoor Activities and Conservation
A longtime supporter of various outdoor non-profit and cause-related
programs, Subaru is the official vehicle of more than
18 organizations including Dagger Canoe and Kayak Company, the American Canoe
Association, the National Ski Patrol, Professional Ski Instructors of America,
Cross Country Ski Areas Association and American Association of Snowboard
Instructors. Subaru has also forged strategic partnerships with the
International Mountain Biking Association, Specialized(R) Bicycle Components,
Leave No Trace and is the title sponsor of the Subaru Gorge Games, which will
be televised on NBC in September 2000.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered near Philadelphia, the company
markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a
network of nearly 590 franchised dealers across the United States. All Legacy
and Outback models sold in the U.S. are produced at the company's American
manufacturing plant, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive, Inc., near Lafayette, Ind.
Over the past six years, the company has nearly tripled its revenues and
seen its sales increase by nearly 50 percent thanks to its popular line of
car-based sport utility vehicles. The company is among the fastest growing
brands in the automobile industry and was recently named "Most Improved Car
Company in the World" by the London-based Financial Times Automotive World
Magazine.
For further information, contact Richard Marshall of Subaru of America,
856-488-3327, or rmarshall@subaru.com; or Rob Moran of Ruder-Finn,
212-593-6444, or moranr@ruderfinn.com, for Subaru of America.
