On Friday, Nov. 23, for those at home paying attention, MediaPost News reported the date for automaker Honda to host “a live social media event hosted by Michael Bolton, in which people had a five-day window to message a friend at #XOXOBolton, via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Vine, for a chance to get a real-time personalized response back from the singer.” And, he delivered, via YouTube.
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Okay, so it’s not chestnuts roasting on an open fire. It’s not fa-la-la-la-la, but it’s a far sight better than the dubiously dressed K-Mart jingle bellers, that’s for sure. It’s a fully clothed music icon, Michael Bolton who’s the star of a series of commercials for popular Honda cars, whose classic cars are often named “car of the year,” across your social media, plus your television, this holiday season.
On television, there are six spots “in which Bolton sings, plays and serenades shoppers, along with print, digital and radio advertising elements,” reports MediaPost News. If you’re not closely paying attention to television, they’re betting you will as surely your head will turn when you hear Bolton singing, “It’s a winter wonderland, the snow’s gonna blow, blow, blow.” Then, the voiceover announcer comes in: “Catch the spirit on a 2013 Civic, right now at your Honda dealer.” Oh. Bolton, Honda, Bolton, Honda. Smart money says: “You like Bolton? You’ll love Honda!”
Honda’s top-notch advertising head-knockers definitely have a sense of humor, as one of their spots even has the voiceover announcer coming in with...”Cue Bolton” and magically the singer appears, surrounded by instant snow and a sea of Hondas. As noted in MediaPost, “Michael Bolton’s universal appeal and charisma will catapult our holiday campaign beyond the usual automotive sales-event advertising,” said Susie Rossick, senior manager at America Honda Motor Co., Inc. in a statement.
Honda is “not your father’s Oldsmobile,” as the old Madison Avenue saw rings in your Baby Boomer head. Instead, Honda advertising is merely reflecting the signs of the times. For a car that first exploded onto the scene featuring a low cost, high mileage vehicle, it is, today, the car with Pandora Radio, rearview and sideview cameras, and improved Bluetooth HandsFree Link with satellite radio, just one stop short of animated favorite George Jetson's daily ride to work. It’s a technology winter wonderland, and Honda brings you Bolton to tell you all about it.
Look for Bolton, (they’re on a one-name basis with Michael) in a reported 210 markets, including “Duck Dynasty,” “The Voice,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Modern Family.” Check out “People” and “Sports Illustrated,” and even “USA Today.”
Honda may have had a slow October, the month that classically all new models are supposed to roll out to record-number sales, but they’re counting on “the Bolton” to close out the year in record style. What do you think of the new commercials? Spot-on or corny?
One of the Bolton-Honda videos accompanies this story (“With Love, from Bolton”). Click to listen. And you can dash, dance and prance around YouTube to find the other spots, which include “Special Time of Year,” “Snow is Gonna Blow,” “Spread Some Cheer,” “Snow is Falling.” And then smile as you watch all the personalized songs that Bolton sings for Honda to people who were lucky enough to get picked from Friday’s social media whirl, including “Ryan, Erdie, Di and Sharon, Raphaelle, Kurt, Bob....” And the hits, they just keep on coming! Merry Honda, y’all and to all, a good Bolton night.
