I know why the Marauder never sold!

[Dark_Knight7096]

I was gonna put this in the Lounge but I figured since it was Marauder related it should go here, if it's in the wrong place, I'm sorry.

Hey everyone, I just figured out why the Marauder was unable to be marketed as the performance automobile it truly was. Look at this picture:
http://www.fast-autos.net/mercury/marauder6.jpg


They have this publicity still, with the lights on, with the fog lamps on to improve the "performance image", car angled so the five spoke "performance image" wheels will show, aggressively stanced so that people will know this car means business, but they made sure to place some little old lady who can barely see over the steering wheel in the drivers seat. I mean WTF, you could show me a picture of the 07 Shelby GT500, and if this lady were in the drivers seat that would significantly lower the street creds of the car. Simple psychology man, if you have a performance car, show images that associate it with performance, have a typical late twenties to late thirty year old with a slightly rough demeanor behind the wheel, that would appeal to the inner-badarse inside all of us, when i think perfomance automobilia i don't picture my grandmother as being a part of that.

[MaLo03]

LOL...........
Thats funny.
Sure thats an AD?
Looks more like a PIC of someone driving around.
She even has her seat belt on.

[Dr Caleb]

when i think perfomance automobilia i don't picture my grandmother as being a part of that.

And, I think she's asleep. Not good. I like my car to be a sleeper, but not the 'sleeps 4' kind.

[wsmylie]

Could that be Mayberry's own Aunt Bea in the driver's seat??? Thought she drove a Stude Lark.

[LordVader]

:P Man, that is some bad advertising. She kind of looks like the lady from the Wendy's "Where's the Beef" commercials. I know she'd dead, but maybe she's some kind of relative. :depress:

[RoyLPita]

http://www.fast-autos.net/mercury/marauder6.jpg
I'ts the (new and improved) little old lady from Pasadena!!!!

Anyone want to try an update this song to fit a MM into it???

[Shaft333]

Still... it's a dammm good looking car! :D

[MarauderMark]

Thats the lady who originally bought my car and traded it in for a jeep. :cool4: .Good thing no one suggested to use a skeleton.. :rolleyes: .

[Bigdogjim]

No! No! No! No! One thousand times NO!.......

It's the damn hockey puck/waterfall on the front:laugh:

[Bluerauder]

Simple psychology man, if you have a performance car, show images that associate it with performance, have a typical late twenties to late thirty year old with a slightly rough demeanor behind the wheel.....
I think that is Elena Ford taking a nap on company time !!! :rofl: She must be a stunt double for the "real" owner 'cause she doesn't have that obvious and permanent Marauder grin. :D

Actually, your suggestion of the late 20's to late 30's is slightly on the low side of the target group for the Marauder ... check out the age group poll here on the site. "How Old are You" Poll (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4446&highlight=age)

[mrjones]

Hey everyone, I just figured out why the Marauder was unable to be marketed as the performance automobile it truly was. Look at this picture:

Actually, that looks EXACTLY like the lady in the town 20 miles up the road from me that has a MM now. Her husband owns a muffler shop, and he's replaced the exhaust with Flowmasters and Mustang style tips. I've pulled up besider her at a light before, and she wasn't afraid to let me hear her exhaust!!

[Dark_Knight7096]

Actually, your suggestion of the late 20's to late 30's is slightly on the low side of the target group for the Marauder ... check out the age group poll here on the site. "How Old are You" Poll (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4446&highlight=age)
I know that it is under age for the average, but I'm saying from a psychological, advertising standpoint. Let's say they were coming out with some new knife, it was the safest knife on the planet, it would slice through your foods effortlessly but won't cut through human flesh (i know it's impossible but i'm just using a hyperbole) would you want the spokesman to be someone missing a few fingers? Even if the average age is much older than the late 20 to late 30 spread, that would put a more performance themed idea into your head. What are the average appearant ages of people in the publicity stills for the SVT or other performance products? None because there are no drivers visable, this is my point either show someone you think will foster images of performance, or don't show them at all. I'm sure you have all seen the dealer posters with the people at the track with the old MMs looking at the new MM burning the tires, they weren't as young as me or some of the other members, but they didn't look like that lady either, they were just right, plus the whole leather jacket thing just amplified the "hardcore"dness <~~ it's a made up word i use all the time.

[Bluerauder]

Even if the average age is much older than the late 20 to late 30 spread, that would put a more performance themed idea into your head.
OK, point made with your knife analogy. :D Just an old guy jerking your chain some. :rolleyes:

Maybe if "Ginsu" used the 3-fingered idea, they would have sold all of their knives the 1st time back in the 1970's. ;)

For the record, I am 54 and have had no performance themed issues. :rofl:

[duhtroll]

The reason they use the short lady is because they can make it look like "no one" is in the car for photos much more easily. The seat can be darkened much more easily than can the rear view. I suspect you are seeing the "before" editing shot.

She's not driving it - the tires are barely dirty, and only on the tread.

-A

[Mike Poore]

You guys are in such trouble! That Little old Lady from Pasadana is my Barbara, and it's not the California one, but Pasadina, MD. Ohhhhh are you guys gonna get it at Marauderville III.


We're kidding, of course, that lady is much taller than Barb, and her/our Marauder is silver birch.

but, .............................. gotcha! :rofl:

[2005Marauder]

That looks like my wife!

What was she doing in Pasadena with my Marauder?

[ROADWARRIORSVT]

The little old lady was just driving to Church on Sunday,....thats all! :P

[JACook]

I think that is Elena Ford taking a nap on company time !!! Naah. Elena's Marauder was Blue... ;-)