INFINITI fumbles an opportunity with Erin Andrews

Sports fans are accustomed to getting information from Erin Andrews regarding the NFL. The 44-year-old has been working in sports journalism for more than twenty years, but now the NFL on Fox sideline personality is reporting on the new INFINITI QX60. By the way, INFINITI has its company name in all caps. So I’m not yelling at you.

It started last July when INFINITI worked with Cameo to bring people closer to their vehicles through celebrity interaction. Cameo, the top platform for connecting fans with celebrities, was utilized to allow some famous people to answer questions from prospective buyers.

The Andrews commercial gives viewers what the company calls an unscripted look at the QX60. “The QX60 totally fits my vibe,” says Andrews during the 30-second commercial that started airing over the weekend. “This is a bossy automobile. She’s rich, she is rich, rich,” pronounces Andrews from the passenger seat.

Other than a few exterior shots and some close-ups of the interior, Andrews demonstrates the wireless phone charging and the massage capabilities on the front seats, “you don’t want me falling asleep on the job,” she says as the seat goes back.

INFINITI Could’ve Demonstrated More with Andrews

Marketing vehicles must be problematic; countless companies promote essentially the same product, just with different badges and prices. So, good on INFINITI for trying something different with the Cameo interaction. However, the spot misses what makes Andrews a known name – football. There are some suggested revisions later in the article.

Andrews is an intelligent person; she’s developed campaigns, worked on clothing lines, been an ambassador and lent her hand to countless charities. So surely she could’ve shown more than wireless charging, which is nothing new and a massage option, also not a new feature and certainly not exclusive to the QX60.

INFINITI Can Learn from Other Advertisers

Uber Eats is also using Andrews, and in their series of ads, she is on the sidelines talking to players and mascots. They showcase her personality while linking her to football in a creative way. Let’s hope INFINITI plans on more spots with Andrews to show her personality, smarts, and more features.

https://twitter.com/ErinAndrews/status/1462465856684716041

Jeff Pope, group vice president, INFINITI Americas, said, “partnering with Erin Andrews was a unique but natural fit for our all-new INFINITI QX60. Our customers are bold, just as Erin is, and her ‘unscripted’ views of our all-new SUV should give prospective QX60 owners a look into how it can help them conquer life in style.”

Here are some suggestions for the next series, have Andrews rolling up to packed stadium parking lots where she has to get creative to park. Or she could give a bunch of linemen a ride to the game, showing how much room there is in the QX60 that a bunch of 300-pound players can fit. Finally, have her driving to Lambeau Field in Green Bay after a snowstorm. Andrews is much more than a massage chair, and INFINITI should demonstrate what she can do with their vehicle.