Honda Drafts Ferris Bueller, Seinfeld for US Rebound Bid
(Updates with ADRs in 12th paragraph.)
Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., coming off its worst year in the U.S., has produced two offbeat Super Bowl ads with stars Matthew Broderick and Jerry Seinfeld to revive interest in its brands.
Honda will air the two 60-second spots during Feb. 5’s Super Bowl after sitting out last year’s game. A commercial promoting its CR-V crossover has actor Broderick behaving like his character in 1986’s “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” An Acura ad has car collectors Seinfeld and “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno competing for the first NSX supercar.
Honda is counting on the ad campaign to help it wage a comeback in the U.S. market, where its share fell to 9 percent in 2011 from 10.6 percent the year before due to natural disasters in Asia as well as critical reviews for its Civic compact. The carmaker is looking to replenished dealer supplies and revamped models such as the CR-V and mid-size Accord to fuel a 27 percent U.S. sales increase in 2012.
Between 2007 and 2009, the jobs of 64000 hourly workers were eliminated to save General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford. The UAW members who were left to pick up the pieces saw their benefits slashed and paychecks cut by $7000, and in some cases as much as
Similar problems and shutdowns have afflicted rivals including Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. It's distressing to watch for Hirohito Yokoyama, managing director at Iwaki Diecast Co., about 40 miles (65