Chevy Silverado’s Walter the Cat (Part Two)

What do a cat and Big Rock Candy Mountain have to do with Chevy trucks? Listen in as I spoke with Jane Hussar, Chevrolet Silverado Advertising Manager. Fun commercial examples are sprinkled within.

Walter in Winter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3ta5Q3ITUc 

Walter At the Lake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhFkPvfjs60 

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Episode Transcript

(00:06):
Welcometo the Sound In Marketing Podcast.
I'm your host, Jeanna Isham, ownerand founder of Dreamr Productions
and Sound in Marketing Learning.
I create, consult and educate
brands and individualson the power of sound in marketing.
Looking to create branded soundor need a sound strategist?
Head on over to www.DreamrProductions.comand let's chat.

(00:27):
That's www.DreamrProductions.com.
Want to learn more about soundand marketing these days?
Go to www.SoundInMarketing.com.
There's courses and resources galore.
Now back to the show.
In part one with Jane Hussar,we discuss the multiflex tailgate
and how they landed on the Chevy Silveradocampaign that features Walter, the Cat.

(00:49):
We pick up with Janetalking about how big Rock Candy
mountain was chosen.
You want to go out, Walter?
Let's go.
Brace yourself.
You call that
Defense?
Make it quick, buddy.

(01:10):
One evening, after the sun went down shed some light on the subject.
Burning. You get that?
All right,
I'm turning.
How are you doing?I got a package for you.
No no no nono, Walter, he's a civil servant.
Yeah.

(01:30):
Big Rock Canyon.
That's incredible.
Oh, yeah.
It's a Chevy Silverado trail, boss.
This thing's built for offroading right from the factory.
Oh, I meant the cat.
It's like nobody's seen a cat before.
The Chevy Silverado trail, boss.
Walter, let's get this man some hot cocoa.
Oh, that sounds good.
Find new friends,find new roads. Chevrolet.

(01:51):
Honest. Like.
I mean, this wasn'tour favorite initially.
And so when we heard it, we thought,okay, well, let's hear a couple more.
But we all just kept going back to it.
And so, you know,there was definitely something about.
And I think that's what's so coolabout music in advertising is
there is always that that pull,that draw, that relatability.

(02:14):
And sometimes you can'talways explain why.
But that's also why we test itwith a bunch of different types
of people and consumers beforewe go out into the market with that.
What was the premise or the reasonfor the release of this campaign?
So Walter came about last fall.
Honestly, it was not,tied really to anything other than,

(02:38):
Chevrolet Silverado trying to
reach a different target audience.
And, we've been on that path now for,
a year.
I would say we're really looking to,you know, grow our audience
through the last few commercialsthat we've had out there.
And not just Walter, but but other, spotsthat we have out in the in the market.

(03:03):
We have a little bit more humor in them.
They're lighter.
The music, like you had mentioned,
broadens the audience a little.
A little bit more.
So you'll you'll see thatand we're going to continue to push
that into,you know, more of that modern fun humor.
And and again, I think you're the perfectexample of that.

(03:25):
Just like you said, you know,you're not a typical truck buyer,
but you really related to the spotand really liked it.
So, I mean, that's our goal isis for our consumers, to remember,
oh my gosh, that Silveradoad with Walter the Cat.
And then that makesyou want to learn more.
I remember actually looking at the truck,you know, like it wasn't just

(03:48):
the commercial itself, but like,you actually focus on the actual focus
of the commercial ratherthan just kind of tuning out and thinking
that was a cute little thing.
So somehow you, you pulled this characterin a way that it's still associated.
I still associated the truck to thecat, so that was pretty cool.

(04:08):
I know that you
haven't focused on radiospecifically for Walter the Cat, but Chevy
Silverado has been around for a while,and I know you've utilized radio.
How do you tie in the audioonly aspect for advertising?
You can you can bring in a lot of humorwith visual and stuff.
How would you
bring in that same lighthearted nessthat you're bringing and associating

(04:29):
with Walter the Cat and Chevy Silverado?
How would you
bring in that lightheartedness and humorand reaching out to a broader audience
through, a medium that is only audio?
Yes, you're right.
With Silverado,we do use radio quite frequently,
and I think it really through simplicity

(04:49):
and and clear words and messages.
I think I talked a little bit about itbefore, but really focusing on
one key product message
within the commercial itself
is really important because if you startthrowing too much at people,
whether it be broadcast or radio,they're not sure what to pay attention to.

(05:14):
And so not only are we tryingto get across a product message,
but a branding message as well.
From an advertising standpoint,it's really important
for us to stay focused and stay simple
and remember that consumers can't
take in a ton of information at once.
And so what are the two key thingsthat you want your consumers to hear

(05:38):
when you're talking to them via radio?
For us, it'sit's really that focused perspective
and keeping it simpleand keeping it light.
And, you know, using certain language
that that people can relate toand laugh at and have fun with.
Radio advertising is is tricky.

(05:59):
But I think at the same time,I think you you hit the nail on the head.
It needs to be simple as well,because the people
are most likely doing somethingwhen they're listening to it.
They're not just sitting there, it's TV,they're sitting there.
Maybe they're looking at their phone too,because that's how we are now. But,
for the most part,
radio you're driving or you're cookingor you're doing something with your kids.

(06:19):
So it's, it's a, secondary focusthat you've got going on.
So if you get too complex, you're right,you're going to lose them.
I, I think of,
this is random, but that part in Amadeuswhere when they say too many notes,
if you have too much playing,it's just it's too much.
But, I mean, that's Mozart and he'sokay. That's okay.

(06:40):
All right, a little different, but yeah.
No, I mean,we all have a lot of information
coming at us,all day, every day from different mediums.
And, I think, you know, for us, it'sto keep it simple and keep it focused.
And, you know, try to
stay focused on what we want the consumerto walk away with.

(07:01):
And that is awareness of Silverado
and the key messagethat we're trying to get across.
And how would you specifically define,
Chevy,like if you weren't to say the words
Chevy Silverado, how would you,
associate the brand through audiowithout saying the words?

(07:24):
Do you have,
I'm sure you have a slogan,but I'm just wondering if there's a tone
that you try and match every time,some kind of a pattern
that you would use to be like, oh,that's Chevy.
That's definitely not Ford.
So for Chevrolet,
our tagline is find new Roads.
And I think, you know, in that

(07:45):
slogan, that tagline,I think it says a lot.
I think it's,
it's different.
It's diverse people, it's diverseconsumers.
It's youthful, it's light.
It's, peoplelooking for for something new,
new journeys, new stories

(08:05):
and I think, you know, for Chevrolet,that's what we're trying to do.
We're trying to tell stories in a waythat people can relate to,
and our consumers can,
find positivity and, and light
likeness and say, oh, I saw that Chevy ad.
I they're doing the same thingsthat I do with my vehicles

(08:29):
and really relate to themfrom a Chevrolet tone.
I think it's, youthfulness and diversity
and storytelling and that's,
Chevrolet.
Well,thank you, Jane, so much for your time.
I really appreciated this talk.And it's it's very exciting.

(08:49):
I haven't had very many opportunitiesto talk to brands after
they've actually put forthsome sort of sound in marketing.
So this has been a real treat for me,to be able to expand on this.
Well,thank you so much for having me.
Appreciate it,and had a lot of fun talking with you.
I hope you're enjoying the show.
Don't forget to subscribeon all the major podcast channels, share

(09:12):
with friends, follow and rate.
Spread the word because, well,more people should know about this stuff.
I know you know that. Now.
For any other inquiries, you can find meon LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
You can also email me at [e-mail]
[e-mail]
All links will be provided in the shownotes.

(09:32):
Let's make this world of soundmore intriguing, more unique, and more
and more on brand..