When Troy Corser won the 2005 World Superbike Championship on a Suzuki, the motorcycle maker was set to a motor sports maxim of "Win on Sunday. Sell on Monday." And now the company is trying to use
the brand's winning motorcycle heritage to sell cars and SUVs through a national ad campaign. And there is plenty of room to grow: While year-to-date sales were up 25% through October, it still ranks
as a relatively minor auto industry player, with just 0.6 percent of the U.S. market. It is trying to boost that with new models like a crossover SUV, but it still needs better word-of-mouth. "In
focus groups, people always talk about Suzuki motorcycles, and they're surprised we make cars," says Carmen Dorr, creative director at Colby & Partners, producer of Suzuki's ads. New print ads show
the 2007 four-wheelers casting a motorcycle shadow, while TV ads show a pair of hunky guys driving Suzuki SUVs pursued by motorcyclists who turn out to be women of fashion-model looks.
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