• by Karl Greenberg , March 1, 2010

Shell's Pennzoil auto-lubricants division this week is launching a new top-line synthetic motor oil, Pennzoil Ultra, with a marketing push comprising TV, print, online, point-of-purchase and promotions.

The marketing program touts the new line as an ideal product for the kinds of uber-sophisticated engines that are increasingly coming to define even mass-market vehicles.

Media begins to air this week on major channels and cable, with ads in enthusiast, lifestyle, and other specialized magazines as well as online. The campaign includes endorsement, and cross-promotion by Italian exotic carmaker Ferrari, whose cars and rearing-horse logo appear in ad creative.

With the message that "Nothing keeps an engine closer to factory-clean than Pennzoil Ultra," TV ads set to The Cars' song "Living in Stereo" focus on a high-tech home garage in which a Ferrari gets its oil changed by a pair of assembly-line style robots. The ads also show a side-by-side comparison of pistons that ran with Pennzoil Ultra versus the "current standard."

Debbie Van Schalkwyk, Pennzoil's global brand manager, tells Marketing Daily that the tie-in with Ferrari makes sense given the targeting consumer: so-called "aspirational" audiences, and at least initially, early adopters. "These are consumers who have already made the move to synthetic motor oil and are looking for a different, new technology. And people most willing to accept new technology tend to be enthusiasts. Next are people who might not know as much about engines but still want the best products."

Adds Luis Guimaraes, VP, shell Lubricants marketing, Americas: "When you look at the category, there is very a important factor: reference and recommendation. That's why the endorsement of Ferrari is so important. Ferrari is a company that builds all of its parts in-house." The only part of the engine that isn't, he says, is the lubricant.

The campaign includes a promotion tied to an online quiz testing one's knowledge of motor oil benefits with the winner getting a Ferrari performance-driving experience. Pennzoil Ultra will also bow a new package design for Pennzoil.

Guimaraes says the market for synthetic motor oil is small but growing in the U.S. Only about 12% of the U.S. market uses synthetic motor oil, but that is projected to grow by double digits as the series of technical changes from car manufacturers toward smaller cars, smaller engines that burn hotter, more European models, fuel economy constraints, supercharged and turbocharged engines all create opportunities for synthetics. "There's a constant migration from conventional to synthetic oils. Our projections are that synthetic is the only category that will grow, and we will also see fragmentation and segmentation of the category. [With Pennzoil Ultra,] we are creating a very high-quality premium level."