• by Karl Greenberg , July 14, 2008

American Suzuki has been featuring its motorcycles in its car and SUV commercials since 2006 as part of its "Way of Life" campaign, with the tag, "It's Gonna be a Great Ride." The auto manufacturer is now counting on its next four-wheeled vehicle -- and its first pickup truck -- to have a more direct relationship to motorcycles, as well as ATVs and marine products.

The Brea, CA-based company will tout the forthcoming Equator mid-sized pickup as the perfect hauler for Suzuki motorcycles and other recreational products.

Launching a pickup truck in this environment--sales of full-sized haulers fell 40% last month--might seem as logical as opening a tofu restaurant in Buenos Aires, but Suzuki isn't blinking. Gene Brown, VP marketing, says there's an opportunity now for mid-size trucks that offer some elements of full-size truck capability because high gas prices are hurting sales of the larger vehicles.

"In this environment a lot of buyers will look at mid-size trucks, particularly mid-size trucks that offer full-size truck capability," he says, adding that Suzuki will offer an extended-bed version of Equator, as well. "The other thing is that we have a substantial marine, motorcycle and ATV owner base. These are people who have a high propensity to own a truck, and are generally great aficionados of our brand."

Brown says Suzuki's newer vehicles have a greater penetration in households of people who own other Suzuki products. He says the latest Grand Vitara SUV has twice as many owners among people who own other Suzuki products as its predecessor and that motorcycle owners in general have a 50% greater likelihood of owning a truck.

That, he says, is one reason advertising for Equator will draw a direct link with Suzuki's other non-auto products. The focus will be on the truck offering "A competitive performance edge, with an active-lifestyle orientation, rather than being a generic jack-of -all-trades," he says.

The media strategy for the fall launch will be regional, per Brown. "It's not going to be a giant launch because our volume aspirations are modest, so we aren't planning a huge TV campaign, period. But there will be very targeted marketing to existing owners and to markets where [motorcycle, ATV and marine] activities are relevant." Brown adds Equator will be used in national marketing as something of a brand emblem, not only for Suzuki cars and trucks, but for all of the products. "We will use [Equator] as something of a brand halo model -- as 'connective tissue' that ties the products under the Suzuki brand together."