Sunday, January 29, 2012

Shell Gasoline: I Don't Feel Comfortable Buying Anything Else

Sometime during my mid-teens when I first began driving I took note of a Shell gasoline commercial that I probably ended up seeing hundreds of times.

Something similar to this one:

In the ad they compare two "critical engine parts" one that had been in a car using Shell gas and the other that had been in a car using some other gasoline.

While I haven't seen this commercial in many years (excluding today on YouTube) that image of the clean "critical engine part" that used Shell gas next to gunky one that did not has always stuck with me. To this day if at all possible I will always go to a Shell gas station because that image is lodged so strongly in my subconscious.

It is ridiculous now since I understand that it's just a superficial marketing ad and I haven't made the effort to really research into the best gasoline or the validity behind that commercial but I figure all gas is priced about the same (Except Arco which is so much cheaper that I've decided it must be really crap gasoline despite their clever "Straight Up Gas" slogan) I still default to Shell.

Interestingly, the only two factors that have swayed me from my determination to buy shell were:

1. My parents gas choice - When I was a teen the Exxon was the local station my parents always filled up at and Shell wasn't anywhere close

2. My friend's recommendation - I have a friend that has strongly urged me to get Chevron before because it is the best gasoline

I have never been swayed by any other gas company's ad I guess because Shell already won me over.

Seems like this focus on friend to friend recommendations through social media really is more powerful than advertising.

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