I think the Frazer advertising was likely misplaced desperation to move what were in effect 1949 Kaiser Traveler bodies once and for all. Since the 50s were largely if not all reserialized 49 bodies, and Last Onslaught has that poignant picture of the utility bodies, they probably thought that only massive advertising overkill would get any out the door at all, even if tarted up as a Frazer. In a horse laugh hindsight, if they could have anticipated that once the new Kaisers were out, the Frazers WERE different and both were attracting a different type of buyer, and so they could have built--and likely sold--a lot more Frazers than they did. There were indications from anticipatory orders that the public liked the new (and last) Frazer, a lot. I certainly do. I saw exactly three Frazers before 1959, an old body and a 51 Vagabond in town, and a 51 sedan on the highway in eastern Maine...the old one didn't impress a young child, but the 51s got my attention but GOOD from the novel front end look to the unique taillights. Another hindsight, which is always 20-20, if the new Kaiser had come out in the 50 model year AND if they had differentiated the Frazer looks earlier, then, they could have moved those old bodies a lot faster. As has been pointed out, (and done, I think by Fid's dad) if the Mercury-winged headlight rims had been used on the Frazer instead of the Kaiser, it would have been a natural and very good look with the 51 fenders. (what were they thinking?) Besides, for all Joe Frazer's marketing expertise, they made a fatal blunder. The way to sell cars for MORE money is to have something exclusive to certain upper lines at first, then allow them to be sold a bit later on the lower cost lines, while adding new exclusive stuff again at the top. Note, they have to LOOK different and exclusive for this to work--and Kaisers and Frazers just DIDN'T look all that different. On the first few years, Frazers even had the cheap little taillights of the Kaiser, and there was nothing that really proclaimed THIS is DEFINITELY a FRAZER if the name plate fell off. People, if they are spending more money, like to show off. That way, a few people (especially celebrities and Rich and Famous wannabees) buy dear to have the exclusivity and cachet, and the larger group of CACOs buy in later for the reflected glory, when the styling cues, ornaments and options trickle down in watered down form. Geez, GM printed money doing that with Cadillac and Oldsmobile, and even Cadillac did that internally with the first Eldorado for years, with some styling cues one year ahead of the Beef Wellington and Dutchess potatoes everyday Cadillacs.
