Car As Mobile Device? Will Younger Gen Buy It?
I was interviewed by Joan Voight for a recent OMMA article about the Nissan Cube. Nissan’s idea with the cute, curved vehicle was to appeal to the much-sought younger generation by using Facebook, iPhone apps, and college students for marketing ideas along the way. Voight’s piece covers a lot of ground, so if the younger generation is your target market and social/digital media are on your mind, it’d be worth a read.
Here’s how I was quoted on the effort:
...using an emotional, rather than rational, approach “should work well for both young males and young females.” But she worries that the marketing may be short-selling both the car’s appeal and the younger generation’s values. Cube as “mobile device seems so cutesy, it feels somewhat inauthentic,” she adds.
On this note, I do see a trend in brands trying too hard to be cute/clever with their Gen Y-marketing. That alone could lead to consumer mistrust and alienation (in not being taken seriously). As with gender in marketing, generational differences can be very touchy – be wary of making broadbased assumptions.
