If you think buying a car is a hassle—try selling one. Manufacturers and their dealers are resorting once again to employee pricing and zero percentage financing. This will move inventory, but no one will make any money. Traditional advertising techniques are not moving the needle. Of course, you already know from
Marketing Blurb the reason is simple. Most auto makers are still too stupid to market to their target audience—women. But in any case, a new service called
DriverTV, is offering auto makers a new marketing channel; make that a new television channel. But unlike conventional
commercial advertising, DriverTV takes the controls, According to
The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required,) DriverTV is a video on-demand service. “DriverTV shows video clips of different vehicles driving down the same stretch of winding road… DriverTV features an unlikely approach to showcasing new cars. Instead of glamour shots of vehicles bounding over desert terrain, cruising boulevards or serving as props for comic vignettes, DriverTV showcases three-minute videos of new cars and light trucks doing exactly the same things. The vehicles take the same turns, make the same stops and drive at similar speeds.” The videos also include console and dashboard pans and an identical voice over for all models. By viewing the video for different models, consumer can compare the same attributes without visiting a dealer. DriverTV sells manufacturers access to the channel.
Marketing Blurb has not seen the service, but we think this is a promising idea. You can visit the DriverTV
website for a quick summary. Perhaps we should go test drive a dozen cars this afternoon.
Photo Credit: The Wall Street Journal
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