So, I’m watching a wildcard game last night between Indianapolis and San Diego, and suddenly something catches my attention.
Now, I don’t have a dog in this fight… or in any playoff game this year…so I was only interested in seeing quality football, regardless of the outcome.
But what grabbed me wasn’t on the field… what grabbed me was the content during a commercial break… for a car company, no less.
Doesn’t happen too often… most are pretty lame.
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As a small business leader, and for owners and marketing professionals everywhere… there was a message here… for me… for you… for us.
What caught my eye was how different this was. It wasn’t the ‘we lowered our price even more’ message that gets so tiresome… as though selling more cars at a loss is going to help the struggling auto industry.
And it wasn’t the ‘buy her a car for Christmas, she’ll love you for it’, stuff that we are treated to each December. Yes, she’d love a Lexus for Christmas… she’d probably love a Lexis AND a Mercedes even better… but how real is that?!
No, this was different… this might even sell more cars… this could change the game, at least temporarily.
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Here was Hyundai, looking at the obstacles to selling in a down economy… recognizing fears… and saying something new. Offering an ‘Assurance’ plan that will allow you to buy a car today, and return it if you run into an economic hardship like a disability or job loss over the next year.
Yes, there is small print to protect the company’s interests. And yes, it is a very calculated risk that they are willing to take.
But as marketers, our job is to connect with the needs… often emotional… of our customers. I’ve never bought a Hyundai… and I’m not in the market for a new car… but they get points for thinking… for making new rules… for changing the game.
I suspect I’m not the only one who saw something refreshing here.
Questions:
What emotional concerns do your potential customers have, that are keeping them from buying right now?
What can you offer to change the game?
How quickly can you do it?
I look forward to speaking with you.
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