(Newswire.net — June 5, 2017) — If there is one thing that is common among all automotive marketing campaigns it would be that each manufacturer tries to portray their vehicles as being the trendiest vehicle on the market and will go about describing all those features that make it a ‘sexy’ buy. You will see adverts where sleek sports cars are on the open road with drivers that look as though they stepped out of a fashion magazine instead of having just driven cross country in the latest offering from that manufacturer.
There was a time when this mode of advertising was effective, but those days seem to be long gone. The consumers of today aren’t looking for the fastest, sexiest car on the market. According to research by Deloitte marketing professionals, this doesn’t even rank on their ‘most wanted’ features. What consumers are looking for is something altogether different. Here’s what they’ve determined consumers are really looking for in a vehicle.
Use by Family Members
Of those surveyed, a little over 80 percent said they wanted a vehicle that could also be driven by a family member. This would preclude those sexy sports cars that seem to be the highlight of virtually every manufacturer around the globe. Yes, some do advertise vans and sedans and an assortment of 4 x 4’s but for the most part, if you look back through all the most prominent adverts, they will be highly focused on sexy sports models. When looking to tune up your performance car website, make sure that you market to families as well as single professionals.
A Need for a Larger Vehicle
Sometimes the need for a larger vehicle is due to increasing numbers of family members. Young couples tend to buy economy vehicles, but as they begin having families, they also have a need to seat more in the car as well. Others are looking to upgrade to a van, SUV or even a pickup truck because they also use their vehicle in the line of work and simply need more space.
Technology Ranks Highly as Well
In light of the IoT, most car manufacturers are competing to see who can add the greatest connectivity and the most high tech features as society works towards autonomous (self-driving) cars. This may be a reality within the next decade, but at the moment car buyers are seeking connectivity. From internet to streaming movies and videos, those vehicles that have the highest levels of security and connectivity are hot sellers.
Finally Able to Afford a Vehicle
Next on the list of why consumers are looking for a new car is in their ability to finally afford to purchase a new car. Millennials just working their way up to higher salaries are a huge portion of the population and this is one group marketers can’t afford to ignore. This group may want a sporty car but being a first vehicle (new that is) they are probably looking for something more affordable than a sporty new coupe.
Fuel Efficiency
With a supply of affordable gas being questionable at best, consumers of today are looking for fuel efficiency. Some adverts do talk about how efficient their vehicles are but mention is causal rather than a focus. If a manufacturer produces a vehicle that is extremely easy on gas that rises in price almost by the day, this should be the center of their adverts some of the time.
Greater Reliability than What They Are Currently Driving
Typically, a first car is a previously owned car that was driven in the past by one or more owners. These older model vehicles tend to break down and often cost more to keep repaired than they are worth. New car buyers want something more reliable, so this could be a focus of marketing as well.
Upgrading Brand
Last on the list would be those sexy sports cars and big name brands. Some car owners are finally in a position to purchase a high ticket item and this usually means they want a sports car that is worth more than a year’s wages for them. These car buyers are the least numerous so why most marketing campaigns tend to focus purely on them is anyone’s guess.
So, there you have the various reasons why car buyers are looking for a new car. To be successful, a marketing campaign and website really should speak to consumers where they are. Trying to convince them that they want or need something other than what they are looking for is not effective, as time and experience have shown us. Automotive marketing may love those sleek, trendy, sporty features, but the average car buyer just isn’t interested. Maybe they’ve got it wrong, but it can be fixed!