The greatest heavyweight showdown, Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman, proves that boxing, like the ultra-competitive automotive industry, is a game of survival of the fittest. Car makers and consumers, you can bet the global economy, the biggest title fight is happening right now. And it’s about to get electric.
Extraordinary product design and traditional marketing alone won’t launch or sell the new electric cars to meet manufacturer forecasts. It’s going to take a new approach. A social coup leveraging digital marketing and social media networks, to transform the industry and spark and sustain demand. Those who don’t shift their approach may become one-round brawlers or worse leave an epitaph that reads “I could have been a contender.”
Nissan recently unveiled its electric car under development, the LEAF. Geared for mass market, five attributes make it a promising puncher.
(1) Naming.
(2) Function.
(3) Fashion.
(4) Family Appeal.
(5) Global Platform.
A great car is only half the equation. The Nissan LEAF may prove to be impressive, but car attributes alone don’t make the market. Having intimate conversations with early adopters, brand loyalists, and influencers is job NOW. To be a leader in this new race, marketers should consider electrifying their strongest combination punch: “an online media marketing program wrapped in a socialized shopping environment.” Here’s how to bob and weave and best the competition:
- Start by turning the sales funnel on its side. Rather than building awareness at the broad opening for mass effect (using expensive television, print ads, and out of household media), start at the narrow end of the funnel. Target key audiences to provide advocacy for your brand and a powerful viral effect. Look for buzz agents with a tremendous online following.
- Seed these pivotal audiences with an influencer campaign. Product trial, contests, public relations events etc. wrapped in compelling messaging and a smart visual system. Hook the interest of trusted and well-followed bloggers, online video developers, and social media advocates to evangelize your message and create a windfall of social network word-of-mouth. You give, you get.
- Don’t be reckless with your influencers. The key here is to be transparent about your social networking relationships, the incentives you provide etc. Issue a “code of conduct” for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Blogs etc. then stick to it. An evangelist can become tainted if you are found “buying” their influence rather than earning it. Remember bad press travels 10 times faster than trusted news. Offer full disclosure.
- Look outside your category to grow greater influence. Electric vehicles are inherently technology-driven. Seed consumer electronics retailers, comparison sites, and leading manufacturers. Best Buy, CNET, Consumer Reports, Apple, HP. Look for others that hold captive audiences with an affinity for innovation, appliance adoption, fashion and function. Reach beyond automotive and grow your sphere. Go where your demographic reads, reviews, and purchases. Pulling them to you.
- Don’t forget the charitable tie-in. You may consider integrating a series of cause-based organizations benefiting directly from consumers purchasing your electrics. Select meaningful groups e.g. environmental stewardship, green tech startups etc. By purchasing your electric vehicle, consumers offset their carbon footprint and you donate product or sponsorship to a worthy cause. An inextricable link that associates your brand with the greater good. Demonstrate key metrics and program results. Great PR sells itself. You need a halo to be holy.
Imagine your message seen by 50,000 users with 100 trusted friends in their social network each with 100 valued friends in their network. That’s 500,000,000 or more impressions in just 3 levels deep, influenced every month leading your charge. Message delivered – key points of difference about your company, your electric offering, and your place in the world. Frequency is vital.
Car makers, don’t take a breather. Nissan is manning the lead, staging to be first to mass market toward a zero emissions society and at an affordable price. It plans to build more than 100,000 electric cars a year at its plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. Here in America, an impressive upper cut to domestic brands.
When the bell rings, be ready by leading online.
Copyright © Warren McKenna
