Re: [EVDL] EV names tell Automakers' mood are different, but do they know how to sell

Dennis Miles <[email protected]> wrote:

> Pizazz is definitely needed, we have observed over and over that the
> successful business sells the "Sizzle" not the "Steak" (In today's economy
> that might be the "Steak-Burger!"
> I had a mild "Epiphany" a few moments ago. Considering the ICE were
> called "Explosion" cars 100 years ago, perhaps a good term with a lot of
> positive Marketing Energy for Electric Vehicles Would be;
>
> "LIGHTNING" as in Lightning Autos, "Better than a Flying Carpet."
>
> Lightning Auto Dealers, "Dump that old Oil burner, Lightning Autos are on
> the way!"
>
> Lightning Motorcycles; Quick, Quiet, Reliable, Home Grown Energy.
>
> Some of the High Performance Aircraft were called "Lightnings, Lightning
> Bolts, and very fast were like Greased Lightning.
>
> I am sure there are a few negative connotation of Lightning. Such as in
> German with "Lightning War" or "Blitzkrieg" But, many will not be aware of
> that.
>
>
>
> Also, In an article about servicing hybrids published on Yahoo in the
> past week, one paragraph says, "Engine problems can be pricier, because
> many mechanics aren't familiar with hybrids' high-voltage drive systems,
> says Bob Rodriguez, manager of special testing programs at the National
> Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, a trade group. Consequently,
> hybrids are likely to wind up getting worked on at a dealership, where
> overhead costs are often higher than at independent shops."
>
>
> It is reasonable to expect exactly the same situation with pure electric
> model vehicles also. And this is EXACTLY the problems I want to solve with
> an upgrade training school for Independent Mechanics so they learn to work
> "Smarter" on Electrics and Hybrids! For over 40 pages of information on this
> topic go to my web site, below my name.
>
>
> .Regards, Friends, I am seeking a Partner in this venture.
> *Dennis Lee Miles* (Director) *E.V.T.I. inc*.
> *www.E-V-T-I-Inc.COM <http://www.e-v-t-i-inc.com/> *(Adviser)* EVTI-EVAEducation Chapter
> *
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> The "Stone Age" didn't end because they ran out of Stones;
> It ended because they started using their Brains !
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 3:53 PM, Myles Twete <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for your perspective on this Lee!
>>
>> I agree that "electric" was a powerful marketing word a century ago
>> generally.
>>
>> Yet I don't think that this is the real reason the word "electric" is not
>> included in the primary branding of modern electric vehicles. It's just
>> not
>> as simple as "electric" not having the pizzazz that it did back then.
>>
>> Just as with a century ago, most of the electrics that have been put on
>> the
>> markets don't come close to the range or power of gas cars and that you
>> can't just fill up the tank but have to find the right place, plug in and
>> wait. That stigma hasn't gone away yet.
>>
>>
>>
>> GM this Fall chose as its Chevy Volt branding this slogan: "It's More Car
>> than Electric".
>>
>> http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/10/its-more-car-than-electric/
>>
>> Think about that sentence. What they're saying is 'we understand that
>> most
>> folks think that electric cars are weak, underperforming, have poor range
>> and basically don't rate being considered a car'. They're also saying:
>> 'we
>> are so concerned about the general negative views of electrics that we
>> don't
>> really want to risk calling this an electric car'. And 'we even decided
>> that while we're giving it an electric sounding name "volt", we're really
>> going to make it a hybrid because, well, we decided that people just don't
>> want electrics and we want to sell cars'.
>>
>>
>>
>> What was Nissan LEAF's marketing slogan? " 0 Emissions, 5 Passengers, 90
>> MPH
>> Top Speed, 100 Mile Range, 2010 Launch"
>>
>> Nothing about being electric:
>> http://www.automoblog.net/2010/02/06/2011-nissan-leaf-electric-car-driven/
>>
>> Even as an acronym, LEAF disavows its being an electric even though it is
>> a
>> pure electric.
>>
>> And while Tesla has embraced being the best performing electric vehicle
>> built and sold, in its marketing it even takes an intentionally arms
>> length
>> approach as regards to any use of the word electric, choosing to keep
>> clear
>> distance between references to the performance aspect, e.g. its branding
>> "The New Roadster" vs its eco-friendly messages. And given this week's
>> Tesla stock jitters due to perceived threats by more hybrid cars coming
>> available, I expect Tesla feels major pressure to not mention "electric"
>> at
>> all in its marketing. As example, on their website page for their "Model
>> S", there is absolutely no use of the word "electric" at all except for
>> the
>> primary pull-down tab "go electric" that is part of their main site
>> background design.
>>
>>
>>
>> This cuts way deeper than the word "electric" lacking pizzazz or a
>> positive
>> spin.
>>
>> It's the very real understanding that "electric" still carries substantial
>> negative mental baggage as regards cars.
>>
>> We still haven't changed most people's perceptions about electrics as
>> being
>> gutless cars that might leave the wife and kids stranded on the side of
>> the
>> road.
>>
>>
>>
>> -MT
>>
>>
>>
>> "electrically they keep a baseball score....and the beat goes on..." -
>> Sonny
>> & Cher
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Lee Hart
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 11:49 AM
>> To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
>> Subject: Re: [EVDL] EV names tell Automakers' mood are different, but do
>> they know how to sell an EV?
>>
>>
>>
>> On 12/28/2010 5:11 PM, Myles Twete wrote:
>>
>> >> But the name Tesla is intriguing enough, I think ;-)
>>
>> >
>>
>> > Sure Mike. But so are the names Prius and Insight. And yet, the auto
>>
>> > companies embrace the term "hybrid", often including it in the name
>>
>> > of the vehicle when referenced. It's common to see "Toyota Prius
>>
>> > Hybrid" for example...
>>
>>
>>
>> Marketing is a a weird art form. It's all about words, and the emotions
>>
>> they invoke.
>>
>>
>>
>> A hundred years ago, "electric" was a powerful marketing word, that
>>
>> evoked high-tech excitement. The word was used to sell anything and
>>
>> everything; there were "electric" toothpastes and "electric" shoes.
>>
>>
>>
>> But they wore it out. Now, nobody thinks of an electric anything as
>>
>> being new or exciting. So Marketing moved on to use other words that
>>
>> implied advanced high technology, like electronic, or transistorized, or
>>
>> computerized, or hybrid. Marketing doesn't care what the word really
>>
>> means; it only cares what it *implies* to the average person.
>>
>>
>>
>> At some point, I predict they will invent a new marketing word for
>>
>> electric cars. Something that sounds exciting and high-tech, without
>>
>> telling you anything about what it really is (like "hybrid" for the
>>
>> Prius etc.)
>>
>> --
>>
>> Lee A. Hart | Ring the bells that still can ring
>>
>> 814 8th Ave N | Forget the perfect offering
>>
>> Sartell MN 56377 | There is a crack in everything
>>
>> leeahart earthlink.net | That's how the light gets in -- Leonard Cohen
>>
>>
>>
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