The past two weekends, for me, have been centered around the automotive world. Two weeks ago the International Auto Show was in town and some friends got a hold of some free tickets for my wife and I. Then this past weekend, the in-laws were in town. The guys, in a blatant attempt at avoiding the mall, went to check out the local motorcycle shops and car dealerships.
At both the Auto Show and the car dealerships, I couldn’t help but notice one fatal flaw in the way the fuel efficient vehicles were set apart. Well, they weren’t, and that was the problem. They were just mixed in with all the other vehicles.
I was expecting something completely different, especially at the Auto Show, which is usually a signature even to boast innovations. Where was the special green area with impressive back lighting, focusing on fuel efficient vehicles, and the concept vehicles of the future? Why did manufacturers not take this opportunity to show that they are in touch with rising consumers concerns?
I know I wasn’t alone with these thoughts. Just a short walk through the crowd of people and you would hear some of the same questions: “How many miles-per-gallon does it get?” “Is that a hybrid?” “Do they make it in a hybrid?”
It’s as if the car companies were trying to say, “look, hybrids are not that different,” when their message should be the exact opposite. It’s not about what you have to give up driving a hybrid. It’s about what you have to gain. They’re burying their unique factor between the gas guzzlers, hoping no one will notice.
Until the car manufacturers understand this, things will progress as slowly as they have in the past. That is, until consumers start demanding change because they are spending the same amount of money a month on gas as they do on their monthly mortgage.
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