From: Mark McDonald <tomswift@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: IML: New Imperial Opinions
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 23:01:59 -0500
Folks,
Thank you all for your comments, pro & con. I'm sure we would all like to
see the new Imperial succeed.
I never said Japanese car companies were without marketing interests, or
didn't listen to their marketing departments. Of course they have and of
course they do.
I never said American companies were without engineering interests, or
didn't listen to their engineers.
It is all a matter of emphasis, and corporate culture, and the way people
think that is different.
I wish I could read an article about the new Imperial in which someone--
anyone-- at Chrysler is quoted as saying "We believe we have the capability
of making one of the best luxury cars in the world and we intend to do so."
Instead, you hear "We believe there is a market for a luxury car and we
intend to exploit it any way we can."
There is a vast difference in these two statements.
By the way, I agree completely with Mr. Eberhardt and Chris H. There is a
market for an American "aspirational" car besides the Cadillac and the
Lincoln. But it will never be tapped unless the product meets or exceeds
the expectations of the public.
Let me use what may seem an unusual example. For years, American companies
were able to take dog food, put it in a new can with a new label, slap the
words "NEW AND IMPROVED" on it, come up with a snappy ad campaign, and
viola, dog food sales went thru the roof.
The same thing was done with automobiles. Take an existing platform, put
new sheetmetal on it, give it a sexy new name, wrap it in a new ad
campaign, and viola, car sales go thru the roof. This worked for most of
the last century. So much so that I believe that American carmakers became
convinced that genuine substance and quality was no longer necessary for
success.
The problem is, in the last 10-20 years the American consumer has gotten a
lot smarter and a lot more sophisticated. They have the internet and
magazines like "Consumer Reports." Before they buy a car, they go out and
do "research." Now, I ask you, who in your father's generation ever did
"research" before buying a car??? The only research my generation ever did
consisted of driving by the showroom late at night to see what the new
models looked like. Today's new car buyers will no longer buy the same
repackaged dog food, or cars. The 300 succeeded because it wasn't
repackaged; it was a genuinely new car and a new concept at the right time
and the quality was there to back it up.
What I fear is that Chrysler will now try to repackage the 300 as an
"Imperial" and the new car will simply not live up to the expectations but
will look like what it is: a rehashed 300. Another marketing driven
attempt to capitalize on a past success, not a genuine entry into the
luxury market.
The folks to beat in this field are Lexus, which is the #1 best selling
luxury car make in America. Can Chrysler make a car that is BETTER than
Lexus? That is a tall order. But that, in my opinion, should be their
goal for the new Imperial-- not simply recognizing and stepping into an
undeveloped marketing niche.
Mark McDonald
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