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Environemental Marketing and Automibiles …
Question:
Speaking as a U.S. consumer and market observer, the only environmental quality that a U.S. consumer ever cared about was gas (petrol) efficiency, expressed as a higher miles per gallon. Now, with gas in the U.S. being inexpensive, U.S. consumers do not care. They assume that all new cars they buy run relatively cleanly, whether this is true or not.
Response:
>Speaking as a U.S. consumer and market observer, the only environmental >quality that a U.S. consumer ever cared about was gas (petrol) efficiency, >expressed as a higher miles per gallon. Now, with gas in the U.S. being >inexpensive, U.S. consumers do not care. >They assume that all new cars they buy run relatively cleanly, whether >this is true or not.
Wow, what a difference to Europe and especially Germany!!! What about the approach of a "World Car" by the big companies as Ford. They launched an upper middle class car called "Mondeo" some time ago as the first Ford automobile which is sold on all markets in the world where Ford is present. The idea of a standardized "World Car" would not work with that kind of differences in customer expectations as discovered above, would it? Phone: +49-172-7412842 Fax: +49-2162-58156
Response:
:>Speaking as a U.S. consumer and market observer, the only environmental :>quality that a U.S. consumer ever cared about was gas (petrol) efficiency, :>expressed as a higher miles per gallon. Now, with gas in the U.S. being :>inexpensive, U.S. consumers do not care. :>They assume that all new cars they buy run relatively cleanly, whether :>this is true or not. : Wow, what a difference to Europe and especially Germany!!! You have to understand that the most important part of what Jon said is that " we assume that all new cars we buy run relatively cleanly" We don’t believe it has to be an issue because we now have all of this environmental protection legislation that does not allow cars to be manufactured that do not have clean burning emissions ( at least we do in Canada, I can not speak for the Americans, but I assume they do too). : What about the approach of a "World Car" by the big companies as Ford. : They launched an upper middle class car called "Mondeo" some time ago as : the first Ford automobile which is sold on all markets in the world where : Ford is present. We have so many car manufacturers here that one more model is not going to make a big impact on the market one way or the other. It sounds like a great marketing tool for Ford, for foreign markets. Personally I have never heard of the "Mondeo", but that doesn’t mean its not here. [Moderator's Note: Correct me if I am wrong but the Mondeo is known in North America as the Taurus. -JG] : The idea of a standardized "World Car" would not work with that kind of : differences in customer expectations as discovered above, would it? It might, although I don’t really see why it would be necessary. It may work well in the foreign markets because they would believe that we, in the West, are driving around in the same car, it would make it seem exotic. My experience internationally had led me to believe we all, regardless of the country we live in, would like to drive something we see as exotic. But I don’t see how a model that Ford sells in Germany as well as in Canada would make people here think it was a better car. I just have one question, when you have the autobahn, and could drive a Porche, why would you want a FORD? ;-> — Wishing you the best of success Donna Henuset Independant Business Consultant Calgary AB Canada
Response:
>"You have to understand that the most important part of what Jon said is that " >we assume that all new cars we buy run relatively cleanly" We don’t believe it >has to be an issue because we now have all of this environmental protection >legislation that does not allow cars to be manufactured that do not have clean >burning emissions ( at least we do in Canada, I can not speak for the Americans, >but I assume they do too)."
Thank you Donna, that is what I meant. >[Moderator's Note: Correct me if I am wrong but the Mondeo > is known in North America as the Taurus. -JG]
I don’t know, but the Escort in the U.S. used to be sold as a "World Car." This is about 10 years ago. That label was dropped because it didn’t mean a thing to American consumers. Especially 10 years ago, nobody thought American cars were the best in the world, so why should we drive them? The most amazing thing about the U.S. auto industry is how accepting they are of mediocrity. Look at both the product and the advertising. Look at how long the major US automakers have retained their agencies. In some cases it’s 50 years+. Go figure. Jon Hutter
Response:
I’m doing an inquiry for my degree in environemental Marketing, and I need information about car manufacters and there taking care of the environement. Do you think that consumers, when they chose a car, they are thinking about the environement, or they only care about quality, designe, engine, extras,etc. What do you think manufactors do to transmit to the consumers that cars are made of reciclable materials, the paints do no arm to the atmosfere, etc…
Response:
> Do you think that consumers, when they chose a car, they are thinking >about the environement, or they only care about quality, designe, engine, >extras,etc. What do you think manufactors do to transmit to the consumers >that cars are made of reciclable materials, the paints do no arm to the >atmosfere, etc…
Hi Goncalo! [Moderator's Note: pt - Portugal] I don’t know the country represented by the code "pt". So maybe my comments on the awareness of German buyers might not help you when you focus only on the situation in your country. Anyway – one of the major trends in Germany is an enormously increased public awareness on environmental issues. Subsequently the marketing of nearly all consumer products adapted to this trend. This is relatively easy when you produce bicycles or when you want to sell train tickets – both products which are considered "friendly to the environment" by the public. Selling automobiles – which public considers to a product which is ecologically dangerous – is a more difficult job. Here it all started with catalytic converters. In the 80’s car manufacturers started offering vehicles with catalytic converters to underline their awareness. Today, all the new cars sold are equipped with a catalytic converter. One wouldn’t buy a car without. You won’t find leaded fuel at German petrol stations either! Another big effort made by the car industry is to reduce the petrol consumption of their cars. For example Audi always underlined their technological advantage by equipping their cars with all sorts of high-tech gimmicks. In the 80’s they developed a system called pro-con-ten – as alternative to the airbag. Today, they sell luxury cars in the US equipped with four wheel drive. Always efforts to underline the genius of German engineers 
At home they sell a station wagon which only needs 4 to 4,5 litres of diesel for 100 km. Their A8 top model is made of aluminium – it results to be a very light car compared to Mercedes S 350 or BMW 740 with a relatively low petrol consumption. So they converted their image "Great work by German engineers so that I get more fun driving at 200 km/h!" to "Great work by German engineers so that my car is friendly to the environment!" (Don’t worry: German cars still drive 200 km/h. Not everything changed 
) Finally all the manufacturers mention that their new models can easily be recycled. They developed a system to mark plastic parts with a sign mentioning of which type of plastic it is made. So recycling will be easier. At least on the German market a car manufacturer who does not communicate his ecological efforts would not stand a chance anymore. I would be interested about the situation in the US! Any American who would like contribute to this discussion? Dirk Phone: +49-172-7412842 Fax: +49-2162-58156