Switching Up The Marketing Strategy...

[NSTG8R]

Now I mentioned this in a thread months ago, but couldn't find the original thread [Moderators feel free to merge this if you do]. My Sister-In-Law and Nephew are staying with us for a bit to tie up loose ends as they're moving to NC. I got home last night and got to talking to my Nephew. Showed him the Elio on my laptop wallpaper, and his eyes lit up! Never even heard of it, and neither has any of his friends. He spent a good half hour checking out the videos and EM website, and wants one bad. Okay, Timmy's 19 yrs old, and heading to college once the get settled in down south. Why hasn't EM been hitting sports events at colleges? Man, that just seems like the perfect demographic to be marketing to.

 

[ecdriver711]

EM has young people on their tour staff, sounds like a good direction to branch off to. So far, I have not impressed any youth when introducing the Elio to them.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

It's a great idea,with this generation, it could go viral in a flash, and w/ all the youtube vids out there already the ground work is in place. However long term gratification is not high on the list of virtues of the "kids" I think the first time they see one of us riding, that will do it!!

 

[Critter]

I have often thought the same thing. Then chose to think they are marketing to someone who can invest $1,000 now for something that is not built yet. The marketing to the younger market, most likely more cash strapped, should appear once production begins. They put the money down or finance it, and drive off in their Elio.

 

[Buckeyejake]

Critter has it right. This whole prototype tour is staged for those of us who can afford to invest a $1000. Unless these kids have parents with deep pockets they are not the primary focus group. Down the road, when the Elio is upon production this market will be a gold mine.

 

[CompTrex]

Except that I haven't found a single person under 25 that is remotely interested in this vehicle. They think that it's ugly and silly. They'd much prefer their status symbol of a BMW or a WRX or a jacked-up truck than this new, innovative, money saver.

 

[goofyone]

Elio Motors has studied and understands the demographics of likely reservation holders and Paul Elio has even discussed some of the demographics of reservations holders in various interviews. EM has concentrated their limited marketing resources on the demographics most likely to make a reservation as this is what they are selling at this time. The demographic that EM understands to be the most likely to make a reservation is middle aged and older males who ride, or used to ride, motorcycles.

Breaking this down we all know that men tend to be the focus of the majority of vehicle advertising. We also know that middle aged and older people tend to have more discretionary income they are willing to part with as they are generally more established in their lives. So these two parts of the EM demographic equation are fairly straightforward from a marketing point of view.

The reasons for the focus on motorcyclists is interesting. Motorcyclists as a group are more likely to have excess capital as motorcycles tend to be expensive toys for most people. This demographic also tends to be accepting of some level of risk in their lives which covers the fact that there is an inherent level of risk involved in making a reservation at this time.

Anyone else who is exposed to the Elio Motors concept and makes a reservation at this time is welcomed of course however EM is purposefully targeting the demographic most likely to make reservations. Once we move closer to retail availability I expect to see a big shift in marketing aimed more at the mass market as this is where EM will need to be at that time.

 

[NSTG8R]

I don't hang around with "young people" other than my kids (27yrs and 31yrs), maybe once in a while a couple of their friends, and this is the only social media site I visit. I'm definitely out of the loop on what the younger crowd (college age) is into these days...and by the crap I have to plow through on TV to find something worth viewing, I'm fine not keeping up to date.

 

[bowers baldwin]

Except that I haven't found a single person under 25 that is remotely interested in this vehicle. They think that it's ugly and silly. They'd much prefer their status symbol of a BMW or a WRX or a jacked-up truck than this new, innovative, money saver.

Find me a 25 yo that can afford a new BMW or WRX, heck I wanted a 67 Vette when I was,,, well still want one...

 

[CompTrex]

Find me a 25 yo that can afford a new BMW or WRX, heck I wanted a 67 Vette when I was,,, well still want one...

I haven't checked recently, but apparently they, at least used BMWs are pretty affordable.