Funny thing, being a car guy. Everyone knows I'm a car guy given I have been a car guy since I was a little guy. So when it comes time for my friends and family to buy a new car they come to me. Or my brother. (From a car-advice standpoint, we are the same person.) What's funny is the biases and pre-determinations that are built into even the most car-disinterested mind. It's OK, really. I expect that someone will ask me advice about cars and proceed to do the opposite.
Everyone has a certain range of car brands they are willing to drive, and a certain limited number of models that exist within those brands they are willing to roll. That's understandable as a car is, at least in part, an emotional choice. But then, through discussions, I will inevitably discover the "other people's brands" - those brands that stand for something so polarizing the person is unwilling to associate themselves with it. Or, a brand or model that is TOO popular and therefore represents an area the person is unwilling to go. I have, for example, recommended the BMW 3-series to numerous friends over the years. Why? The quality is fantastic. It's safe. It's a blast to drive, yet wholly comfortable and practical. Its resale value is amazing. And lastly, you can get one that's only a couple of years old as a certified used car with a huge warranty and all. What's not to love? Heck, this car has made the "Car and Driver Ten Best List" like 15 years in a row! It's a great car all around. So what's the problem? "I'm not a BMW person." Why? Have you ever driven one? "There are too many of those around... I want something original." Have you ever thought there may be a reason there's a lot around? When you go into a crowded restaurant is that not a good sign?
People assume I have a higher level of emotional connection to the machines in my garage because I am into cars. I don't. I may take better care of the cars because I know how to, I realize the cost implications of not doing so, and I do enjoy driving a car that's in good condition. But I have never named any one of the 30+ cars I have owned, unlike a large percentage of the US population (20% of Americans name their cars... mostly women). I drive a car for the machine that it is in spite of what an outsider's perspective might be. In short, I don't care what other people think of my car, for better or worse. There are those out there that drive a car solely based on what other people will think of them. But there are also those that won't drive a car because of what other people think. Interesting because I'm not sure those two sets of people are really any different from one another.
We, as marketing people, spend a lot of time talking about how to build brand loyalty. It is, after all, the wholly grail of the marketing world. If you can get someone to be loyal to your brand they will not only keep buying it but will likely spread their good feelings virally and encourage others to try it as well. But there exists another very different phenomenon in marketing that we rarely talk about... brand avoidance. It's driven by the same blend of rational and emotional factors as brand loyalty. But what I am realizing recently is that there is a variation of this that is almost solely emotionally driven. How do you get consumers to open their minds to your brand? How do you expand your brands personality enough without diluting it? To me it depends on the category. And in terms of cars, all a marketer can do is include some type of objective sell in what is a category dominated by emotional prose.
It's OK to avoid a brand if you have a good reason for it. But when it comes to buying your next car remember:
- It's likely your second largest asset, so approach it with the same objectivity as buying a house
- Don't avoid brands just because they are popular... There's likely a good reason
- Look at the total cost of ownership (and include resale value), not just the purchase price
And, of course, feel free to ask me for advice. I don't mind if you end up doing the opposite. I'm used to it.
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