Renault's Dutch Twingo Marketing Screws the Pooch
So French automaker Renault hired an ad company to help promote the new Euro-only Twingo to Dutch women. The UK's not-so-prim Daily Mail reports the result: a faux-handwritten letter from an unknown admirer who "called them 'darling', suggested meeting soon for a drink and signed themselves 'lots of love, M." Despite a reference to the Twingo– "you have a Twingo, don't you, I saw the new one and thought immediately of you"– and a color photo of the car enclosed with this missive, recipients were not well pleased. There were heated exchanges in many a huis, while some women were bummed to learn that "M" didn't exist (although you've got to take that idea with a shaker of salt considering the source). Renault has apologized and will send a letter of apology to all 30k households. Presumably it doesn't start "Dear John…"
I'm a computer security geek raised in Nebraska and recently transplanted to Atlanta. I like me some cars, got into car geekery a few years ago and haven't looked back since. I also volunteer at a local ferret shelter and participate in various charity and fund-raising events related to that.
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Is that as bad as offering the first-gen Twingo without an automatic? Or right-hand drive?
They wouldn't try that over here, as the lead (then lawsuits) would fly...
Its probably as bad as replacing the original and funky Twingo with the new, bland, formula none replacement. Its like when you go for a job. If the guy says "we like to work hard and play hard" it means no fun.
I feel like another company committed a similar "mistake" a few years ago. It's virtually guaranteed to get extensive press coverage. Sure, people will think the marketing people are idiots, but it probably won't hurt the image of the car.