Hanging SAABs: How Cars Will Decide The Elections

by Bertel Schmitt

Published: April 12th, 2012

hanging saabs how cars will decide the elections

Are you proud driving a car that not everybody drives? Then better turn off the phone, install an aggressive spam filter, or, even better, leave the country until America elects a president in November. Or drive a Mitsubishi. If you don’t, you will be bombarded with calls and messages. Campaign managers call it microtargeting. You will call it a royal pain.

Drivers of hybrids, Saabs, Subarus, Volvos and Minis lean Democrat and vote. On the elephant side of the equation, drivers of Jaguars, Lincolns, Lexi, Mercs and Buicks vote often and Republican. Owners of Chevrolets, Fords and Dodges lean to the right, but probably won’t bother going to the polls. This is the result of microtargeting information compiled by campaign managers. They know what voters drive, drink, eat, where they shop, and what websites they visit. Voters are being profiled, and hit with targeted messages, says the Atlantic.

If you want to be off the targeting RADAR, drive a Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi drivers are said to have no pronounced political leanings, and they also nearly never vote. That should keep them unmolested. On the other side of the extreme: SAAB owners. They are said to be largely undecided, and they rarely miss a chance to vote. Who knows, disenfranchised SAAB owners could make or break the next president.

Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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2 of 16 comments

EChid on Apr 13, 2012

Stereotyped to a flippin' T.

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Darkhorse on Apr 13, 2012

Hmmm. I own a SAAB and a Volvo, and I am a Tea Party guy. Maybe that's why they keep breaking down on me.

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