Mercedes Hopes Roots Rock for New C-Class Buyers
Brandweek and Adage report that Mercedes will launch a big ass (my words) marketing campaign for their new C-Class on September 10, aiming to woo buyers with ads that stress the sedan's build quality and precision engineering. Without a trace of irony, Merc marketing maven Steve Cannon says his employer aims to show potential buyers that its "entry-level offering is as solid and dependable as its most expensive models." No wonder, then, that Cannon aiming the spots at first time buyers (i.e. buyers who never personally experienced the discrepancy between Mercedes' rep for reliability and their actual reliability). More specifically, Mercedes' core target "is 35 to 45 years old, equally male and female, educated and with a household income of about $100,000." While one wonders how many Mercedes buyers are (or are willing to admit to being) equally male and female, you've got to admire the former Airborne Ranger's spunk. When Ad Age asked from whence cometh potential C-Classers, Cannon showed confidence, hipness and a genuine talent for jargon: "The usual suspects: luxury competitors like BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Audi and a lot of what feeds this segment is highly equipped nonluxury products." Highly equipped nonluxury products? Somebody get that man a Honduran cigar!
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First new model on the trail of the Chrysler sale, in the biggest automotive market on the planet. Is there a "bit of pressure" to generate robust C Class sales numbers in the USA? Entry level luxury is a very crowded market segment, after the initial pent up demand from the early adopters. It will come down to who best can "steal customers" from the other.
Oh my. Just when the real estate and CDO sales secretaries are getting wholesale pink slips.