Honda Snubs Baby Boomers for Gen Xers

Frank Williams
by Frank Williams

Auto advertising seems to be aimed at one of two groups: baby boomers trying to recapture their youth or "Gen Y," the twenty-somethings Scion was shooting for– and missed. Honda has decided to split the difference and target Generation X to reinvigorate sales of their [new] Accord. Advertising Age [sub] reports Honda wants to lower the median age of Accord buyers from its current 54 to somewhere between 30 and 44-years. Only Gen X buyers aren't as "inspired" to own a Honda because they perceive the brand's current products to be too fuddy duddy. So Honda's largest ever ad spend on a single model will tempt Gen X buyers with ads embodying a more "emotional appeal." Whether Honda's PC patrol– which nixed the marketing department's idea to sell the Accord hybrid as a performance car– will loosen-up sufficiently to let the ad guys draw on Honda's Hooners and Tunerz heritage remains to be seen.

Frank Williams
Frank Williams

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  • Stuntnun Stuntnun on Sep 11, 2007

    test drove an accord and a camry and a mazda 6 back in 2005-bought the mazda cause it was the best bang for the buck and was the most fun to drive-im 36 and my next car i want more handling and rear wheel drive-looks like a used bmw or maybe chevys new rear wheel platform for me:)

  • Robert Schwartz Robert Schwartz on Sep 12, 2007

    The advertising strategy might be Gen X, but the size of the car and the conservative styling say geezer.

  • Supremebrougham Supremebrougham on Sep 12, 2007

    Okay, time for me to chime in. I'm 32, so I am right in the midst of the supposed target audience of this car, but the styling is just plain awful in my opinion, at least for the sedan. I guess I'm one of the few that found the last gen, in particular the 03-05 versions rather attractive. I liked the fact that it felt as comfortable as a Buick on the inside, looked like an expensive Euro sedan on the outside, but drove and sounded like a Honda. It was also the perfect size for me. I'm single, so I don't have a need for a full size car. So sorry Honda, I'm going to have to sit this one out, or perhaps look for a nice used 03-07 Accord when my beloved Olds finally dies in a few years. FWIW I had found a sketch of what was supposed to have been the new Accord, and it was a knockout. I wish I still had the link to where I found it. It featured a rounder greenhouse with seductive curves and bold fender lines, with only a slight family resemblance to the Civic at the very front. Now had Honda brought that car out, I might would have been looking for a way to make my Olds meet it's demise early!!! Oh well....

  • Jason Jason on Sep 12, 2007

    I'm 37 years old. I have owned a 1996 Honda Del Sol VTEC since it was brand new. I love that car. It has personality. It's quick and fun to drive. It's not my daily driver anymore since I bought a new BMW 2 years ago, but it's a fantastically interesting and fun car. None of the newer Honda offerings have that kind of personality. They're DULL. They're BLAND. They're like a freakin' Camry. I'm sure they're actually still great cars. I'm sure they drive well. But I guess I'm just too young, or think I'm too young, to drive something that boring.

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