New approach to advertising the LEAF

[PaulScott]

Given the abysmal lack of good advertising for the LEAF, our dealership has ponied up some serious money to run a full page ad in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal. This weekly magazine its about 150,000 people per week and average household income is $290K. It is a great demographic for the LEAF.

I went in thinking our creative would focus on the oil angle, middle east and all that. After a meeting with their creative team, which is led by David Suissa, formerly of Suissa/Miller, they came up with an approach that attacks the number one issue people seem to have with the car, it's lack of range. We'll be running this add, or variations of it, for 12 weeks.

Here's a link to the current edition. http://www.jewishjournal.com/current_edition/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Not sure how to access the ad online, but it's on page 5 of the downtown insert section. I'd love to get folks opinion of the approach.

 

[LKK]

I couldn't open the file to view the journal. The individual stories were available but not the ads. Could you provide a summary?

 

[PaulScott]

I just tried cutting and pasting the ad, but it doesn't paste. I'll need some help from someone who knows how to do that.

 

[PaulScott]

OK, I got the ad posted to our website. This is version one and it's already gone through one revision with more to follow. We're running it for 12 weeks.

http://www.downtownnissan.com/nissan-leaf-specialist.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Go to the bottom of the page and click on the PDF.

I'd like your opinion on whether this is a good approach. We're also going to run it full page in the LA Times at least once.

 

[Phoenix]

The ad was too busy for me--too much to read and too hard to follow where to read with all those dotted lines. I like the Nissan owner's forum person who responded to the question: How far can a LEAF go? with the answer "Plenty". You only need enough charge to get to your next destination and then home or work base.

Or, emphasize lower operating cost.

FWIW, I'm in love with my LEAF all over again because Santa Rosa Nissan dealership installed DC Quick Charge. It opened up (doubled) our range. We are able to drive the LEAF again for those longer trips (instead of the polluting ICE).

Has your company considered putting those advertising dollars into DC QC? The more DC QCs on major routes, the more LEAFs you can sell.

 

[Nubo]

I like it. It has a '70's flavor to it.

 

[Kataphn]

I like the day in the life approach but all those lines are too much and take up way too much space. Same idea can be presented with more pared down picture.

 

[eclecticflower]

I thought the idea of the trips the car makes in a routine day shown in a line graph was good, but what struck me the most was seeing times of appointments without number of miles driven to each destination. If I were looking at that ad to compare how the car would fit my own routine, I'd be interested in seeing how far the car went, i.e., "10:30 a.m., Meeting across town (XX miles)," since range is a primary consideration.

 

[TomT]

I generally like the ad, but I think that quoting the 100 mile range mantra of Nissan might leave a number of people open for disappointment since we know that the average Leaf driver who does not hypermile will not get that.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

If you are targeting the high end demographic i think you need to target high end features the LEAF has. the quietness, smooth acceleration, business support and so on. after 18 months on the streets one would think that any well read person who know quite a bit about the LEAF. i have not seen that. i talk with people here all the time that only have the barest notion that EVs even exist. it is rather shocking. and what they do know tends to be what is trumpeted the loudest which tends to be the farthest from the truth.

i think the ad will be effective because it illustrates what most powerful people life is like its regimented with appointments but still allows "me time" during the day even on full days which is something they can identify with.

 

[thankyouOB]

I think it is too busy and claiming 100 miles of range is sad.

It should
Scream HOV lane,
and
Scream $200 a month in savings on gas.
and Scream the 10k savings with incentives fed and state.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I think it is too busy and claiming 100 miles of range is sad.

It should
Scream HOV lane,
and
Scream $200 a month in savings on gas.
and Scream the 10k savings with incentives fed and state.

for a 290,000 demographic? its not the savings which is not as important and "looking like you are doing the smart thing" that matters.

 

[Stanton]

for a 290,000 demographic? its not the savings which is not as important and "looking like you are doing the smart thing" that matters.

I disagree; no matter how "rich" you are, people always want to save money. I was just talking to my kid's Dr. the other day (also a Leaf owner), and kept coming back to HOW MUCH HE WAS SAVING ON GAS; I think it's safe to say he makes more $$ than me :lol:

My suggestions mirror some of the others: a bit busy (with all the lines) and you might want to de-emphasize the 100 mile claim. I also like the Leaf's intangibles: it's just fun to drive

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

for a 290,000 demographic? its not the savings which is not as important and "looking like you are doing the smart thing" that matters.

I disagree; no matter how "rich" you are, people always want to save money. I was just talking to my kid's Dr. the other day (also a Leaf owner), and kept coming back to HOW MUCH HE WAS SAVING ON GAS; I think it's safe to say he makes more $$ than me :lol:

My suggestions mirror some of the others: a bit busy (with all the lines) and you might want to de-emphasize the 100 mile claim. I also like the Leaf's intangibles: it's just fun to drive

ok, just relating my experiences. i find that most people with money will GLADLY spend tens of thousands more than is necessary as long as they can "justify" the expense. its not how much they spend, its how "smartly" THEY think they are while spending it that seems to make the most difference.

now, once again; this is what i have observed not that i have had a lot of interaction with the upper crust...

 

[ztanos]

I think it is too busy and claiming 100 miles of range is sad.

It should
Scream HOV lane,
and
Scream $200 a month in savings on gas.
and Scream the 10k savings with incentives fed and state.

for a 290,000 demographic? its not the savings which is not as important and "looking like you are doing the smart thing" that matters.

This was for a Jewish demographic. As a person with a majority of my family being Jewish, I can honestly say that this is the best way to go.

 

[thankyouOB]

I most worry about the 100-mile claim.
Even after 15 months, I would feel stretched to get to that milestone in a day with one charge.
I do find around LA that during some commutes I can get 5 kWh on mixed road usage as the freeway slows to a good (35-45 mph) commuting speed in the HOV lane.

 

[eclecticflower]

IMO, it may be good to de-emphasize the 100 mile range aspect, since that's merely a "potential" range if you can get a tail wind, your halo is on straight, you breathe lightly and hold your head just right.

I've adjusted my thinking on having a big range number, since an 80% charge more than meets my daily commuting needs (and probably that of most "average" drivers). I think about how far I actually go in one day...do I ever need 100 miles? Nope, not even 75 miles. This viewpoint has pretty much eliminated my range axiety.

The average ICE car owner thinks about filling up once a week and how far that gets them in a week. Most LEAF drivers "fill up" daily (or several times daily - or not) and think about how far they'll get each day - it's just a different way of thinking about fuel and when you'll need it.

For this ad, it might be more more productive to state range more generically, such as "you can do most anything you need to do in a day" (within reason, of course).

I know, I know, there are some long distance LEAF drivers, but I'm talking about the average commuter demographic being courted in the ad.

 

[Electric4Me]

I like the ad's layout...but I always used to follow the Family Circus cartoons when they did that. :lol:

I agree with the other points above though on 100 mile range.

 

[TomT]

I agree. My wife and I, together, are not very far from that demographic and it is still quite important to us.

The 100 mile claim in the ad is the biggest problem for me...

I disagree; no matter how "rich" you are, people always want to save money.

 

[gbshaun]

"Sleep happy because NOT supporting foreign Oil"... that was a big one for me!