So ugly, it’s cute.
I admit - I melt into a puddle of goo at the sight of bulldog puppies. I even think the adult ones - slobber, underbite and all - are adorable. There is something ever-so-appealing about their unapologetic ugliness. And being dogs, they don’t know (or care) they’re not on (ack ack) Paris Hilton’s “hot list.”
Which brings me to a marketing point about seemingly ugly cars. As Michael Wagner notes, Toyota’s new Scion is according to CNNMoney.com and edmunds.com, one of the top ten “hottest†cars in America – in fact, all three Scion models made in the list.
But why? They are at first glance “ugly.” No aerodynamic curves here. But, you know what? They’re different. They’re - okay - cute (which is, of course, a highly subjective judgment, by me or anybody). And, people are always looking for different. Cars these days all pretty much look the same. Plus, Toyota has a reputation for quality. Sure, they’re not going to get the entire market, but they’re going to get part of it. They must be doing something right. GM keeps announcing layoffs while Toyota keeps adding jobs right here in the U.S.
Me? I’ve gone from pretty much hating the new Honda “box” (Element) to smiling everytime I see one, particularly if it’s in a really loud color like yellow. The Scion got the same (initial) reaction from me. (tip of blog bowler to Michael for his thoughtful post on the Scion.)
Read More:
The Soccer Mom Rocket (from Forbes when Honda announced their new “strange-looking box”)
Super-sized Audi. She’s no beauty. Klaus at Concept Bakery has some recommendations for Audi. Personally, I think Audi may have just jumped the shark with the new larger TT.
marketing, marketing troubleshooting, Toyota, Scion, Honda, blogher, nobodies
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