Omni Automotive Advertising Blog

AutoBlog just wrote this short article revealing some teaser pics of the new Chevy Volt production model. Only two of the pics were actually of the car, the others of the team producing the model.

More interesting is the ABC News video detailing GMs desperate thrust to get the Volt completed in time for an expected 2010 release. Some skeptics don’t think that the car can be completed by that time. Of particular concern is the battery technology that will power this totally electric powered car. While battery technology has come a long way recently some wonder if the technology has advanced enough to power a vehicle for 40 miles, never mind the 400+ miles originally hinted at when Volt was first announced.

Even if the Volt should arrive on the showroom floors by the end of 2010, the price tag is expected to be somewhere in the low to mid $30,000 range. This will primarily be due to the cost of the battery itself. Will consumers be willing to put out that kind of cash for a mid sized sedan? We’ll just have to wait and see what the price of gas is in 2010.

Paul Williams over at Marketing Profs Daily fix just wrote a fantastic article detailing how Discounting Prices erodes your brand. Definitely worth the read.

But if you don’t have time to read the article, here’s a quick summary.

Basically, Williams argues that offering deep discounts and huge markdowns changes the customer perception of the value of your product. If you slash the price on new car from $17,000 to $14,000, the customer views the vehicle as $14,000 car. Even after the price goes back up, the customer will still view the car as a $14,000 car, not a $17,000 car.

Williams say the best way to woo customers without endangering your brand is to offer more value with your product, like lifetime tires, oil changes, etc. This will attract customers without hurting your brand.