Autonomous driving, for some people this subject still might be something very futuristic. Ok it might take a couple of years, it might take a couple of decades, but few people at the Geneva Motor Show 2014 would disagree that one day science fantasy will become fact. Continue reading
What is a ‘Global Brand’?
Top ‘whatever number’s from any branche are always popular. We love to read what is the most influential brand or the most powerful person. The best sportmen, president or singer. It makes things clear and uncomplicated. It’s just a list. But sometimes different lists overlap and therefore questions arises what kind of criteria for the specific ‘Top lists’ are being used. Continue reading
Self driving car deciding factor in reducing traffic accidents
Google’s car project and numerous efforts by car manufacturers show unmistakably that the technological components for automated driving have reached a level of maturity that will allow rollout in the near future.
But are we on the verge of handing over our car keys and let a car drive us automatically from A to B? Continue reading
What we want from future cars
AutoScout24 did an interesting survey about the cars Europeans want in the future. What do we expect from our future mobility machines? What are the most important factors for the cars of tomorrow? Continue reading
Mario Kart by Pennzoil
An interesting brand has be seen this year at the SXSW, the annual music, film, and interactive conference and festival in Austin. The conference might seem like an odd place for a motor oil brand presence, but it looks like Shell-owned Pennzoil might have the coolest activation around: Continue reading
25 percent more effectiveness of outdoor advertisements with mock up reporting
In the coming weeks Marketing in Automotive will write a few items on research and eyetracking of advertisements and outdoor campaigns. We will do this together with a research consultant of Validators: Bart Massa. In the article below he explains what mock up reporting can do for your outdoor campaign.
25 percent more effectiveness of outdoor advertisements with mock up reporting
Pre-testing an outdoor advertisement is not new, but improving the effect of your advertisement campaign with 25 percent is certainly new. Continue reading
Apple CarPlay connects your phone to your car
At the Geneva Motor Show, Apple announced the roll out of a system that connects your phone to the navigation and entertainment system of your car: CarPlay. CarPlay is a rebadging of “iOS in the Car,” which Apple revealed at its Worldwide Developers Conference in 2013. Continue reading
Spotting car trends at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show
This year’s Geneva Motor Show was one of optimism. In many press conferences you could hear CEOs and presidents exclaim that sales had risen for consecutive months or that their expectation for 2014 is that consumers will buy new vehicles. The confidence is starting to return and order intake exceeds expectations. However, the careful reader should not forget where the European region is coming from. We are climbing from a two-decade low and with sales drops of -40% in Southern European countries such as Spain. Continue reading
Preview to the 84th Geneva Motor Show
If there would be a spring in the automotive industry, now would be that time of the year again. In the beginning of March some 10.000 media representatives and automotive executives gather in Europe for the Geneva International Motor Show. On March 6th the 84th edition of the show will open its doors to the public. There is no better place to find out what kind of new developments the motor industry has in stock for the coming years than by visiting one of the Top 5 international automobile exhibitions in the world. Continue reading
Digital key opens car for online ordered goods
Volvo Cars demonstrates the world’s first delivery of food to the car. The service allows consumers to have their shopping delivered straight to their car, no matter where they are. With a ‘digital key’ they are able to open their car from any distance. However, is this a reliable technology in a big city where car burglary isn’t an exception? Continue reading
Big data for sustainable design
What has big data to do with sustainability and an environmentally friendly future? A lot, according to Ford and Nike. Both brands are using big data analysis to design new products in a more sustainable way. Continue reading
Racing heritage in automotive brand image
McLaren racing car 2014
An article on Luxury Daily stated an interesting question: How thoroughly should a car brand’s racing traditions be woven into a brand’s image? Does a ‘racing image’ attract or reject customers?
“The first thing many brands do is build a performance model to prove quality, sustainability, longevity and to show that it can compete,” said Lauren Fix, automotive expert. “Almost all brands raced in some form and period,” she said. It creates a following and …. Continue reading
3D printing for Eco-Marathon
In Heerlen, a city in the south of The Netherlands, students are using tabletop 3D printers and PLA plastics to make a car that will compete in the Shell Eco-marathon 2014. Continue reading
The big Super Bowl’s ad spendings
During the Super Bowl game, there is on the side completely different competition going on: Which brand is producing the most valued TV commercial? Car brands are widely represented in filling up the breaks. But how well is their money spent? Continue reading
Battery maker claims breakthrough: electric car range will nearly quadruple
Battery powered electric cars have many advantages over fossil fuel powered ones. Obviously the best is that no gas is required. With the price of electricity already being low and coming down in the future the result is huge savings. Electric cars give off no emissions, which reduces the greenhouse effect and keeps the air clean in dense populated areas. When it comes to driving an electric car the immense torque of the engine and the silence adds up the a whole new experience with a lot of driving pleasure. Continue reading
Online video: What’s next ?
The usage of online video for marketing purposes is rising and media companies and advertisers are enthusiastic about it. According to a December 2013 study by Forrester Consulting, the majority of publishers predicting higher CPMs for the future. Advertisers, agencies, and media companies differ on the benefits of online video and exactly how the medium will evolve over the next few years. Will the shift to streaming video continue ? Continue reading
Must watch ad: Cadillac ELR for Hard Workers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGJSI48gkFc
This is definitely not the average car commercial. General Motors “left their comfort zone” and questions the hard working life. What?! Well, not really. As Inside EV’s states, this ad could almost be the anthem to the hard working American. The goal is clear: work hard and you can afford a Cadillac ELR. But the questions that arises as well are “Is it worth it?” and “Why do we work so hard?” Continue reading
Consumer not ready for self-driving car
As we wrote earlier, within a few years advanced technology for autonomous driving will be available for everyday cars. However, the first Dutch research about the self-driving car shows some interesting consumer insights. What will determine the adaptation of autonomous driving: technology or consumers? Continue reading
US takes the lead in Vehicle-2-Vehicle communications standard
What do Toyota, Lexus, Volvo, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Peugeot and Citroën, VW and Skoda have in common? They are all car manufacturers that have announced that they will launch self-driving cars in some form in the coming 2-6 years. It is generally assumed that self-driving cars are safer and make collisions something of the past. To realize advanced self-driving features on cars it seems a prerequisite that cars can share information about their position, speed and heading.
In June last year we reported on the Car-2-X communication project, in which vehicles and infrastructure are electronically linked to each other. Continue reading
The car commercials of the 2014 Super Bowl
Last night (CET) the 2014 Super Bowl was played. Even if you are in Europe and you are not a fan, you know by now that the Seattle Seahawks are the champions of Super Bowl XLVIII. On the side there is completely different competition going on: Which brand is producing the most valued TV commercial? Car brands are one group of advertisers that are filling up the breaks during the game. Continue reading