tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118571.post-16987469843348147172008-04-10T00:20:00.001-07:002008-04-10T00:20:31.929-07:00Owning a word and breaking the rules<DIV>Pop Quiz:Who owns the word "HEMI" in the minds of the market?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Answer: Dodge</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Question: What is a "HEMI"?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Answer: Does it matter?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In 2004 or there abouts, Dodge launched their HEMI campaign. You know the ad. Truck pulls up next to some rednecks who drool over the idea of there being a HEMI under the hood. We don't know what a HEMI is, but we easily get the idea that it must be something "Swweeeeetttt!!!" as the one redneck puts it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dodge took a stand in the market four that they were going to be the tough, powerful truck company. Not powerful, like moving mountains, but powerful for someone who wants to stomp on the pedal at a green light and feel their stomach press against their backbone.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dodge succeeded at capturing and owning this idea. HEMI became something coveted by those looking for power.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But then Dodge broke one of the laws of marketing, the Line Extension. Suddenly the HEMI started popping up everywhere, in nearly every car Dodge sold, or it seemed that way. Suddenly, if I'm looking at a Dodge truck, I'm realizing that the HEMI is not something unique to the truck, it is even in their cars. HEMI lost its luster and appeal as something cool and unique for a truck owner. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>After all, how cool and powerful can your truck be if it is the same thing as what's in your car?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dodge Magnum - Good marketing</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Dodge magnum is a station wagon. But Dodge, under its macho image of powerful vehicles, carefully crafted an image of it being a guys car. Unique and powerful, and oh yeah, it has a HEMI. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The marketing worked. Whenever I pass a Magnum on the road I always look to see if it is a woman driving or a man...and it is ALWAYS a man. It is a man's car and Dodge did a good job of marketing a station wagon to men.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Death of Dodge</STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So, Dodge had this power thing going with guys. Their trucks and their cars were marketed as an In Your Face kind of power trip, harkening back to the days of the muscle cars. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So what happened? Dodge changes their tune. Now their ads are focused on a more expanded market, a wider audience. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The problem with that is, you lose your image, you lose your focus, and people don't know who you are anymore.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This will lead to an accelerated market loss and customer not knowing what to expect from a Dodge</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Next article is on Dodge in the Truck marketing</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>Richard Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06711443052326619281noreply@blogger.com