Marketing Suggestions for Nissan: Let's Get Serious

[ztanos]

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a mother with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Daddy works there!"

Mom smiles.

Voice-over
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- now built in America"

Love it!!!

 

[mkjayakumar]

Great idea.. It felt like a hit just reading it, in a nicely done video it will have a great impact.

And it will greatly help shut the rear-ends of the right wing farts.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a mother with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Daddy works there!"

Mom smiles.

Voice-over
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- now built in America"

you should get a commission on that one!

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a mother with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Daddy works there!"

Mom smiles.

Voice-over
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- now built in America"

you should get a commission on that one!

or better yet add to the existing tag line

"The 100% Electric, 100% built in the USA, Nissan LEAF"

 

[Nubo]

I would follow-up with ads talking with plant workers who build and drive LEAFs. Real-world examples of people who own the car and have discovered that many of the preconceptions and fears do not apply. Personally, the LEAF is right up there as one of the two best vehicles I've ever owned. I'm sure I'm not alone even though there are many who think EV ownership is only for a very tiny splinter.

 

[thankyouOB]

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a DAD with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Mommy works there!"


made it more surprising and current.


Dad smiles.

Voice-over -- while you get a view of the factory floor with moms and dads at work.
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- made in the USA "

 

[Deleted member 1622]

I wanted to follow-up on the Ford Focus EV rebate offers I referred to a few pages ago. Basically a Ford dealer informed me during a Focus EV test drive that there are two $7,500 rebates they are offering for people who do a three-year lease. The first one comes off immediately to lower the monthly payment. And then he says that Ford will allow the leasor to file the IRS form for the $7,500 tax credit the next year. This essentially is a $15,000 subsidy, if it's true.
He says that he already has a customer who leased a Focus EV and has checked with his tax attorney on this.
My first question is: If this was possible, why did Nissan not allow leasors of the Leaf to do this? None of it makes sense to me, but this dealer insists he has confirmed it with his manager, so I will take his word for it (esp. since I am not in the market yet... have to try out the Honda Fit and Mitsubishi-i).
For the doubters who have already called for deleting posts and all that: Don't shoot the messenger, please, I'm just passing along my conversation with this person. Instead, go ahead and call Hilltop Ford in Richmond, CA yourself, ask for Eddie (he does the Internet sales there), and question him yourself.

If this $15K discount is legit, Nissan really needs to step up and match it.

Josh

I would highly recommend that this guy get some second opinions...... And anything the dealership says has to be taken with a grain of salt unless they are willing to gaurantee it in writing.

"You are the owner of the vehicle. If the vehicle is leased, only the lessor and not the lessee, is entitled to the credit;"

"The original use of the vehicle began with you;"

Sure seems like a stretch to say that the original use began with you when you lease it. IMO the original use started with Nissan/Ford as the lessor.

And then he says that Ford will allow the leasor to file the IRS form for the $7,500 tax credit the next year.

That's nice of Ford but Ford doesn't get to decide the IRS rules, the IRS does. I'll allow you to take the rebate for when I bought my LEAF 3 times, you don't even have to buy an EV, I'm not going to guarantee that the IRS will let you but don't worry I'll allow you

Again, take it up with Eddie at Hilltop Ford, Richmond, CA. Many of you seem to believe he's a liar and a scam artist (he seemed like a nice guy who believed what he was saying). Why not call him and get the real information directly from the source, and THEN make a judgement. Then you can report back with real feedback rather than just an opinion based on you reading IRS code.

JG

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i think what we are all saying is that you should get some clarification on the offer.

 

[QueenBee]

take it up with Eddie at Hilltop Ford, Richmond, CA. Many of you seem to believe he's a liar and a scam artist (he seemed like a nice guy who believed what he was saying). Why not call him and get the real information directly from the source, and THEN make a judgement. Then you can report back with real feedback rather than just an opinion based on you reading IRS code.

JG

The fact remains the person leasing the car doesn't qualify for the federal rebate. He may believe it does but that doesn't make it true. While I do like to correct people when they are making factual misrepresentations but it'd be a lot of work to find his number and call him. Maybe if you gave us his email address.

 

[thankyouOB]

take it up with Eddie at Hilltop Ford, Richmond, CA. Many of you seem to believe he's a liar and a scam artist (he seemed like a nice guy who believed what he was saying). Why not call him and get the real information directly from the source, and THEN make a judgement. Then you can report back with real feedback rather than just an opinion based on you reading IRS code.

JG

The fact remains the person leasing the car doesn't qualify for the federal rebate. He may believe it does but that doesn't make it true. While I do like to correct people when they are making factual misrepresentations but it'd be a lot of work to find his number and call him. Maybe if you gave us his email address.

really, does anyone believe the feds wrote the law or the regulations to give TWO rebates per car; one to the customer and the other to the dealer?

 

[GRA]

actually, what GRA says about commutes appears to be really wrong.
Let me introduce a few facts about commuting to the discussion:

here in chart form:
http://www.bts.gov/publications/omnistats/volume_03_issue_04/html/figure_02.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
]78% of Americans have a round-trip commute under 40 miles a day.]

and this:
Average one-way commute time is 26 minutes (over an average distance of 16 miles)

--surely they cant be going 75 miles an hour.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Traffic/story?id=485098&page=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They report an average one-way commute time of 26 minutes (over an average distance of 16 miles). But the variance is huge: On the best days, the average commute is 19 minutes; on the worst days, 46 minutes. That means traffic, at its worst, can double the average commute time, adding 27 minutes each way.

And on average -- not at its worst, but just on average -- workers estimate that traffic congestion adds a half-hour a day to their drive, 15 minutes each way. That's an impressive time suck.http://askville.amazon.com/average-commuting-distance-americans" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2554434

also here
http://www.reference.com/motif/sports/average-commute-in-miles-for-americans" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

**********
it is a commuter car.
GRA would be better off going back to arguing that it will only work as a second car for those with an ICE for longer drives on weekends and days off.

Of course it's a commuter/urban car, never said otherwise. And I also mentioned the effects of congestion in my previous post; anyone who's seen freeways in the Bay Area or any other metropolitan area turn into a slow-moving parking lot knows the problem, and exchanging single-occupant ICEs for S-O EVs isn't going to improve anything other than pollution. Which is why governments have installed HOV and dedicated transit lanes, regional rail, and toll roads plus boosting parking rates and reducing parking spots, as well as encouraging companies to offer flex-time, all to reduce single-occupant commuting during peak-commute hours. But that doesn't mean that, for example, people commuting into S.F. or San Jose with 30-90 mile one-way commutes don't drive a large part of their commute at freeway speeds.

But this is all more or less irrelevant to my point: mainstream commuters will not be comfortable with a BEV for commuting until it can meet the following criteria at an affordable price:

The range must be adequate for their daily commute (current as well as any likely future commute owing to moving or switching jobs), plus their normal errands plus an exceptional errand plus an emergency reserve (LBW),

1. at the end of the battery's life, and

2. In any temperature conditions the car is certified for and they are likely to encounter, and

3. At the speed(s) they normally drive, with no change to their driving habits, and

4. With the car loaded to its GVWR, and

5. With unrestricted use of the HVAC system and all other accessories, at their highest power settings, and

6. With appropriate allowances for altitude change, high winds, chains etc.

To meet all these criteria for say 90% of commuters will require cars (without TMS for battery heating) to have at least twice the Leaf's current range. Those who can plug in for battery heating at at least one end of the trip can get by with somewhat less range, but such plugging in can't be assumed until infrastructure is universal.

Example, taking the Leaf's 73 mile EPA cycle range as realistic under ideal conditions, multiply that by .7 for end of life range, or 51.1 miles (cf. azdre in the lost bar thread). Multiply that by say .8 to account for low temps (per Tony's rule of thumb of 1%/4 deg. F.) to get 40.9 miles, and then by another .9 (WAG, could be considerably more) to allow for accessory use = 36.8 miles, - 10 mile emergency reserve (at whatever max. speed the owner drives, so that it can be stretched at lower speeds) = 26.8 mile guaranteed for planning purposes. I'm assuming no chain use, major elevation changes or regular high winds.

The current range will need to be considerably increased, especially to deal with conditions outside the ones I've used, before mainstream users won't have any range anxiety issues. Right now, normal drivers who will never need more than about 40 miles of range in temperate conditions are probably fine for the useful life of the battery.

 

[thankyouOB]

78% of Americans commute less than 40 miles per day and the vast majority of those under 30 miles per day.
LOOK AT THE CHARTS.

In many cases, that commute is done at slower speeds. Look at the data:
Average commute is 16 miles and that takes 26 minutes. They are NOT going 65 mph. They are going closer to 30 mph.

your point about job-switchers is pertinent.
But why are you ignoring valid commuting-distance and -time data and substituting outlier, anecdotal factoids such as this:

But that doesn't mean that, for example, people commuting into S.F. or San Jose with 30-90 mile one-way commutes don't drive a large part of their commute at freeway speeds.

look at the data about commuting across the entire USA.

you do say in your signer:
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" - J.M. Keynes
:?

 

[sullyfahs]

To Nubo...Great idea on suggestion for a good ad showing the connection to "buy American!" Nissan should do something with that!

 

[Boomer23]

Nissan already has a brilliant ad, but they wasted it on the Altima: Spend Less Time at Gas Stations. They just need to change a bit of the wording and insert the LEAF instead of the Altima. What a waste of a brilliant concept. I guess Nissan would rather sell Altimas. Of course they would.

http://www.popisms.com/TelevisionCommercial/59673/Nissan-Commercial-for-Nissan-Altima-2012.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DANandNAN]

Nissan already has a brilliant ad, but they wasted it on the Altima: Spend Less Time at Gas Stations. They just need to change a bit of the wording and insert the LEAF instead of the Altima. What a waste of a brilliant concept. I guess Nissan would rather sell Altimas. Of course they would.

http://www.popisms.com/TelevisionCommercial/59673/Nissan-Commercial-for-Nissan-Altima-2012.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Agreed

Nissan has one running now where the guy is giving back all the gas station freebies and saying goodbye to his friendly attendant because he's bought an Altima! WTH! How do you waste, yes waste, that commercial on a gas burner when the Leaf sales are so low?

I think Nissan is throwing in the towel for the 2012 Leaf. They know the hurdles (range, battery deterioration, even the "quick" charge is slow) and hope their plans for the 2013 will be enough to turn the tide. I think range will be increased by 40 miles, and they'll add a TMS. They still won't be able to do anything about L3 charging speed, but it'd be nice if they announced the '13 would be swappable to the SAE Combo, if necessary, as that would alleviate some buyers fears about the whole betamax/VHS thing. (I'm not trying to turn this thread into a debate on charger wars, just pointing out that it's something folks consider) I don't think there's going to be a price decrease, but the range increase will compensate for the price staying the same.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9354&start=50#p210986" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That commercial would have been a great fit for any EV. The least Nissan should do is have them re-film it and show the Leaf somehow (if they don't just feature it).

 

[dgpcolorado]

My tweak to your excellent suggested ad:

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a mother with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Daddy works there!"

Mom smiles.

Voice-over
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- now built in America, batteries included."

 

[GRA]

78% of Americans commute less than 40 miles per day and the vast majority of those under 30 miles per day.
LOOK AT THE CHARTS.

In many cases, that commute is done at slower speeds. Look at the data:
Average commute is 16 miles and that takes 26 minutes. They are NOT going 65 mph. They are going closer to 30 mph.

your point about job-switchers is pertinent.
But why are you ignoring valid commuting-distance and -time data and substituting outlier, anecdotal factoids such as this:

But that doesn't mean that, for example, people commuting into S.F. or San Jose with 30-90 mile one-way commutes don't drive a large part of their commute at freeway speeds.

look at the data about commuting across the entire USA.

you do say in your signer:
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" - J.M. Keynes
:?

I'm not ignoring the data, I've quoted that same data factoid (78%/40 miles or less) in the past; that was the design goal for the Volt, although they came up a few miles short per the EPA - Chevy figures 35 miles still gets them 75% of commuters. But the difference with a PHEV like the Volt is if that's not enough, no big deal, and no one has to alter their driving habits. Again, it doesn't matter what the majority of people's real needs are, it's what they are comfortable with, and that requires a large range cushion.

As to outliers, well, unless the Bay Area is highly unusual for a major metropolitan area, historically low gas prices in the '90s and early oughts combined with sky-rocketing housing prices close in during the bubble, low-priced agricultural land beyond the outer ring of suburbs and a demand for McMansions, drove ten of thousands to buy homes in new housing developments in the Central Valley (i.e. Tracy/Modesto/Manteca/Ceres etc.) that require one-way commutes of .75-1.5 hours to the Bay Area. Now they're all underwater on their mortgages, so they're stuck. I've worked with several individuals who had such commutes; at least one bought a 1st gen. Honda Insight just for that. The backup doesn't normally start until sometime after they've crossed the Altamont Pass into the Livermore Valley. Anecdotal? Sure, but common around here, and the same factors were causing sprawl around the country during the same period.

 

[DANandNAN]

Again, it doesn't matter what the majority of people's real needs are, it's what they are comfortable with, and that requires a large range cushion.

That's the bottom line and the problem that Nissan's run into. Calling the general public names because they want more range than they "need" isn't going to help.

 

[Nubo]

My tweak to your excellent suggested ad:

Back in the spirit of the original post, this ad idea occurred to me today:

"Camera" asks people on the street where they think the world's largest Lithium battery plant is located.

Play a selection of the common answers

"China?
"Japan?"
"Taiwan?"
etc...

Then the Camera asks a mother with child, 5 or 6 years old. Who enthusiastically pipes up:

"U.S.A!!" "My Daddy works there!"

Mom smiles.

Voice-over
"The 100-percent electric Nissan LEAF. Innovation for the future -- now built in America, batteries included."

I LIKE IT!

 

[iamchemist]

When I talk to people about my LEAF, I routinely hear that many have concluded that the "Smart Buy" is a plug-in hybrid like the Volt rather than a straight BEV like the LEAF, because a plug-in hybrid gives you the best of both worlds - the ability to primarily drive on electricity, but have no range anxiety. This sounds very reasonable on the surface. I am confident that the fallacy of this argument is that a BEV is a simple device that will last for many years (I'm guessing 15 - 20 years), while a plug-in hybrid is quite complex and will therefore have a much shorter life. I fully expect my LEAF to last through at least two battery packs.

I feel that Nissan needs to get that message out strongly in ads. They should be telling people that there is a good reason why their 15 year old electric floor fan still works - it is simple and efficient! They should be telling people that the LEAF's range is entirely sufficient for the majority of people in the US.