Gentlemen, we have before us a physiological problem. Romance is swiftly being replaced with digital intelligence expected from men when it comes to cars. My question is posed for both auto companies and men: can we lead a lady to love by impressing her with digital dexterity in our gadget-fixated automobiles? Get out the manual from the glove box!
I am not trying to confuse you. Millennials have no idea what romancing the wheels is all about but their fathers and grandfathers got it. Back in time when the car led to personal power and freedom, advertising hijacked pure utility for base human instinct to sell more cars. The beauty of female models posing with cars led to calendars on every mechanic’s shop wall and TV and magazine ads with pictures of romantic drive-in movies or a secret mountain top overlooking scenic valleys with the man’s arm around his girl.
In marketing's early role for autonomous cars do you see anything but pure digital mash-up? Do you foresee anything but date night “time-out” to reboot one of dozens of systems managing sensors, Lidar, GPS, screens and real-time other stuff? Instead, it'll be like having Silicon Valley CEO’s and engineers in the back seat and there is zero sex-appeal in this scenario. It is high time marketing get its act together by promoting romance amid boring computational and artificial intelligence.
Back in the 1950’s the big V-8 implied brawn and strength for men. Bench seats allowed shared space and a convertible meant romantic star-gazing. The autonomous cars I’ve seen have a top-load that Santa Clause would hardly envy. Up on the rooftop of autonomous cars rests a flea market of small cameras and sensors. Even so – the sense of our future seems to be with Silicon Valley bearded young guys and venture capitalists going out on date night and, sadly, that isn’t appealing.
Marketers: where are you? Give men a bit of romance and possibility. Women are not wooed by a young man demonstrating tech prowess while downing his third energy drink after being up the previous night re-booting his autonomous car. Auto makers – are you asleep at the wheel? Americans will never stop romancing their wheels. Market some romance!
RPW
I am not trying to confuse you. Millennials have no idea what romancing the wheels is all about but their fathers and grandfathers got it. Back in time when the car led to personal power and freedom, advertising hijacked pure utility for base human instinct to sell more cars. The beauty of female models posing with cars led to calendars on every mechanic’s shop wall and TV and magazine ads with pictures of romantic drive-in movies or a secret mountain top overlooking scenic valleys with the man’s arm around his girl.
In marketing's early role for autonomous cars do you see anything but pure digital mash-up? Do you foresee anything but date night “time-out” to reboot one of dozens of systems managing sensors, Lidar, GPS, screens and real-time other stuff? Instead, it'll be like having Silicon Valley CEO’s and engineers in the back seat and there is zero sex-appeal in this scenario. It is high time marketing get its act together by promoting romance amid boring computational and artificial intelligence.
Back in the 1950’s the big V-8 implied brawn and strength for men. Bench seats allowed shared space and a convertible meant romantic star-gazing. The autonomous cars I’ve seen have a top-load that Santa Clause would hardly envy. Up on the rooftop of autonomous cars rests a flea market of small cameras and sensors. Even so – the sense of our future seems to be with Silicon Valley bearded young guys and venture capitalists going out on date night and, sadly, that isn’t appealing.
Marketers: where are you? Give men a bit of romance and possibility. Women are not wooed by a young man demonstrating tech prowess while downing his third energy drink after being up the previous night re-booting his autonomous car. Auto makers – are you asleep at the wheel? Americans will never stop romancing their wheels. Market some romance!
RPW