While auto makers are in no way forgoing traditional car making, there is a definite shift towards making newer, more effective electric and hybrid cars. As evidenced in an article by Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Mitsubishi can now claim the top spot in sales for the world’s best selling EV with the i-Miev electric car. Rolling out 5000 units from its Japanese factory alone and surpassing previous record holder Think City’s 2500 units, they have not even begun to start selling the European or American markets. Mitsubishi will make a few body design changes and ensure it is better equipped before selling it to the American marketplace. Nissan is following suit with its new 2011 Leaf.
With this new push to get in the electric vehicle market, I can’t help to think about how not that long ago electric cars, hand held computers, and wireless telecommunications were things of science fiction and fantasy. But with the emergence of these brings forth a change in how we all do business. It is either adapt and move forward into the future or get left behind.
There is definitely a similar trend moving people away from tradition marketing to more digital and technology driven forms of advertising. Just as large auto makers would be called crazy if they suddenly stopped making gas driven cars, trucks and SUV’s, and focused solely on the production of EV’s, it seems that is what some companies have done as far as advertising. Completely abandoning old, reliable forms of advertising, they test the waters with this new digital means. What a waste; there is no reason we can not have the best of both worlds. There is room for growth and forward motion while still utilizing the great print world of the past. We have found the perfect balance of integrating print and direct mail with the emerging Automotive Internet Markets. It’s a fine line between staying rooted in the past and moving out beyond the crowd into a new world.
