Open Letter to GM, Ford, etc
Published by Sara Jacobson
Aug 12, 2006 03:24 AM under
Since posting open letters to companies and individuals who may never read them is the trend, I’ll add mine.
Dear GM, Ford, and other American car makers,
You ask yourselves as your profits plummet, what do Americans want? Of course you know the answer as well as I do: an inexpensive car that’s easy to maintain, gets phenomenal mileage, rides like a dream, has the highest safety ratings, and looks ‘cool’.
You in turn would be happy to produce such a vehicle if you could do so with guaranteed profits and some way to get folks to buy a new one without the car neccessarily breaking down, as that would give it a poor image.
Here are a few of my own thoughts on what you can do:
It’s my understanding that it costs you the same, or minimal additional to make a FlexFuel vehicle (one that runs on normal gasoline or a 85% ethanol mix) rather than non-flex.
Why not eliminate the cost of having somewhere special you add that option and just start making all your vehicles FlexFuel vehicles? This would open a greater market to FlexFuel (face it-not everyone wants a truck or SUV…some of us want minivans and little go-go commuters) and get your company some much-needed eco-friendly publicity. GM-you could use a slogan like ‘GM Goes Green’ or Ford, you could promote with something like ‘Ford Focuses on the Future with FlexFuel’.
I think the future lies in hybrid vehicles-electric/FlexFuel (or electric/biodiesel). I know some of you experimented with electric cars in the 90’s but didn’t see the market share or short-term profit that would entice you enough to continue. But in today’s world, we need this kind of vehicle. Sure there may be better alternatives, but they are all years away, often requiring additional infrastructure to work. This is a viable market now, not 20 years from now.
Making a hybrid/FlexFuel would get you these points:
- You would be seen as eco-friendly. The hybrid would avoid the stigma of the pure electric car (plugging it in) while still making significant impact on the environment.
- You would be helping America become independent from foreign oil
- You would appear to be concerned with what the American people want-service over profit.
All these would improve your image and pull customers away from the foreign market. And you can bet your boots that if Honda or Toyota see potential in this idea, they won’t waste time exploring it.
Additionally here’s a marketing strategy for today’s more energy conscious consumer that would double your sales – pair your vehicles. Offer a mini-van or SUV paired with a smaller commuter-type vehicle. Kia did something like this several years ago and it was very popular.
A lot of families have one person that carts the kids around, while the other drives by themselves. This marketing strategy would appeal to them. Soccer moms have an eco-friendly, economical minivan to haul the kids around in, while Dad drives to work in a smaller vehicle that’s great on mileage, yet still looks stylish (you’d market sporty or stylish varieties).
The American people have simple needs-they just want it all. :) They want great mileage, dependability, service, and if they can get all that, save money and help both the nation and the environment in one move, they’ll go for it.
The public’s attitude toward energy independance, fueled by eco-awareness, patriotism, or good old pocketbook politics, is not going to fade anytime soon. You have a very nice opportunity to be seen once again as innovators, leading the pack-all you have to do is make a small investment now.
Now I know you’ve made attempts in the past. Some say these were half-hearted or you were forced into it, or you did everything you could to keep them from being popular. I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that folks, like myself, who make a marginal income can’t afford any more increases in gas prices and are actively looking for a solution.
Will you be a partner in that solution? I hope so.
Yours most sincerely, if not so humbly,
Sara Jacobson
