Saturn Fights To Win Back The Unfaithful

Anthony Fontanelle
June 11, 2007

With so many fabulous auto offers from different automakers, their loyal clientele is left confused. With progressive persuasion, they trade their vehicles for another brand that features more. This is why General Motors Corp. is launching several campaigns to win back the unfaithful.

Saturn, a division of GM, will offer test drives in top competitors. The new marketing campaign of the automaker will be made to promote the Aura, a midsize sedan that won the North American Car of the Year honors, not the Toyota Camry or the Honda Accord. It will also endeavor to counter insights that Camry and Accord are better than those made by domestics. The campaign, dubbed the side-by-side-by-side test drive, will run through July 31.

The Aura, a mid-size car that debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005, features the improved Saturn radiator, engines, and other reliable auto parts. The car is built at the Kansas City, Kansas, Fairfax Assembly plant.

"Those with preconceived notions about domestic cars, who wouldn't even stop by a dealer to shop, are the people with a mind-set we're going after," said Chuck Thomson. "Rather than default to Camry or Accord, we're saying we have a shot if you stop in and drive all three. When we get people in the seats, we're very successful, even among people who'd never think about shopping a Saturn."

Thomson said that when consumers visit a showroom and test drive a car, a sale is made nearly 40 percent of the time. Of course, by making the competition available to drive, Saturn runs the risk of shoppers favoring the competition. "It's a risk we're willing to take. We don't think it will happen," Thomson said.

Sixty percent of Saturn purchasers are coming out of non-GM vehicles. This is why the GM division is struggling hard to win them back. "In that side-by-side comparison, we come out really well," said Mark LaNeve, the head of North American sales and marketing for GM. Toyota, meanwhile, did not seem worried. "I think we can stand up to the comparison," said Toyota spokesman Wade Hoyt. "They talk down the competition all the time, so this is just taking it one step further." Auto shoppers will be able to test-drive the rival models at Saturn dealers, but, obviously, they will not be able to purchase them there should they prefer a rival product.

Separately, Saturn will be sponsoring the 2007 Los Angeles Fashion Awards. Tickets will be available in September for the October 26 event at LA's historic Orpheum Theatre. "Saturn is proud to continue its tradition of supporting the LA Fashion Awards and helping drive design forward," said Randy Parker, the marketing manager for Saturn in GM's Western region. "With Saturn's new look, we are always pushing our own personal design and character, and are honored to be part of an evening that celebrates the fashionable independent Southern California lifestyle."

"We are thrilled to have GM's award-winning Saturn brand supporting the LA Fashion Awards," said the event co-founder/producer Jennifer Üner. "We've seen a lot of innovation from Saturn in the last year and we are proud to feature Saturn at the 2007 Los Angeles Fashion Awards."

Now in its third year, the Fashion Awards has become LA's signature annual fashion industry event. By flaunting the cream-of-the-crop in California fashion, it is known to the world that LA is not just an entertainment capital, but a true fashion capital as well. This annual awards program showcases individual talents for public recognition and offers a benchmark of achievement for others.

Source:  Amazines.com