Unintended Blindness
When the economy falters, consumer spending falls, and the availability of money tightens, companies are forced to pull out the old playbook calling for budget cuts, layoffs, restructuring, plant closings, etc. Ironically, in such an environment, the focus immediately shifts away from doing what is most needed to turn things around: generate sales!
It's amazing to see even marketing and sales execs spend their days cutting budgets, suspending actions, tabling new ideas, and hunkering down until it all blows over.
Case in point: Automotive
No one can deny the troubled state of the domestic auto industry and the causes that led to it. But instead of re-living the past, let's focus on the future, which begins today.
Rather than just rely on the expected cuts in advertising, the needed shifts to digital, and the knee jerk increase in dealer and consumer incentives, why aren't more marketing execs facing reality? That is, many consumers today have no idea who is building what vehicles, the relative features and benefits of those vehicles, and the cost-in-use equation that ultimately leads to purchase?
Over the last couple of years, I had the opportunity to attend a number of "ride and drive" events where local dealers in conjunction with automotive OEMs host a day-long program where models from various brands are available to drive along a short course to experience the vehicle in a non-sales environment. The event is complete with activities for children, free food and drinks and demonstrations ranging from product technology to safe driving.
The comments I heard first hand from people and families driving the vehicles told me all that is needed to understand about reaching today's automotive consumer:
- Traditional auto advertising/marketing are neither educating nor making consumers aware of vehicles
- People want to experience the vehicle on their watch without sales hassle
- The cost/value equation of vehicles is a topic that needs time to explain and sink in
- Having families drive the vehicle together encourages interaction, consensus
- The atmosphere of having other people enjoy the experience is priceless
- The sales person is actually hearing the questions, concerns, complaints and misperceptions
Yet if you look at the marketing plans of either OEMs or dealers, it is rare to find funding for these types of efforts, which actually address the inherent problem - increasing sales, revenues, profits. The example here can be repeated in virtually every industry today. We have become conditioned to react a certain way as if each type of business or societal situation is akin to a scene in a play with the requisite script to follow.
Organizational behavior continues to be a study in contradiction as situations, processes, and expectations overwhelm common sense. It's as if a manager has become indifferent to reality.
As communicators, have we become blind to the reality that surrounds us? Are we just echoing the latest corporate dictate without regard to the ultimate purpose, goal, or solution?
Or, are we truly shedding light on management decisions and illuminating the possibilities for executives from the C-suite to Marketing and HR?
Have we lost the human dimension?
Let me know what you think.
Gary
