Toyota had a problem.\u00c2\u00a0 Even though it built the most reliable cars in the world, kids weren’t interested, they thought the brand was old and unhip.\u00c2\u00a0 Rather than trying to squeeze blood from a stone, trying to convince the public Jessica Simpson was Aretha Franklin, Toyota started with a blank piece of paper.\u00c2\u00a0 And created the Scion division.<\/p>\n
With the xA and the xB.<\/p>\n
The xB is the coolest car on the road.\u00c2\u00a0 Even cooler than a Mini Cooper.\u00c2\u00a0 Because it’s affordable.\u00c2\u00a0 Furthermore, it’s customizable.\u00c2\u00a0 Kids want to make things their own.\u00c2\u00a0 Just check out the lettering on their Crocs.\u00c2\u00a0 Many buyers return to the dealership once a month for accessories.<\/p>\n
So what has Toyota done with this breakaway success?\u00c2\u00a0 CUT PRODUCTION!<\/p>\n
Yes, the target was 150,000 vehicles a year.\u00c2\u00a0 They exceeded that by 25,000 in 2006.\u00c2\u00a0 And they realized, they were in danger of diluting the brand.\u00c2\u00a0 So they’re going back to their original number.\u00c2\u00a0 If you want a Scion, be one of the first 150,000, or you’re out of luck.<\/p>\n
Rather than whoring out the brand, Scion is contemplating eliminating its TV advertising altogether.\u00c2\u00a0 Abandoning even their hip footprint on "Adult Swim" on the Cartoon Network.\u00c2\u00a0 After all, does anybody even WATCH commercials anymore?<\/p>\n
And MySpace?\u00c2\u00a0 They’re abandoning it for secondlife.com.\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, the media boys might think Websites are forever, but the truly big boys know the elite move on, and the masses eventually follow them.\u00c2\u00a0 To sites like secondlife.com.\u00c2\u00a0 Where Scion plays now.\u00c2\u00a0 Aligning the brand with the cutting edge.<\/p>\n
And there’s a new xB in the pipeline.\u00c2\u00a0 But rather than introduce it early, to get the public pumped up, they’re keeping the aura around the old model, they’re not going to reveal the new one til it’s ready.<\/p>\n
You’ve got to take something left field.\u00c2\u00a0 Different.\u00c2\u00a0 Get a footprint.\u00c2\u00a0 And then manage your base.\u00c2\u00a0 You’ve got to STOP selling after a while, otherwise you alienate your core, the cool hipsters.<\/p>\n
Introduce a single months before the album, to generate first week sales?\u00c2\u00a0 Well that seems stupid.\u00c2\u00a0 Because the record can only go down from there.\u00c2\u00a0 Rendering your act completely UNHIP.\u00c2\u00a0 And advertising something you can’t buy…\u00c2\u00a0 That doesn’t make ECONOMIC sense.<\/p>\n
I’m fascinated by the "Toaster".\u00c2\u00a0 It looks too small for its shape.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not ridiculously expensive.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s always customized with those tiny tires.\u00c2\u00a0 It looks like something out of a cartoon.<\/p>\n
And the people who drive them.\u00c2\u00a0 In L.A. they’re the cutting edge ethnicities, the same people who fostered hip-hop.\u00c2\u00a0 This ain’t no Momobile.\u00c2\u00a0 No rich investment banker would buy one to protect his wife and kids.\u00c2\u00a0 Which is why Suburbans are uncool, and xB’s are SO cool.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re not for everybody.\u00c2\u00a0 But everybody can afford one.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s a choice everybody can make.\u00c2\u00a0 Can you take the risk?<\/p>\n
And how fucking good are you going to feel if you OWN one.\u00c2\u00a0 Like a king.\u00c2\u00a0 Completely unlike the millionth sucker to purchase the album hammered on TV.<\/p>\n
You know things are completely backward when car companies are cooler than record companies.<\/p>\n
Music USED to drive the culture.\u00c2\u00a0 Ain’t that a laugh.<\/p>\n
The usual suspects in the music business are GM.\u00c2\u00a0 Their market share is gonna tank and they’re going to be in financial straits soon.\u00c2\u00a0 Because they just didn’t plan for the future.<\/p>\n
The PAST was about tonnage of crap.\u00c2\u00a0 But when was the last time a hip-hopper sold a million in one week?\u00c2\u00a0 Or a boy band TWO million.\u00c2\u00a0 Times changed, and all the labels can do is complain that it’s no longer 1999.<\/p>\n
You’ve got to start with quality.\u00c2\u00a0 If an American car company sold the xB, sales would fail in a couple of years because of glitches\/defects and the dealers’ inability to fix them.<\/p>\n
Then you add a layer of cool ON TOP!<\/p>\n
There’s nothing else like Scion in the marketplace.\u00c2\u00a0 They took a RISK!\u00c2\u00a0 Signing the next emo band, is THAT a risk?<\/p>\n
Then you build a culture around the act.\u00c2\u00a0 Allow people to remix your tracks, like Trent Reznor did.\u00c2\u00a0 Get people INVOLVED!<\/p>\n
Then you manage this relationship.\u00c2\u00a0 Don’t focus on the casual buyer, but only on those who are DEDICATED!\u00c2\u00a0 You want fans, not purchasers.\u00c2\u00a0 You want BELIEVERS, not me-toos.<\/p>\n
The key is to get people forever.\u00c2\u00a0 8 of 10 Scion buyers go with Scion or Toyota for their next vehicle.\u00c2\u00a0 Shit, we can’t even get people to buy the next ALBUM!<\/p>\n
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