05-01-12 There have been a lot of headlines regarding teen driver trends recently, with two conflicting theories emerging from the array of surveys, articles, and anecdotal evidence.
On one side, there are those who say teens are turning away from vehicles. The New York Times and The Atlantic have each published articles underlining this lack of interest among today’s youth, citing environmental concerns and high gas prices as key reasons.
Do Teens Still Want To Drive?
A survey by Gartner finds 46% of drivers ages 18-24 would choose Internet access over owning a car. Plus, the most recent data from the Federal Highway Administration reports teens are increasingly less likely to be legally able to drive. In 2008, 46% of those under age 19 had drivers’ licenses, down from 64% in 1998.
At the same time, other studies suggest teens are still interested in driving. Ypulse research finds 70% of teens and young adults drive on a typical weekday.
In this uncertain climate, the top two U.S. automakers, Ford and General Motors, are trying to reach young drivers through new initiatives and strategies.
Ford, which owns both Ford and Lincoln brands, is concentrating on selling its Ford models to young drivers. The company’s strategy for reaching teens is to be “everywhere they are,” says the automaker’s Brian McClary. This means Ford has a heavy presence in integrated sponsorships, celebrity promotions, and social media.
Ford Stays Ahead Of The Curve
Social media is a key priority, and the automaker has invested heavily in all aspects, including paid media, display ads, and promoted tweets, as well as having employees and data tools track blogs and online forums. In other words, if anyone says anything about Ford online, Ford knows about it. Moreover, “we try to get back to someone within five hours,” says McClary.
The personal dialogue with young consumers underlines what Ford feels is key to reaching today’s teens. “They demand that one-on-one communication. It’s no longer a one-way, ‘We tell you what we have and that’s that’ tactic,” says McClary. Ford also realizes teens want customization. As such, the Facebook Mustang page enables visitors to design their own models. They can then print them out for a salesperson to order that exact design.
The focus on appealing to younger drivers also means the automaker is altering some long-established traditional endeavors. Although Super Bowl ads are likely to continue to feature Ford, the automaker prefers any new TV deal to resemble its integrated American Idol alliance.
Branded Entertainment
Another growing focus for the automaker is with branded entertainment. For instance, Ford recently teamed with NBC to produce and underwrite Escape Routes, a reality TV show that follows teams as they cross the U.S. in Ford Escape vehicles. The series did not openly promote its connection to Ford, though the vehicles were prominently featured throughout each episode. Ford also is aligning with Yahoo! to develop Plugged In, an online reality show competition supporting the Ford Focus Electric. The series debuts this month to coincide with the vehicle’s delivery to dealerships.
One key point of difference between teen and older drivers is the desire for in-car amenities. Older drivers certainly appreciate creature comforts, but a modest interior is less of a deal-breaker for them, says McClary. Teens aren’t willing to sacrifice comfort and technology simply to have a set of wheels. They want fully loaded cars at modest price points, says McClary. To that end, Ford’s value-priced Focus comes with luxury options such as voice-activated music and navigation systems, rear-view camera, touch-screen TV, and an application that enables the car to park itself.
Ford believes social media offers the most effective way to showcase these amenities. The Yahoo! Plugged In series, for instance, integrates the Sync and MyFord Touch System into its various competitions. Contestants receive video, text, and audio clues as they discover “best of” locations.
General Motors Seeks Help From MTV
General Motors is seeking outside help to connect with young consumers. The automaker has hired MTV Scratch, the consulting unit of the music network, to help GM’s brands become more relevant to young buyers. Whereas Ford is primarily focusing on tweaking its communications to connect with teens, GM is reevaluating every aspect of its company in hopes of optimizing its youth appeal.
As part of its five-year plan for the automaker, MTV has developed a series of strategies, some addressing marketing and some fine-tuning the products themselves. For instance, MTV believes today’s youth want more color options, so GM plans to introduce new “youthful” color options for its Spark vehicle, including “techno pink,” “lemonade,” and “denim.” It’s not clear whether GM plans to implement all or only a few of these suggested tactics.
Another key focus for the automaker is making sure it promotes the models that are most relevant to younger drivers. GM considers its most youth-friendly models to be the Sonic, the Cruze, and the Spark, so these three models are highlighted in youth-oriented channels. For instance, Sonic is likely to appear in online display ads, whereas the older-skewing Chevy Camaro would more likely be featured in a print ad.
That said, GM’s overall outreach efforts center around fuel efficiency, price, and amenities, which are factors that appeal to all ages, and not just the youngest drivers.
Contacts and Connections: Ford Motor, Brian McClary, Social and Emerging Media, Regent Court Building, Room 4N 328, 16800 Executive Plaza Dr., Dearborn, MI 48126; 313-248-7029; bmcclary@ford.com; www.ford.com.
General Motors (Chevy), Stuart Pierce, Director Premium Brands Business Development, 100 Renaissance Ctr., Detroit, MI 48265; 313-665-1770; stuart.pierce@gm.com; www.gm.com.
Gartner, Jackie Fenn, VP/Fellow, 56 Top Gallant Rd., Stamford, CT 06904; 203-964-0096; www.gartner.com.
MTV Scratch, Ross Martin, EVP, 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036; 212-258-8000; ross.martin@mtvstaff.com; www.mtv.com.
State Farm, Laurette Stiles, VP Strategic Resources, One State Farm Plz., Bloomington, IL 61710; 309-766-2311; www.statefarm.com.
Ypulse, Melanie Shreffler, Editor-in-Chief, 299 Broadway, #1900, New York, NY 10007; 646-597-6726, x306; melanie@ypulse.com; www.ypulse.com.
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