When PR goes wrong?

[ChasingOurTrunks]

They'll have to advertise it somehow. Once we enthusiasts buy our one and only Gren - since they are touted to be designed as 'heirloom vehicles' that'll last forever it's unlikely most of us will buy more than one in our lifetimes - who buys the next 25,000 next year if they don't get it out in front of eyeballs on screens? And sadly, not too many things draw more eyeballs other than professional sports, football in particular.

But, I'd like to see them doing some more of the unique partnerships and bragging about them for a bit - like, embed a filmmaker with the Halo Trust and give us a 10-part youtube series (with proper episodes that tell a story - none of this 1:30 clip-show extravaganzas they've been up to lately, make it more like the Building the Grenadier series). Tell be about the lives that are changed because of the Grenadier. Tell me the good that it's doing in the world that would not be possible with other vehicles. Do good stuff, and your reputation will follow.

I'd love to see them become a sponsor for things like the Mongol Rally -- winner gets to trade Nan's car for a Grenadier once they arrive in Ulanbaatar to continue the adventure anywhere in the world -- or perhaps enter a Gren into the Dakar alongside a dual sport bike, similar to what Charlie Boorman and Russ Malkin did with BMW a few years back. Sponsor someone to take a Gren from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay and make a series out of it for AppleTV -- whatever it is, give us some real stories of real people using the rig, so that future buyers who wish to write their own versions of those stories can truly see themselves in a Grenadier.

Then put clips and samples of those stories together and throw them on the television during halftime, the 6:00 news, etc. so that the world can find out about the Gren and direct them to "learn more" via the content that they are making showing the Gren in it's element.

What I don't want is for them to spend millions putting a picture of the Gren on a football stadium that I'll never go to; that is totally out of the context of what the Gren is built for. It strikes me that they started marketing the right way with the "Build the Grenadier" series and the very public testing, which bucked the trend of the typical auto company, but it also strikes me that as launch approaches they are adopting the marketing strategies used by everyone else. Whatever works, I guess - but I would prefer the innovation and uniqueness to continue on the marketing side of things.

 

[Bushguide]

There are lots of Expedition Type things they could undertake out here in Australia, following up some of the explorers etc, but I suspect that would make Ineos Australia move-out of their Comfort Zone. There are even still remains some original areas of exploration still to be touched such as the Dutch Settlement in Central Australia of 1708 before Cook sailed up the East Coast. Thats one that no one has touched and we now know exactly where they were.

 

[tartan shepherd]

They'll have to advertise it somehow. Once we enthusiasts buy our one and only Gren - since they are touted to be designed as 'heirloom vehicles' that'll last forever it's unlikely most of us will buy more than one in our lifetimes - who buys the next 25,000 next year if they don't get it out in front of eyeballs on screens? And sadly, not too many things draw more eyeballs other than professional sports, football in particular.

But, I'd like to see them doing some more of the unique partnerships and bragging about them for a bit - like, embed a filmmaker with the Halo Trust and give us a 10-part youtube series (with proper episodes that tell a story - none of this 1:30 clip-show extravaganzas they've been up to lately, make it more like the Building the Grenadier series). Tell be about the lives that are changed because of the Grenadier. Tell me the good that it's doing in the world that would not be possible with other vehicles. Do good stuff, and your reputation will follow.

I'd love to see them become a sponsor for things like the Mongol Rally -- winner gets to trade Nan's car for a Grenadier once they arrive in Ulanbaatar to continue the adventure anywhere in the world -- or perhaps enter a Gren into the Dakar alongside a dual sport bike, similar to what Charlie Boorman and Russ Malkin did with BMW a few years back. Sponsor someone to take a Gren from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay and make a series out of it for AppleTV -- whatever it is, give us some real stories of real people using the rig, so that future buyers who wish to write their own versions of those stories can truly see themselves in a Grenadier.

Then put clips and samples of those stories together and throw them on the television during halftime, the 6:00 news, etc. so that the world can find out about the Gren and direct them to "learn more" via the content that they are making showing the Gren in it's element.

What I don't want is for them to spend millions putting a picture of the Gren on a football stadium that I'll never go to; that is totally out of the context of what the Gren is built for. It strikes me that they started marketing the right way with the "Build the Grenadier" series and the very public testing, which bucked the trend of the typical auto company, but it also strikes me that as launch approaches they are adopting the marketing strategies used by everyone else. Whatever works, I guess - but I would prefer the innovation and uniqueness to continue on the marketing side of things.

It is so out of context. INEOS sponsored UK point to point championship previously, relevant and target audience. Why football and then specifically just one team. It’s a serious 4x4, not something that you want Urban or Twisted modifying and pimping.
Or maybe that’s just me. Sponsor mountain rescue teams, Lifeboat stations, coast guard. Something of substance that counts for something in this day and age.

 

[Tazzieman]

There are lots of Expedition Type things they could undertake out here in Australia, following up some of the explorers etc, but I suspect that would make Ineos Australia move-out of their Comfort Zone. There are even still remains some original areas of exploration still to be touched such as the Dutch Settlement in Central Australia of 1708 before Cook sailed up the East Coast. Thats one that no one has touched and we now know exactly where they were.

You might be the Blashers needed to strike up an expedition yourself!

 

[DaveB]

It is so out of context. INEOS sponsored UK point to point championship previously, relevant and target audience. Why football and then specifically just one team. It’s a serious 4x4, not something that you want Urban or Twisted modifying and pimping.
Or maybe that’s just me. Sponsor mountain rescue teams, Lifeboat stations, coast guard. Something of substance that counts for something in this day and age.

Sponsoring a football team comes with a corporate box, corporate events, celebrity meet and greets, other functions.
The same as sponsoring the All Blacks in New Zealand etc
I don't really care for either but I can see the return on investment and bang for bucks they get by doing it.
You can see their sponsorship and one third ownership of the Mercedes F1 team has lead to the video series we saw with all the major team members.

 

[ADVAW8S]

I worked for Natixis 15 years ago we were talking about sponsoring Tottenham Hotspurs but backed out of the deal. We ended up putting the money towards the lead sponsor for Olymipcs Paris and the Racing 92 rugby team.

 

[globalgregors]

There are lots of Expedition Type things they could undertake out here in Australia, following up some of the explorers etc, but I suspect that would make Ineos Australia move-out of their Comfort Zone. There are even still remains some original areas of exploration still to be touched such as the Dutch Settlement in Central Australia of 1708 before Cook sailed up the East Coast. Thats one that no one has touched and we now know exactly where they were.

I wonder how much of that neglect is a lingering effect of pre-Mabo views/Terra Nulius legal perils? It would be great to see this history examined and brought forward.

For non-Aussies this was a (thankfully) now defunct legal principle that relied on Australia being ‘vacant’ land at the point of British colonisation. The principle resulted in the suppression of other European (French, Dutch) and non-European (Aboriginal, Indonesian) presences that might justify rival claims of colonisation. The Mabo case referred to recognised tradional ownership of the land.

 

[globalgregors]

They'll have to advertise it somehow. Once we enthusiasts buy our one and only Gren - since they are touted to be designed as 'heirloom vehicles' that'll last forever it's unlikely most of us will buy more than one in our lifetimes - who buys the next 25,000 next year if they don't get it out in front of eyeballs on screens? And sadly, not too many things draw more eyeballs other than professional sports, football in particular.

But, I'd like to see them doing some more of the unique partnerships and bragging about them for a bit - like, embed a filmmaker with the Halo Trust and give us a 10-part youtube series (with proper episodes that tell a story - none of this 1:30 clip-show extravaganzas they've been up to lately, make it more like the Building the Grenadier series). Tell be about the lives that are changed because of the Grenadier. Tell me the good that it's doing in the world that would not be possible with other vehicles. Do good stuff, and your reputation will follow.

I'd love to see them become a sponsor for things like the Mongol Rally -- winner gets to trade Nan's car for a Grenadier once they arrive in Ulanbaatar to continue the adventure anywhere in the world -- or perhaps enter a Gren into the Dakar alongside a dual sport bike, similar to what Charlie Boorman and Russ Malkin did with BMW a few years back. Sponsor someone to take a Gren from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay and make a series out of it for AppleTV -- whatever it is, give us some real stories of real people using the rig, so that future buyers who wish to write their own versions of those stories can truly see themselves in a Grenadier.

Then put clips and samples of those stories together and throw them on the television during halftime, the 6:00 news, etc. so that the world can find out about the Gren and direct them to "learn more" via the content that they are making showing the Gren in it's element.

What I don't want is for them to spend millions putting a picture of the Gren on a football stadium that I'll never go to; that is totally out of the context of what the Gren is built for. It strikes me that they started marketing the right way with the "Build the Grenadier" series and the very public testing, which bucked the trend of the typical auto company, but it also strikes me that as launch approaches they are adopting the marketing strategies used by everyone else. Whatever works, I guess - but I would prefer the innovation and uniqueness to continue on the marketing side of things.

Mongol Rally not particularly celebrated in Mongolia (dumped vehicles, boorish behaviour) so might not be a great choice. The association with adventure motorsport is great though.
Camel Trophy was a cracking idea but let’s not chase LRs tail… even just longer format expeditions a la the Namibia videos, perhaps that’s an option?
Agree that product placement in other sports is cringeworthy.

 

[painter]

I don‘t care about all this marketing stuff. I will be happy having exactly the truck in my hands that I was looking for - hopefully soon. Of course IA needs to earn money, that‘s the other part of the game.

Get the vehicles in buyer's hands. They'll be the ambassadors. Sales will follow.

You see it, you like it, you buy it. YouTube not required.

Call me old fashioned ...

 

[DaveB]

Get the vehicles in buyer's hands. They'll be the ambassadors. Sales will follow.

You see it, you like it, you buy it. YouTube not required.

Call me old fashioned ...

When you are taking pre-orders and dealers are not stocking then Youtube helps
There whole system of registering interest and pre -ordering has really been a proof of concept programme

 

[painter]

Right. I'm meant more going forward. Where do you want to put your resources.

Sorry, sounds like I'm gripping again.
...Must be nice, must be nice...

 

[Tazzieman]

Sorry, sounds like I'm gripping again.

Grip away , get the tension out!

 

[bemax]

I guess that most of us know about the Grenadier because of some kind of marketing in the past. They went an unusual way in the past and got in contact with the 4x4 enthusiast.
Well they have our attention since some time now and a bunch of contracts as well.
It’s time to look for other potential in the world.
Of course nobody of us needs this type of marketing but other customers might become interested by it.
And if there will be the Chelsea edition in one year with 24 K coating and 24“ rims with a thin rubber coating it will not affect our cars at all.

 

[DCPU]

And if there will be the Chelsea edition in one year with 24 K coating and 24“ rims with a thin rubber coating it will not affect our cars at all.

I'm not sure that's true.

Ineos has made much of the Grenadier being a UV and definitely not an SUV. They have spoken of the competition (JLR) removing themselves from the utility market and into the urban jungle. They have actually have said that's not for them. They're after the niche market that's been abandoned by others.

If you set up your company on this basis, and then before a car reaches a genuine customer, pivot your marketing to go after the very demographic you implicitly criticised others for going into; then it's going to cast a shadow on the company and the vehicle itself.

 

[DaveB]

I'm not sure that's true.

Ineos has made much of the Grenadier being a UV and definitely not an SUV. They have spoken of the competition (JLR) removing themselves from the utility market and into the urban jungle. They have actually have said that's not for them. They're after the niche market that's been abandoned by others.

If you set up your company on this basis, and then before a car reaches a genuine customer, pivot your marketing to go after the very demographic you implicitly criticised others for going into; then it's going to cast a shadow on the company and the vehicle itself.

Correct however there are a lot of old Defenders, 70 series cruisers and the like that never see dirt except at the polo or weekend kids sport.
Lots of Chelsea boots as well as work boots
Many many people wear riding boots & cowboy hats and don't even know what a horse smells like.

 

[DCPU]

They'll have to advertise it somehow. Once we enthusiasts buy our one and only Gren - since they are touted to be designed as 'heirloom vehicles' that'll last forever it's unlikely most of us will buy more than one in our lifetimes - who buys the next 25,000 next year if they don't get it out in front of eyeballs on screens? And sadly, not too many things draw more eyeballs other than professional sports, football in particular.

25,000 even 30,000 isn't that huge a figure.

Look at the old Defender numbers in the final years of production:

And that's based on no US market, very little in Africa, indeed the RoW sales were based on pull (underlying demand) rather than any push (marketing) factors.

I'm also certain that the UV market is there. Ineos have told us that they think it is too ~ and put their money where their mouth is to try and prove it.

 

[Tazzieman]

Many many people wear riding boots & cowboy hats and don't even know what a horse smells like.

or tastes like

 

[bemax]

I'm not sure that's true.

Ineos has made much of the Grenadier being a UV and definitely not an SUV. They have spoken of the competition (JLR) removing themselves from the utility market and into the urban jungle. They have actually have said that's not for them. They're after the niche market that's been abandoned by others.

If you set up your company on this basis, and then before a car reaches a genuine customer, pivot your marketing to go after the very demographic you implicitly criticised others for going into; then it's going to cast a shadow on the company and the vehicle itself.

It might have an impact of the image of IA. But not on the car.

 

[DCPU]

I wish I could be so sure.

If you target a demographic that likes 24" rims, don't be surprised when the 17" steel ones get dropped from the options "because they don't sell".

Then a marketeer tells you that your urban demographic never use the central diff lock or transfer box and would prefer no lever in the cabin but a space to wirelessly charge their phone.

 

[bemax]

I wish I could be so sure.

If you target a demographic that likes 24" rims, don't be surprised when the 17" steel ones get dropped from the options "because they don't sell".

Then a marketeer tells you that your urban demographic never use the central diff lock or transfer box and would prefer no lever in the cabin but a space to wirelessly charge their phone.

I see your point. If the focus of marketing changes from overlanding and hunting to Chelsea the future products might be the wrong ones for us. But the car we buy now will hopefully last some dozens years. After that there will hopefully exists something new for us!