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New Poll - deleted thread... Posted by Scott Paterson [Email]  (#13)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Scott Paterson) on Tue, 23 Jul 2002 20:20:44
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I deleted my message from earlier today because I didn't feel it was completely fair to Saab. I have to say that if Saab wasn't interested in past customers, you would probably not see so many new 9-3 ads running on TSN - clearly Saab knows that the 9-3 is a great car, hatchback or not, and are confident in its appeal to current Saab owners. I would have to agree.
In any case, I believe that more than 20% of 9-3 owners bought their Saab because it was a hatchback, so there's a poll with a few questions (including two from a TSN member at large) that focus on why current owners purchased their Saab. This should all be taken very positively because, I believe, current owners will react positively to the new 9-3.
Price had a good response to my previous posting so I'll include it below. He makes good and valid points about Saab's inability to grow selling hatchbacks.
-Scott
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Posted by Price on Tue, 23 Jul 2002 18:07:05
I think you're confusing marketing and PR. Peter Augustson is not a very good public speaker and remember he is speaking in his second language, English, so I don't know that the quote is precisely what he wanted to say.
The point I believe he was trying to make was that Saab cannot grow selling hatchbacks, especially in the U.S., because the majority(80%)of the entry luxury segment doesn't want a hatchback. Saab is not abandoning the hatchback, the hatchback market has abandoned Saab. And I know there will be dissenting views that say the hatchback is making a comeback, but the sales numbers don't back that up. At least not yet. And there will be a hatch-like vehicle coming soon.
To grow sales volume (i.e. become profitable), Saab must have a sedan in this segment. The only other option is to dramatically raise prices and become a truly niche manufacturer like Porsche. And I don't think anyone thinks that will work.
Saab's marketing, the little that's been done so far (including that on this site), has said nothing about the hatch or hatch owners. It is focused solely on how much fun the car is to drive. The promotion's called Drive of a Lifetime and that should give some indication where Saab's marketing is headed.
But also remember, the traditional advertising is done globally between an agency in Sweden and New York, so the traditional advertising may not be as focused as the current online advertising.
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posted by 64.139.3...
_______________________________________ Saabnet.com Webmaster Saabs Owned: 1973 Saab Sonett III (Current) 1983 Saab 900 Turbo 1985 Saab 900 Sedan 1990 Saab 900 1992 Saab 900S 1999 Saab 9-3 Turbo 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero (RIP 95K/Accident-guy ran stop sign) 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero (Current) 2007 Saab 9-3 SportCombi 2010 Saab 9-3X Wagon Winner 1996 Saab Owners Convention Rally Novice Class Winner 1999 Saab Owners Convention Rally (All Classes) Also Founder of two non-profits: Poverty2Prosperity.org RunClubMenloPark.org
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, Thu, 25 Jul 2002 05:02:27, Wed, 24 Jul 2002 11:50:39, Wed, 24 Jul 2002 01:15:44
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