Unconventional Marketing for Chevy HHR
Promotions for the upcoming ’06 Chevrolet HHR cross/utility vehicle will rely heavily on unconventional media outlets such as Internet advertising and “viral marketing,” the latest publicity trend.
“I would say that this is going to a heavier component of non-traditional marketing spending than just traditional print and radio,” Jim Campbell, marketing manager-Chevrolet cars, says here during HHR test drives. “Broadly speaking, you’re going to see us do things that are Web-based or virally based.”
The HHR is set to hit dealerships in August. Given its lukewarm reception initially by the media as a Chrysler PT Cruiser wanna-be, Chevrolet needs to quickly set the HHR on a course for independence – not an easy task in the age of satellite television and digital video recorders such as TiVo.
While Chevrolet still is working on advertising details for the HHR, Campbell says one initiative will use The Learning Channel’s “Rides” reality TV show, which showcases one-of-a-kind cars. An upcoming episode will feature four independent designers working on customized HHRs.
“We had a kickoff session at [General Motors Corp.’s] design center,” Campbell says. “And we said, ‘Let your creativity go and apply it to HHR.’ And we’re going to come back in about a month-and-a-half. They’re working on the vehicles right now. All the sessions are being taped, the development of the vehicles.
“Then, we’re going to have a get-together of all of the builders and look at what they came up with. That’ll be on “Rides” TV. So instead of just buying a TV ad, it’s really integrating a program where the vehicle is a key part of the story.”
Chevrolet also will draw from its recent launch of the Cobalt small car and publicize the HHR via viral marketing, a phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message, usually over the Internet.
A recent example is a television commercial that was quickly banned for its risqué content featuring actress Paris Hilton promoting a new hamburger for the Carl’s Jr. restaurant chain. The ad subsequently was placed on the Internet, and spawned a craze through word-of-mouth that likely is generating more publicity than Carl’s Jr. could have expected from a traditional advertisement.
“There’s no doubt marketing is changing,” Campbell says. “I can tell you, getting that viral buzz going on a lot of our products is something we want to do. We’ve got it going on the Cobalt. We’ve got it going on the HHR, and we want to amplify it.”
Campbell notes that prior to the 2004 Los Angeles auto show, where the HHR was unveiled, “we had some unique elements that we released into the Web-environment that got passed around virally probably 50,000 times or more that Chevy was coming to the Los Angeles auto show with a cool West Coast custom version of the HHR. We want to do that. It’s the way of the world now.”
The auto maker also plans to raise visibility for the CUV by handing out HHRs to select people to drive to “hot spots” around the country. In addition, the vehicle will make an appearance at Major League Baseball’s All-Star game in Detroit in July and at the World Series in the fall.
Chevrolet’s off-beat marketing campaign for the HHR got off to an early start here during media previews. Journalists’ hotel-room televisions were programmed to play an HHR promo with punchy slogans, such as “Not for those in the Witness Protection Program,” and “A fashion statement you won’t regret in 10 years,” seemingly a response to critics predicting the retro-themed CUV will enjoy short-lived popularity, if it’s not dead on arrival.
Rooms also contained Etch-a-Sketch toys with a drawing of the HHR.
“There’s a lot of fairly expected designs out there.” Campbell says. “This one is unique. It’s expressive. We think there is a segment of the market that wants that.”
Chevrolet expects HHR buyers to be split evenly between men and women. Average age will range roughly from 35- to 45-years old. Top competitors include the Honda Element, PT Cruiser, Scion xB and Ford Escape.
Pricing for the HHR is aggressive, beginning at $15,990 for the 1LT model, which features a standard MP3 player, power driver’s seat, spacious 63.1 cu.-ft. (17.9 cu.-m) of cargo space (with the rear seats folded down), 16-in. wheels and GM’s Ecotec 2.2L 4-cyl. engine rated at 143-hp.
The 2LT model is equipped with a 172-hp 2.4L 4-cyl.
The HHR is one of the first vehicles to adhere to GM’s value-pricing strategy, which aims for a sticker price close to the actual transaction figure with fewer incentives.
“I think the decision was indicative of where the mindset was of our senior leadership – we wanted to price this closer to where we think it’s going to transact,” Campbell says. “I can’t say we’re not going to have incentives. But it means we’re going to price this right.”
