The Company
As I headed down to Nashville to preview Nissan’s new line
of sedans for 2010, I felt apprehensive as to whether I could keep up with the
veteran automobile bloggers. I do not consider myself a car aficionado, just a
Mom who practically lives in her car. But my time spent scouring dealerships
during my most recent car purchase gave me added confidence.
I came out of Nashville’s new, ultra-chic and modern Hutton
Hotel to a lined-up fleet of a dozen new Nissan cars awaiting us for a test
drive to Nissan’s brand new flagship headquarters rising in modern shiny
vertical lines. In attendance were 20 of the top auto veterans (all men except
for one woman who’s been writing in this space for decades) – and me. As we
picked cars, we got handed instructions for the 15-minute drive to
headquarters. No one to accompany me? Just like that- off on a road test!
After arriving and parking our cars in the semi-circle
driveway, we entered Nissan’s brand new, state-of-the-art facility. Built in
2008 and designed along with Nissan’s themes of efficiency this building proves
an optical illusion as its curvy appearing exterior hides it’s rectangular
lines. Each floor has its own town center complete with all central gathering
places for employees. The whole building comes complete with wireless
technology and plenty of wide staircases for Nissan’s idea of “2 minute
meetings” with colleagues as you pass them. Informal workspaces provide the
landscape for quick questions and get-togethers, while the state-of-the-art
video conferencing system has enabled Nissan to virtually shut down travel
between offices and lost productivity. Plus, the building sits on wetlands that
got cleaned and restored as part of construction.
We moved into a large amphitheater, equipped with
microphones as each seat and started with a Nissan Business update from Bill
Kruger, Senior VP, who emphasized a dramatically changed Nissan mindset over
the past 10 years: moving from crisis and survival mode, to profitability and
finally most trusted in class. Bill showed by comparing 2008 to 2009 sales
exactly how hard the economic recession has hit the car industry. To do this,
Nissan’s team retooled products, plants, and the whole organization to be more
competitive in their industry: and have raised a quality flag as the
centerpiece of their brand essence. They have an ongoing commitment to safety,
having received the highest 5 star ratings.
So onto The Cars
Sedans have lead global sales for Nissan, with a focus for
2010 on value, technology and entertainment changes, from extensive exterior
and interior feature enhancements and sportier looks. We got to test drive four
different new sedan models:
Altima
This was the car that ultimately impressed me the most, and
no wonder. This sedan stands on the Nissan pedestal a it’s #1 profit driver and
story for company, which has sold 3.2 million of these models worldwide. So the
Altima, now in it’s fourth generation of a model, gets Nissan’s intense focus
for keeping things fresh. It’s their highest customer loyalty car. Moreover,
the Altima ranked #1 in quality; a very competitive mid-size car survey from
J.D. Powers.
In the Altima sedan line, 49% of coupe drivers are women,
compared to 39% of their hybrid drivers, and 35% of the sedan drivers. So why, I asked, do we women love the Altima
coupe? According to my fellow media attendee Brian sitting next to me who’s
been covering this industry for decades, “The Altima coupe is a jeans and
high-heel car. It’s just plain sexy.” Mark from the Nissan team laughed,
agreeing and saying, “I’m glad you said that and not me!”
Among Nissan’s changes to keep this best-selling car fresh: Sheet
metal change on the hood (when they start “bending sheet metal” it’s a big
commitment), also sportier grill, hood and front bumper. On the interior: Nissan
focuses on “perceived quality”- what do the consumers think of the textures,
color audio display, fabrics and materials, and font size of gauges. The biggest
change is a larger and clearer audio display screen, with new technology from
back-up cameras, and a Zagat restaurant guide finds for everything around them
(not to mention the live weather updates).
Cell phone technology proves the biggest challenge for car
manufacturers, as their technology cycles change every 90 days, which makes
it’s difficult to have the new cell phone technology intersect with the car’s
information technology. Their solution: live blue-tooth streaming- so you can
upload all your contacts, listen to your ipod music, and see album art on the
screen. Plus XM radio, and you can also load up movies for passengers to watch.
A USB connection augments the streaming Bluetooth technology for connectivity
of mobile devices to the car’s technology system.
Altima Coupe: From projector beam headlights to
alloy wheels, gauge design to next-generation navigation system, the car’s
latest 2010 model comes with even more sportiness. We even got to look at new
colors and fabrics such as a model with a black exterior and red interior,
which I loved.
Sentra
The Nissan team shared the technology and pricing story
behind their #2 sales car. The Sentra’s main competitors are Honda’s civic and Toyota’s
Corolla, and 57% of drivers of this car are women. This car proves popular for
those of us stepping out of gas-guzzling SUV’s to more compact cars. Nissan has done a $1,100 price decrease
and at the same time brought low cost, high value technology to this economical
car. This includes a new touch screen, with a navigation system, rear view
monitor, premium audio with ipod connection, and moon roof. Most compelling in
addition to all these feature enhancements: the low price from between $15,000
to $20,000. A bargain! This was the car I drove to headquarters- a great
“Steady Eddy.”
Versa
The Nissan Versa now comes with an iKey (where car senses
key in your purse or jeans) and Bluetooth technology. This car took off during
cash for clunkers- as it offered incredible value at a small car price. Nissan
sold 18,000 of these cars in August alone. Lowest price vehicle where you can
get navigation system and technology integration and a sporty look. As Nissan’s
lowest price vehicle, starting below $10,000, this car’s most popular with
recent college grads and empty nesters. To achieve this price point- Nissan has
gone retro, exploring what feature trade-offs people would go for such as crank
windows and no air conditioner. With price and value, this would be a great
starter car for your teens, college students & retirees. But too down to
basics for me.
Maxima
This time-tested car by Nissan, leans more to sportiness
than comfort and all I can say is that it seemed fine. Just didn’t grab me.
Marketing To Moms
So as I stood among all the “car guys” I what stood between
Nissan and a strong outreach program toward Moms and women. What I realized
while participating in this Nissan event was that I found myself focused on
completely different set of questions and features than the rest.
Instead of thinking about torque, I thought about how much I
liked coffee holders and interior storage spaces. Instead of steerage, I focused
on the ease of use of the navigation system. Rather than hood trim, I thought
about how much I like the layout of the gauges. Engine’s horsepower’s great, but
the main horsepower I need is for carpooling my kids. So I checked out leg room
for my children in the back seat and the layout of the trunk for everything
from sports bags to luggage traveling. I wondered how is this car going to
handle in the snow, when I am trying to get out of my driveway and school has
not been cancelled? What colors does it come in? Do I like the texture or look
of the interior? Will it will easily connect to our family’s mobile phones or iPods.
I want to know if it comes with satellite radio so we all can agree on a
station. Ultimately I want to know if it is reliable and can fit my lifestyle
needs. I don’t want to know how the car
feels when I drive it, but how I feel when I’m driving it.
So how communicate
this with us Mom car buyers?
Road testing multiple cars on 15-minute road tests really
makes a difference, especially when driving them without a sales rep hovering
in the passenger seat or only going about 8 blocks from the dealer’s lot and
back again. When you drive 6 cars
in a row you really notice the difference between engines, specifications and
more. I would approach car purchasing completely differently after having had
this road test experience, and ask to have a chance to drive (alone!) different
models.
In addition to product quality, Nissan has focused intensely
on training and support for dealers as a key for customer satisfaction in both
the hand-over from the dealer to you after you’ve purchased a car, and as well
as service on the car. Yet when I paid a recent visit to my local Nissan dealer
in Newton, MA, the lone sales rep on duty (grant it, it was 8:30 in the
morning) simply informed me to have a look around on my own. So my impression
is despite best efforts, much of the brand messaging does not get effectively
communicated from the dealers to buyers, but rather lost in translation during
the sales cycle.
Lastly, except for searching consumer reports as I get down
to buying a specific new car, I mostly rely on word of mouth. Nissan’s team has
found that quality resonates with all of us: how it makes you feel when you
drive it, how it performs, and how long the car lasts. And here’s where I
search for quality re-assurance: Do I know someone who’s driven the car and
loved it? What’s the word online from people I trust? For me, shared first
person experiences form a key to brand perception, with follow-up online to
ensure no safety or performance flaws.
Nissan has built some great sedans- and here’s hoping to
future inroads to social media to bring their brand messaging alive with us
women!
In order for me to test
drive these sedans and hear from their manufacturing team, Nissan covered my
travel expenses to their global headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.