Lexus chops product distance
Buying a car is a spiritual decision. There is some logic and lots of feel. You and that vehicle are going to be a prime package of kinetic energy busting down unknown byways, so it pays to go soul to soul before you take the plunge.
At one time, to check out new cars you’d go to a dealer, ignore the hovering salesperson, and see for yourself. It was OK, but the dealer was interested only in the sale, not in you, and probably not even in the car. You and the car could be in the same room, but the car wasn’t allowed to say much.
It was like piping Shakespeare through a straw.
Car shows were an alternative. Car shows had car people. You could learn something about the car. And car shows had concept cars, which soulfully breathed the future. Of course, there might be only one or two car shows in your area per year–or none at all.
How could you shorten that product distance between the car and you? You were on the same wavelength, but on different waves.
There are now ways that car makers can chop that product distance. Lexus is bringing their car shows to you. Concept cars, too.
It’s a new form of car talk. As a brand, Lexus is saying: “We’re an expression of you.”
It’s a small step, but it helps. The more immediate the product, the stronger the brand. It’s almost as useful as online car forums, where people and cars speak the same language.