Green Auto Marketing Takes Off

It used to be that horsepower, lots of chrome and cool colors soldcars. But now, automakers are using something different to market theirproducts: the environment. For the first time, they’re competing overwho’s the most green. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie Halpertfiled this report:

Transcript

It used to be that horsepower, lots of chrome and cool
colors sold cars. But now, automakers are using something different to
market their products: the environment. For the first time, they’re competing
over who’s the most green. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie
Halpert filed this report.


“Introducing the new Silverado. It’s bigger. It’s more
powerful. It’s the truck from Chevrolet.”


This ad, with men working in a foundry, plays to the size and strength
of the General Motors truck. For years, car companies have succeeded in
luring customers by ascribing macho characteristics to their vehicles. But
now, they’re trying a new tactic. This ad, by Honda, takes place in a car
wash.


“The 75 Civic was the first in Honda’s line of clean cars.
Today, more than 88% of our cars are low emission vehicles. We’re planning
for tomorrow with our zero emission fuel cell vehicle. Is it any wonder
Honda was recently named the cleanest car company in the world?”


A few years ago, if you tried to plug the environmental attributes of a
car, buyers wouldn’t bite. But now, with gas prices near all-time highs,
consumer pocketbooks are being hit hard by driving big cars. And at least
some are feeling guilty about causing pollution. So automakers are
responding — trying to make their cars greener. Or at least they’re saying
they are.


In July, Ford Motor Company pledged to produce the cleanest sport
utility vehicle by 2003. Ford’s Neil Golitely says the time is ripe for
marketing on the environment.


“I think you’re seeing it more and more. In some of our
corporate advertising, for example, we’re kind of pointing to our seriousness
about environmental issues.”


After Ford’s environmental announcement, other automakers also
started trumpeting their accomplishments.


“We think our record stands on its own and it’s hard to
see anyone in front of us in terms of our environmental performance as a
company across the board.”


That’s Denny Manano, chief environmental officer for General
Motors. He says that GM wanted to make clear that it takes no back seat to
Ford on the environment.


“All we did was quite simply indicate that our
performance in model to model comparison in the SUV area and the truck
area already led the industry. That means that the plan we put in place not
this year, but the plans we put in place in 96, in 97 has led to products out
there that are the lead in fuel economy in product by product comparisons.”


Japanese automakers, though, were among the first to bring out the
heavy environmental artillery. For many years, they’ve been trumpeting their
environmental innovations. Toyota’s Michael Love says those innovations
have led to real results. He says his company is a leader in meeting federal
fuel economy requirements, known as CAFE.


“We’ve had better fuel economy for a multitude of
reasons for a long time. We’ve never had a problem complying with the
CAFÉ standards, and right now our fuel economy is roughly where Ford
says they want to take theirs in 2004.”


Still, some are worried that automakers are more flash than sizzle, that
saying you’re green doesn’t necessarily mean you are. Jason Grumet is with a
group of northeast state regulators. He said automakers need to stop focus on
changing current technology, which is limited. Instead, they should begin
thinking more about dramatic changes that could bring huge environmental
benefits.


“So I think the notion that we are going to have more
than incremental change, but actually a revolutionary change, in the ability
to propel ourselves around, seems to me is what’s going to be necessary in
the long-term.”


But car manufacturers say that kind of radical change could be
spurred on by the current fierce advertising competition over the
environment. And automotive analyst David Cole says it’s not just the
advertising that will do it. He says that automakers will provide the cleanest
cars because consumers are finally demanding them.


“It’s really nice to see them, in a sense, competing on the
basis of improving fuel economy and reducing emissions versus who can
build the largest, least fuel efficient vehicle and I think it’s one dimension of the transformation that the industry is going through right now.”


Automakers say they are ready to race each other on the environment.
And Ford’s Neil Golitely says the competition carries big benefits.


“We’re quite pleased with the competition, the fact that
other companies feel the need to sort of one up one another on the
environmental front is, quite frankly, good for the industry and it’s good for
society and it’s good for the customers.”


Meanwhile, with all the environmental consciousness raising,
consumers should expect to see many more green ads in the coming months.
For The Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Julie Halpert.