CAR PR

One of the reasons for the collapse of the American auto industry is its PR people.

Why? Very simple. Public relations professionals for the various auto companies are in a prime position to impress upon the bigwigs that lackluster design leads to lackluster sales. But they haven’t done so. They haven’t used their influence and their strength as communicators to impress upon their superiors that more of the same is not enough. They’ve abdicated their responsibility to tell their superiors that re-designing inferior products doesn’t make them better – it only foments the inferiority.

I’ve thought about it for years. And, finally, this week – in an airplane over the Gulf of Mexico – it hit me. The key is body design.

Apparently, PR people – who understand the consumer far better than the old guys in the corner offices or the nerds in Engineering - are not asked (enough) for their opinions about what the consumer might want. Why haven’t the American auto companies allowed them an opinion before the cars are produced? And why haven’t these PR people demanded it?

European cars – like the ones I’ve driven – seem to maintain classic body styles over the years. To me, it seems that most of the changes they make are only meant to enhance the profile of the car, rather than to change it. I drive a Swedish car (a Volvo). Before that, I drove a German car. And before that I drove another Swedish car.

The basic body styles of these cars don’t seem to change that radically; for example, the distinctive shape of the Saab, which I drove seven years ago, is still pretty much the same distinctive shape. (Most American consumers – besides me - don’t seem to like the Saab’s distinctive shape, either; but that’s another story.)

Yes, every few years these European cars get updated lights or front grills or touches here and there. But the basic (and often classic) profile stays the same. And that helps create – and nourish – the brand.

American cars, it seems to me, are built to be sleek; European cars, on the other hand, are built to be stylish. And, in case the American car companies – whose survival is still in question – haven’t noticed, American consumers (particularly those on either coast) obviously prefer stylish over sleek.

Chrysler, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be concerned with sleek or stylish; they have virtually no new models coming out over the next year or so (despite the billions in bailout money they took). Why aren’t the company’s public relations people pushing for a more energetic response to this crisis? They’re probably going to lose their jobs soon, anyway.

NEWS FLASH TO AMERICAN AUTO COMPANIES: The American people have spoken - loud and clear - for the past decade. They prefer classic auto design and a profile that helps create a “brand” over a lot of constant re-designs of mediocre products.

And, because of the current crisis faced by American car companies, PR people will never be better positioned to drive this point home.