this thread about marketing ideas
marketing makes a big difference especially for luxury products, b/c product is more about emotions rather than efficiently fulfilling physical goals. such market is important to appeal too b/c they are willing to pay more for unqiue stuff even if stuff isnt relatively the best value in practicality (like buying a airel nomad vs buying a used toyota corolla)
this thread is for marketing ideas only, theres this other related thread for the lower priority features that aptera could sell as accessories: https://www.aptera.us/forum/aptera-design-discussion/extraneous-but-potentially-money-making-gimmicks
GAMIFICATION OF HYPERMILING:
to encourage hypermiling as a form of making driving more fun and experienced driving range:
to be more like a enjoyable engaging game with a real time optimal regen, revving level (for range extender combustion generator if ur gonna do that, if combustion is too quiet to be heard), and avg mpg tracker graph or number per trip (a trip can be defined as time from turning teh car on to turning it off) vs average mpg that u can glance at at stop signs, maybe a guide to hypermiling in a "recommendations" folder in teh screen interface, etc, to give another flavor to driving fun besides handling and acceleration. encouraging driver to not steer unnecessarily on straight lines is point of instructiveness too. not creating need for ABS to occur is another one to minimize unnecessary braking then speed increase again for better brakepad life too.
AESTHETIC APPEAL:
this is more inportant in appeal than it may seem especially to younger people who evidently value asthetic gimmicks so much that car companies spend a lot to put not very functional electronics like bigger screens and multi color interior lighting and different types of textures, etc. more expensive cars are full of these aesthetics things, much of what diffrenciates luxury cars from value optimized cars is aesthetics.
it probably is best to go with a "bare bones" "formula 1" "fighter jet" sort of narrative where covering up inner workings of car is minimal. This emphasizes different and similar functions of car to give timeless aesthetic with a sense of meaningfulness by it apparently focusing attention on cars various functions rather than only the contemporary abstract art form of most cars ex, random shapes, textures, etc. contrast between functions and their surrounding to makes different functions more noticed as separate from other parts of car to make them more noticed and appreciated.
for ex. for ex. putting firm cushions only on the commonly touched areas like a steering wheel cover, the elbow/arm rest that people lean on, the parts where someone could hit there head getting into the car if they are a little lousy etc. color of cushion is in a color contrasting its surroundings, another color on the heater/AC tubes and vents.(or the same color to match all similar utilities in one color, but differentiation works better) .
SOICAL MEDIA MARKETING:
youtube tech and car review channels, music videos, celebrity shit, etc are pretty popular especially with the younger potential buyers, plus these music people and celebrities' would probably like something weird like Aptera to show or buy, and it should cost much to do it :p. also non car youtub channels like this guy: https://www.youtube.com/user/MrBeast6000 this guy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpi8TJfiA4lKGkaXs__YdBA and car youtube channels like this guy:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z1R0G_RCFwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3FDu8KvXOghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocLK9hKyVU4 or this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhbGPNen83I or this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AQIylB2rcw or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf8daKt3UlY or this guys:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbbUvV6Py1o this guy: https://www.youtube.com/user/marquesbrownlee this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wkdv3B5300 or this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrHDeSMvnt4 maybe even this guy, but hes prolly in europe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mArwd_g84E and of course teh magazines: https://www.youtube.com/user/MotorTrendhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTDrVn4jjM0https://www.popularmechanics.com/
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You are correct, and I don't disagree at all with your statements. I am in no way a professional marketing person. Nor did I purport to be. I submitted the ideas for the purpose of vetting and discussion. Do you not picture tons of people asking you about your vehicle? Are they approaching you because they are interested in it? Wouldn't it be nice to hand them something that cost Aptera less than a quarter. I think the time we spend with those potential buyers will be a lot more personable than a link on some website that rewards clickers turned buyers by $1,000. But, like you said, I'm no professional.
I don't believe these ideas came from a professional marketing person. Perhaps speculation from a Forum Member?
I think Aptera has a handle on Multimedia Marketing. They have an experienced marketing person and connections with marketing groups in their their respective partner's organizations who know what is and is not successful in their potential market. I trust that they will do the analysis to determine the best marketing strategy and tools based on budget and time available to include defining the specific characteristics of a set of potential buyers (This is usually one of the first steps in developing a marketing and sales plan - identify and quantify the target buyers characteristics)
Marketing, like the engineering going into the Aptera is a science. In the above ideas I don't see quantification/quantification of the expected penetration for these ideas. I see no definition of the market segment these ideas are target at. And I don't see any budgeting information.
A long way from being viable for Aptera. I believe these ideas need to be vetted before being considered viable for an Aptera campaign and perhaps the best of them integrated in a campaign if appropriate
I am not a big computer techie person. I am more hands on although I do enjoy videos by others. I believe that the early buyers will become a huge sales force for Aptera. I think we will be burdened (proudly so) by answering questions, giving rides, and person to person marketing of your product(s). So in thinking of supporting your supporters how about something like the following; ( The numbers are for examples only and do not necessarily represent what would work.) Every recipient of an Aptera would receive a maximum of 100 sales brochures (provided by Aptera) with a reference number (maybe our order #) tied to only that original purchaser. If a future buyer gets a vehicle and references that brochure #, then both they and the original recipient get a $100 credit. This could be a discount to the new buyer and a reimbursement to the original buyer. Or even a future credit to be applied as Aptera sees fit. Look, we will want to brag about this great new vehicle and the effect it can have on the environment anyway. The vehicle (it is so difficult to not say car) is a real head turner, so we will have your captive audience. Just give us a little reward for promoting them!
AESTHETICS:
apteras looks are advantage over competition for most people, some improvements on it: https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606b78984781b10015ee541e
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6021628219ca710017df70cd
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606df60bc6b4850015110e42
https://www.aptera.us/forum/aptera-design-discussion/extraneous-but-potentially-money-making-gimmicks
technical approach(highlights different parts difference in utility for appreciation):
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606299112967af0015464d81 all my comments about interface concepts.
replace the black around solar tiles and of roof chasis material with body color or this white paint that supposedly reflects sunlight thus prevents most solar heat from heating, so less need for AirConditioning(both in cabin and in wheel motors) which saves driving range(like how tesla range goes down a lot with AC/heater on):https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6058d5a8a3c7ae005771c842. whole car can be painted with this, except teh bottom b/c theres no point and it doesnt matter if people realize the bottom in not painted, in fact it adds to the technical look for those who know its unpainted appearance of chassis material. those who ever notice will probably also know.
delete front end light bar b/c its pointless and expensive to replace after crash accident. about headlights: https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6021628219ca710017df70cd
the side left/right indicator lights should be placed at widest end of teh car, wheel modules are very thick, its considerable difference of distance between ends of module and indicator lights, a difference that can be easily covered by a wide enough truck/car without covering the whole module, so the module can be crashed into. plastics, reflective foils, fiber optic, can allow smaller light bulb to cot costs. indicator lights should also have normal(warm white or whatever user choses via phone app and built in multicolor light strip) color light that is always active b/c unlike normal car, the ends of the car are not lit up with headlights. the strip should be multicolor and changeable via aptera app/screen b/c cost difference vs single color strip isnt much vs how much customer will like it especially nowadays where companies are investing heavy in interior screens, other gimmicks, lighting, fancier interior shapes textures etc even in cheap economy car market. the verticality of the light bar also contrasts the curved shapes of the rest of teh car and highlights the sort of boxy shape at the wheels.
what are those arrow set of 3 solar tiles doing at the rear end? if they can be there why fill the rear end with a row of more? isnt that rear end supposed to be a piece that is easy to replace(a crumple zone?), solar panels there make it more expensive to replace... maybe thats not a problem, might as well give the from end crumple zone piece the same treatment. back end crash sturcture should have the same different color front end at rear to signify the cheaper to replace crumple zone type pieces, and both front end and rear end including the one at at the rear wheel should be anti solar white mentioned here before, b/c such would have utility with the ultra bright white appearance
abstract approach(another personalization option, its based on what people normally say is beautiful but they cant explain why its attractive ex. its not like the appearance accomplishes anything but it still looks nicer than a alternative mix up of random shapes.) this takes everything from the "technical" approach except:
https://www.aptera.us/forum/aptera-design-discussion/would-love-to-see-this-simple-design-change this, except the ideally the black line should flow to the end of the car in a single line:
the front end grey should be body color, same with the rear end crash pieces at wheel and rear end where taillight is at, unlike what can be part of the "technical" look.
the black around solar tiles and over roof/pillar chassis should stay black as is in current aptera rendering. the the solar tiles can still show by the black color around it being some other color.
SPORT PACKAGE is important for small and very competitive 2 seater and grand touring bike market.
besides some stuff already mentioned in this thread, apteras light weight allows agile handling and less lifetime costs of brake pads and tires (costs that go up exponentially for people who drive quickly). there also quick electric acceleration. it misses out on natural engine sound (although sometimes for most people, speakers do good enough to replicate some engine sound, plus sound can be personalized via speaker and sometimes acoustics like sound tunnels etc).
improvements:
hypermiling is another form of sporting especially for less quick driving (which is most of the time b/c legal speed limits and traffic blockages). hypermiling includes gradual smooth steering (which is also good for minimizing tire lifetime cost by increasing lifetime) and avoiding brakes and maintaining RPM to preserve moving energy when driving through a turn or off a highway through a exit (including regenerative braking to increase battery lifetime b/c less energy going in and out). such are similar to some car racing technique. https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6072557254d19d00164cfb52
to encourage these have recommendations folder on screen and use gamification by allowing comparing previous diving performance vs performance of current trip, etc:https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606296224ed7f8001593f1ba of course this encouragement to drive more efficiently should be standard feature.
to make up for no engine sound, aptera has quick electric acceleration and lighter weight out the factory before modifications which helps with more agile steering and cars rotation on its center, and less tire and friction brake lifetime cost(such costs are often dealt with when driving car quickly). manual/sequential gearbox experience as in gas cars can be had as cheap easy option: https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6032f53024c253001724ba06
aptera seems to have some mechanical steering on top of some steering assist, sport package should replace steering assist besides torque vectoring with mechanical steering rack for more communication of g forces through wheel pushing against wheel via tram lining, tram lining from road imperfection, some occasional road bumps (so it doesn't get monotonously silent in sound, road bumpiness , etc) etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUrozEM5nY at 10 minutes, they talk about a very sport focused car and its change from being "too" mechanicalness to "arguably just right" amount (one of em says hes a driving instructor and reviewed teh previous generation ariel atom he says he owns, both have reviewed lot of sports cars at youtube channel). ideally the amount should be changeable at customers home as he wants.
middle driving position by folding away/removing 2nd seat into trunk/leave at home, and seat adjustment to excuse not so big cabin for larger customer (weight loss for efficiency, power weight ratio, smaller car=more movability around straight roads and more smoother and movement heavy turns, also less owrrying about hitting the rear against something vs a car with lot of bodywork behind rear wheels, so rear wheels and basically all the space to watch out for can be felt through seat via g forces, not so much visual guessing where the rear bodywork would be when turning fast close to other objects (like road barrier, other cars sometimes especially at the track, etc):
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606a7535ab40970015f85fd2
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/60693a4c4781b10015ee4d52 this actives aerodynamics manipulation has many interactive sport, comfort function but also potentially efficiency function, it could replace much of the apteras rear tail, making a lighter smaller car (better for sporting as explained) while sacrificing little usable storage space.
potential combustion drivetrain as future proofing option in E-fuel vs electric battery race, also can help with sportiness b/c much better power to weight ratio and maybe engine considerably more engine sound: https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/604ed95b33a38a00151f78f9
suspension:
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6051870361ed6a004111e3e9
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/5fffd3815d72e9008cb8fef2
FOR BIG BATTERY CAR: (almost nobody is driving 1000 miles everyday, buyers probably want the higher speed sporting advantage) https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/607236261291890016c513e4
Give customers a story about their car being made that they can share on social media. Configure the production line so that customers can get pics / vids of their car being made with descriptions about what‘s going on, and what stage of build that their car is up to.
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606296224ed7f8001593f1ba about "GAMIFICATION OF HYPERMILING"
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6065f5ae70b8e600151e479e celebrity marketing
if somone wants to review a aptera online ex. on youtube, it would be ideal if they can be lead to a customer to get the car from them, with the purchase contract available for reviewers audience to see, so they know the reviewed isnt being payed to say certain things, so they know to trust the review.
oh and theres consumer reports https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/
There are now several great Aptera Vloggers on YouTube. I think it would be great to give a couple locals weekly behind-the-scenes access to the Aptera factory/vehicle development. Boom ... tons of free PR just like SpaceX and Tesla get. And probably adds to the credibility/confidence/visibility of Aptera. I would certainly be a regular viewer of such content.
https://www.savagegeese.com/contact.html somone let this guy review your aptera, hes in the USA midwest somewhere... u can ask him where exactly he is or if he doesn't mind traveling to make a video.