GFerg

Mitsubishi Pouring Incentives by the Tankful
Karl Greenberg
www.brandweek.com



NEW YORK -- Mitsubishi is launching a one-month customer incentive that offers a twist on 'liquid assets.'

The program, “Gas comes Standard,” which is not a play on Chrysler's divisional tagline “Inspiration comes standard” (though the same global agency did the work), dangles a year's worth of free gasoline to buyers of 2005 model-year Mitsubishi vehicles.

The effort, via BBDO, LA, attacking both high-cost gasoline as well as traditional incentives, runs through the end of October.

After purchasing a new 2005 model-year Mitsubishi vehicle, the customer will receive in the mail pre-paid debit cards, totaling from $1,500 to $2,500, depending on the vehicle. The cards then can be used for gasoline at most major oil companies' retail locations.

EVP of sales and marketing Dave Schembri said the offer says as much about gas prices as incentives. “We wanted to offer consumers something that is not only clearly valuable but also very relevant,” he said.

He said ads will use an icon in the shape of a gasoline pump, bearing the Mitsubishi brand symbol: a red triple diamond. TV will also show running footage of 2005 vehicles, and there will also be a full-page ad in Friday's USA Today, and Monday in sports sections. “We will have ads for national, dealer group and dealer level,” said Schembri.

So far this year, the company, still staggering after a horrific fall in 2004, has seen sales drop 29.5% through August, though thanks to the new Eclipse, August sales are only off 1.6% versus August 2004. But in that month last year, sales were off 57.5%.

Article Source: http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/re...t_id=1001178992

GFerg

Deal fuels interest in Mitsubishi
Edward Lapham
Automotive News / September 26, 2005

For everyone who wondered what kind of incentive would be the next big thing, Mitsubishi’s Dave Schembri knew the “Gas Comes Standard” promotion was a winner when he had to let auto dealers start the program a day early on Thursday, Sept. 22. That's because customers found out about the promotion and began lining up outside dealerships before they opened.

Considering everything that’s happened in the last couple of years, it must have been surreal for some Mitsubishi dealers to a have a crowd of customers, let alone a friendly crowd who wanted to buy something and wasn’t there just to throw bricks and complain about being upside down on their loans.

https://www.autonews.com/buyArchives.cms?newsId=13417

tzu911

Time to get a Lancer

RON430

You know, we had one thread on some of the car deals floating around. And with apologies to the Acurafanatics, I was not picking on the RL, just pointing out that there were some very strong discounts on it. I think Volvo did the same thing. I haven't had a chance to do more research but the discounts on the new GS are already more than I would have thought. Then there was the thread about a peak in luxury car sales. Maybe we just have another bubble popping and don't know it yet.

We have been through a period of rebates and discounts, low interest rates and soaring home equity, every soccer mom in the country needing at least a suburban to take her herd to the playground not to mention the amount of huge pickups and SUVs that guys got to offroad through Home Depot. Now we have some economic problems on the horizon, slowly increasing interest rates, gas price escalation (with or without hurricanes), dropping consumer confidence, wage stagnation, and who knows what else. So maybe car sales, especially with the current flock of poor mileage vehicles, are going to go through a rough bit here. I know auto makers are looking for other teritories to build sales but the US economy still drives most of the world economy and if we cool off, well, it will spread.

Just a thought.

LexFather

Sorry but just put Mitsu out its misery. The EVO is almost perfect but one car cannot save a company.
The Eclipse being now huge, FWD and V-6/I-4 only is the ultra-ghey.

Why buy it? I don't think anyone can turn it around. Not enough consumers care. U want a shoddy built, ugly, flashy car, that is what Nissan is for. Mitsu cannot hold a candle to Nissan

Final Word

shoddy built? Nissans have better than average reliability. And i happen to think their cars are quite attractive. Sales #'s don't lie. If they were so ugly, no one would buy them. And from what I know, they are selling quite well.

Falcon LS

Interesting marketing scheme. Mitsubishi actually have pretty reliable cars. Seem as though they're trying to become more performance orientated and that is actually not doing them very good in the US Market. Over at this end, they're marketed as value for money vehicles and actually have pretty strong sales. Only one vehicle (Mitsubishi Magna/Diamante) is marketed as performance orientated at this end and that is doing pretty well too.

L-Finesser

Sayonara Mitsubishi. These guys should go back into the video/music business!