Saab needs revitilization. Not simply with its image, or the way people perceive its Swedishness, but also with product. Saab's desperately need to stand out from the pack. No, not because they've always been quirky. But because every automaker, especially those competing in the luxury/sports sector, must make their cars stand out from the pack. The pack is huge, people.H-U-G-E. Saab's 9-3 must outdo Volvo's S40 and S60 (V50 and V70, too), BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, Acura TL, Lexus IS and ES, Infiniti G35, and Alfa Romeo's 159. I acknowledge that advertising alone will not reverse the downward spiral. It most definitely can not be left up to marketing executives alone. The product is in need of improvement, and General Motors would undoubtedly love it if the press/media/blogosphere could get off the Malibu/9-3/G6-shared platform refrain.
Nevertheless, advertising must be taken seriously. People spending a few dozen grand on a car educate themselves regarding their purchase, for the most part. Continually attempting to convince us that the 9-3 is a Swedish military jet fighter is, in my opinion, devaluing the brand. It's become such a joke that the 9-3 isn't actually perceived to be as good a car as it truly is. Play me a commercial of a 9-5 SportCombi directed by what could almost be a Volvo or Lexus marketing maven, and you would begin to have an effect. And that's with the aged veteran, truly outclassed in its midsize luxury sector. Check out the two 9-3 Jet Fighter clip above, the inspiring 9-5 is below.
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