If successful brands and their leadership have taught us anything, it’s that being the first to do something (and do it well) can catapult a brand ahead of the competition. Perhaps more than in any other industry, we need a giant leap forward in the realm of transportation, in terms of affordability and accessibility- but are the breakout ideas on alternative fuel really breakout anymore? What can make alternative transportation ‘Go’ already?
We have talked a lot about electric vehicles and transportation solutions that are fueled by alternative energy, but without trial and easy access to refueling stations, the idea cannot possibly take. Using disruptive marketing, by physically putting a powerful idea in the hands of ordinary people, Mitsubishi is upping the ante for auto brands in the US. The brand’s recent move to create an entire town willingly-dependent on the new “i” model electric car could inspire other auto makers to follow suit, allowing this trend to gain traction and drive the marketplace upwards to a new level of opportunity. It’s this type of step that could finally lead to mass adoption and render traditional vehicles obsolete. That’s the hope. But this is about more than bringing the horse to water; this is about changing habits.
The idea is similar to Apple’s taking the lead in personal music devices and the way the iPod obliterated the Discman. Not only did iPod offer a more diverse and customizable playlist, it ushered in an addiction to digital audio and spearheaded the new ways in which we now consume media.
Is it feasible that the ‘i’ is a strong enough idea, that if simply made accessible it will change the driving game?
The idea of cleaner energy is a great, moral one, but we have yet to be shown how electric cars will make our lives easier or how the experience of driving one is monumentally different (in a good way) from what we’re comfortable with—How will this purchase decision change the way we consume forever more?
Mitsubishi’s EVTown in Normal, Illinois:
Rochelle Fainstein
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