The Smart Car was originally developed for the European car market, where small, fuel-efficient cars are more common. Before the company could introduce the Smart Car to American consumers, marketers needed to understand how they could help a U.S. audience see beyond the car’s unusual appearance and size in order to appreciate its benefits as many Europeans already do. The marketers also needed to know who their target consumers would be and what would inspire them to buy a car like this. Smart, USA quickly learned that this car would be sold not based on age or socio-economic status, but on consumers’ attitudes and lifestyles.
1. How would you describe the Smart Car’s brand personality?
2. Why does it make the most sense to define the Smart Car’s target market by attitude and lifestyle?