Lately, I have been hearing MINI advertising multiple times a day.... Usually a full page add in the paper in the AM.... Then on the RADIO....usually the traffic report, brought to you by (every 10 minutes)....... Then a MINI advertisement on TV....lots more online...(but with tracking THAT is expected I guess)... Then today.... Stuck to my newspaper (yes...still get one...for local news and grocery adds it still seem the best)....one of those stickers....on the front page... "Lease a mini in September for $199/mo*" Once upon a time, I kinda looked forward to the new MINI advertising.... Was special...unique...thoughtful.... But now...it is just run it f the mill....static...and often seemingly desperate. Anybody else notice it?! What next? Anybody see a person in a MINI costume spinning a sign on the street next to the guy with the "furniture sale" and "we buy ugly houses" guy?
I keep getting offers from my local dealer to come in a buy a MINI Pre-owned. Nothing on the new car at all.
Here in central Ohio I've not seen any lately on the tele & only occasionally in the local fish wrapper. If you want to sell anything you have to advertise.
I'm seeing a lot of advertisements lately, as well...but I'm in San Francisco quite a bit for work, and MINI sightings increase by 200% once you get on the Bay Bridge.
That's the way it was for years.... But in the last year or two... The volume of adds have been ratched up.....in 40 minute drive to work, I'll hear 3 adds,and sometimes see a billboard depending on where I go....in the evening, I'll usually see a mini add inserted by Comcast into a cable network...and now post it notes on the am paper...... Reminds me of the "I have zero credit, but I drive a chevy " adds a couple months ago...saturation.... Back when I bought my car.... I searched for info...folks would ask "what kind of car is that" and a million other questions....the MINI sold itself..... Advertising was organic....sometimes gorilla style....done with style....and often a bit quirky. Now that quirkyness seems to be gone....And the adds are typical car adds... It seems the end of "NOT NORMAL" has occurred..... The more I hope that MINI would make the 5 door the next car in my garage....the more it seems they are becoming "just another car maker"....Riding the wave of past success....trying to cash in on the name like Amex......Where mini was an aspirational brand.....it seems to have transformed itself into soccor mom transporter with a hotter hatch option... Prove me wrong MINI....prove me WRONG please....please don't become the preferred car of doushebags!!!
I thought the article about the state law prohibiting ballot selfies to be more interesting....1000$ fine....guess officials were contacting folks who posted them to warn them...
I just came back from my local MINI shop (OEM parts pickup) and the Sales Manager took me to the back of the shop and showed me the new F56 5 door whatever its called. The car is not for sale and is a factory test car and is labeled as such. All MINI badging was covered up with the Black and Yellow camo and I was not allowed to take any pictures. I will say the seats are a huge improvement. FYI he also told me sales are very down because he has no new cars to sell because they are all stuck at the port by the EPA.
I live in Utah and can't remember the last time I saw an advertisement for MINI. Maybe a billboard in downtown SLC like six months ago??
If MINI wants to sell more cars maybe they should open a few more dealerships. 5 major cities in Ohio and only 3 dealerships? Fiat was 2 in Columbus and only has 2 models to sell. No one wants to drive an hour or more to the dealership. A little competition in the same city would have the dealers up their game a some too.