When hybrids were first introduced to consumers earlier this decade confusion was abundant. Why should I pay more for a car that might not perform as well as a standard fuel-powered vehicle?
I dropped the kids off at school this morning and could feel the change in the air. Smiles were everywhere despite the rain-threatening skies, and the blustery wind lashing the last of the leaves from the trees; it was as if the illumination of the morning was coming from the ground rather than the sky.
This is a brand that has managed to gain 39% market share during the worst automotive climate in decades, remained profitable, and drove tremendous awareness and consideration of its brand.
Last night, I had the privilege of hearing James Lentz (the President/COO of Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc.) speak about the future of cars and the automotive industry.
2009 has been a banner year for Hyundai. In spite of the worst market conditions of the past quarter century, Hyundai has grown volume, profitability, and market share by an outstanding 1.2 percentage points.
I spent the early part of this week at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer's Association (SEMA) event in Las Vegas. I've never been to SEMA and didn't have a clear expectation of what the show was all about.
I recently sat through a series of meetings with a publisher attempting to figure out their three-year product plans. This was a multi-platform publisher who has successful distribution across traditional and digital media platforms — a publisher with a strong brand and a clear mission.