10:15pm
Saint Paul
Ever been hoodwinked by Uber?
Thought you were getting a BMW… but a Honda showed up?
Yep, that happened to my friend Chuck (who really exists, guys, I promise!)
But I have as different experience, and one that ties into marketing.
(Quick context: I’m working through CopyHour right now, about handwriting winning ads to absorb their spiritual essence, winning structures, and other high-falutin’ brilliance.)
Anyway, CopyHour #76 is a “secret lead” advertorial about an Elon Musk ride-share bus.
The ad was “copyright 2011-2021” so it’s not too new–but the bus itself is pretty new. Released in just the last couple of years. Maybe you’ve seen it?
Well, just so we’re clear, I’ve never taken a ride in an Elon-o-Bus.
BUT… I have done an Uber Econ-o-Bus in NYC.
The experience was TERRIBLE.
Wife and I wanted to get from Brooklyn to JFK airport and save $3 or something dumb.
So we book this ride share Uber, thinking everyone on board is headed to the airport.
Nah.
Instead, we stopped a at every corner where someone had somewhere to be… but had zero urgency.
It was basically a city bus, in the shape of a minivan.
Not as cool looking as Elon’s design… but no better in its purpose, really.
Back to this advertorial that sold people on insider info, I suppose… what was the secret to get people to click on a story about carpooling?
One part Elon, one part SecretSauceName.
Yeah, SecretSauceName.
Instead of a bus…
Instead of a carpool…
This ad (or maybe Elon) called it an “S.A.V.” –a Shared Autonomous Vehicle.
“Autonomous” might make it a bit more advanced than a minivan, but does that make it better?
Or is it just the name that makes “rational people” have feelings (good or bad) about things?
Hint: yeah, it’s the name.
TIP: Name your processes, name your systems. Then, no one else can offer that named item. You are now an Elon-o-bus in a world of Econ-o-bus options.
Drive safe,
Jeffrey
PS. I mentioned a few weeks ago about my never-ending education in the world of marketing psychology…
And how I had this year’s courses basically lined up.
Well… I jumped ahead!
Two weeks ago I finished David Deutsch’s Idea Power course… even though (as I mentioned above) I’m still working through Derek Johanson’s CopyHour course.
(Right now I’m in the middle of day 76 of 90 days of CopyHour, just pausing to drop this quick email… about a bus…….)
But now that the story of the NYC bus ride is over… I hate to leave you hanging without anything more interesting.