“AUTOMOTIVE azda’s niche marketing focus pays off in sales Japanese automaker feeling good with Just Feels Right’ campaign AS I stepped out of the ar- tistically sculptured Mazda 929 Serenia, one of my friends asked me, ‘‘So, how’s the car?”’ David OVERDRIVE I grinned and said, beautiful; almost like a piece of art. The car tracks well, acceler- ates smoothly, and everything seems to work in balance.”? Then | 1 added, ‘‘it just ... well, it just feels right.”’ My comment wasn't intentional, but ‘I literally took the words out of. Mazda’s corporate advertise- ‘ment slogan, “It just feels right.” Unlike some advertisements that loudly brag about specific features such. as power, comfort or safety, _. Meada has decided to emphasize human quality, touch and feel in- stead... They call. it ‘‘Kansei Engineering,’’ and according to Mazda, ‘‘it’s the Mazda engineer- ing philosophy. that moves beyond . physical — specifications emotional desires.”" . If the recent sales: ‘figures are any . indication, Mazda’s ‘feel right’’ philosophy might indeed be - winning new customers. ‘‘We are setting monthly records ‘now,” comments Gregory Young, man- agzr.of public relations at Mazda Canada headquarters in Toronto. Between January and July of this year, Mazda sold 41,506 cars and trucks in Canada, up 13% from the same period last year. The sales of. the passenger cars are even more impressive, gaining 24% over last year. If you look at the July sales only, the car sales are actually up a whopping 59% from last year. _ So what's Mazda’s secret? Figst, they are building a strong image through a completely revamped lineup of attractive cars. Starting with the introduction of the Miata and the replacement of the 323.in 1990 model year, Maz- da has replaced every car in its lineup. ~Most “recent offerings are the 929-like 626 Cronos and MX-6 ‘Mystere, which has a resemblance to Europe’s Opel Calibra — a car that has been highly praised for its excellent design. When you look at cars like the 929 and MX-6, Mazda’s graceful, smooth and . sumptuous design certainly sets ‘them apart from the more conser- vative competitors such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Prelude. ‘Even the smashing Nissan 306Z.X, which turned many heads bavk in -1990 when it hit the road, looks a little clunky when com- to your _ portantly, have the soft, “Its. _are affecting Mazda’s pared to the organically shaped RX-7. The same can be said of the inteviors. : Mazda’s interiors look in- tegrated, balanced and, more im- tactile feel that many cars are missing today. Play around with the RX-7’s rotary heater controls, for example, and they feel like they have been coated with Teflon and assembied with the precision of medical instruments. But new models with great looks alone aren’t going to in- crease sales. Mazda’s ability to market cars slightly off the mainstream also has affected their sales — positively. The powerfui giant Toyota tends to be conservative in design ° and marketing, so their trend is a little more predictable. Nissan’s - sporty character also gives a clue to their future model’s direction. But Mazda’s strategy isn’t quite as predictable. The Miata, consid- ered to be one of the successful “‘niche’’ products, was the first indication of Mazda’s non-tradi- tional marketing strategy: to pro- duce cars that offer something unique, cars that are designed to incorporate human perception, feelings and emotions. When Mazda launched the 929 Serenia last year, they didn’t just introduce another luxury sedan. They ‘‘engineered-in’’ unique features such as fuzzy logic cruise control and a solar-powered ven- tilation system, and wrapped them up in a curvy and sweeping body that makes the 929 the best look- ing luxury car in its class. The rotary-powered °93 RX-7 was introduced with some sur- prises as well. Instead of loading up the car. with every technical feature available like the Dodge Stealth, Mazda decided to focus on the ‘“‘basics.’” The result is a clean, stunning lean machine that only weighs 1,300 kg and can per- form with the world’s best. Even the cheaper and smaller sibling, the MX-3 Precidia, offers something unique with the only optional V-6 in its class (at the time of introduction, it was also the smallest V-6 in the world). Despite promising saies figures, however, Mazda isn’t without problems. Strong emphasis on niche cars and low-volume cars cash reserves. Partly to offset this, and partly because of the on going labor problems being experienced at the Flat Rock plant in Michigan, Mazda has recently allowed Ford to put a stake in the plant, now owned 50-50 by Ford and Mazda. While Honda, Nissan and Toyota all have successfully in- troduced a new luxury division in North America, Mazda is still a year and a half away from laun- ching its lineup of fuxury cars under the Amati nameplate. Some industry observers are questioning whether the market can’ even ab- sorb another luxury division. According tu Greg Young of Mazda, there will be a total of 24 dealers across Canada, each with a separate showroom, reception, and dedicated service facility to physically distinguish the Amati ” side from the Mazda side. Even with these concerns, how- ever, Mazda seems to be doing - many things right. Office air may be culprit behind headaches IS YOUR job giving you a headache? If so, your office’s air may be the villain. 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