Honda Clarity Fuel Cell marketing theme: thinking about tomorrow

Image from 'Thinking About Tomorrow' video ad for 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel CellA 40-year-old Fleetwood Mac song, floating childrens' heads, and hydrogen molecules all kick off the marketing campaign for the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell hydrogen-powered vehicle. Like most marketing for hydrogen vehicles, the video ad above will likely be targeted only to California drivers. That state is the sole location today in which a...

Toyota shows Mirai Super Bowl ad, but only in California

2017 Toyota Mirai Super Bowl ad 'Daisy' screenshotAs is the norm these days, the ads running during Super Bowl LI this past weekend drew almost as much attention as the game itself. Automakers are among the myriad companies that expend considerable creative and monetary resources on Super Bowl ads every year. And green cars make occasional appearances in these ads. DON'T MISS: Here are the car...

McKinsey suggests ways automakers could kick-start electric-car demand

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016Despite steady increases over the past few years, electric cars still represent only a tiny fraction of new-car sales. There are no shortage of theories as to why that is the case. Some electric-car advocates blame manufacturers for not adequately promoting the vehicles, while many within the industry point to a lack of consumer demand. DON'T...

Toyota Mirai touted in ad on electric-car charging station

2017 Toyota MiraiHow do you advertise new and innovative zero-emission vehicles, whether they're electric or fuel-cell cars? It's a question that's bedeviled carmakers and their marketers, who continue to experiment with messaging, different audiences, and programs to get people into the cars. The challenge is likely even greater for hydrogen fuel-cell cars, since...

Electric cars are on the market, so where are all the ads?

2017 Nissan Leaf  Anyone who watches even a little television knows that automakers take advertising seriously—and do a lot of it. The seemingly-never-ending stream of commercials keeps their brands in the public eye, and helps them sell cars to the subset of views in the market. But if you think that electric cars are generally not represented in that stream...

Hyundai Ioniq Electric: how maker plans to market 124-mile electric car

WaiveCar Hyundai Ioniq ElectricThe 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric will soon go on sale as part of a trio of Ioniq variants that also includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. When it arrives in dealerships, Hyundai will face the same challenge other automakers have come to know well: marketing electric cars to an uneducated and sometimes skeptical public. Instead of relying...

Hydrogen marketing campaign suggests, ‘Let’s clear the air’

Air Liquide hydrogen fueling stationAdvocates of hydrogen fuel-cell cars are working to make their presence felt in much the same way that electric-car advocates have for years. Last Saturday was National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day. The specific date (10/08) was chosen in honor of hydrogen's atomic weight (1.008). Fuel provider Air Liquide used the celebration to launch a new...

Lexus hybrids ‘always charged,’ says slogan (unlike electric cars)

2016 Lexus ES 300hToyota has made it abundantly clear that it believes its hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are a better path to the future than battery-electric cars. The Japanese automaker believes hybrid cars—a segment it dominates—are the more practical choice for reducing fuel consumption, and that fuel-cell cars will eventually surpass...

Know what a ‘baller’ is? Wanna be one for clean energy?

Sometimes, even good intentions can't cover up poor execution. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently launched a campaign to promote clean energy in general, and electric cars specifically. The program's name, you may ask? It's entitled, "How to be a clean energy baller." DON'T MISS: How can automakers sell more electric cars? Sierra Club...