Click above for a high-res gallery of Chevy's "fitting rooms"
In what has to be the most ridiculous or utterly ingenious marketing ploy to date, Chevrolet has set up a drive-in fitting room outside a London dealership to allow consumers to "try on" their car before they buy. According to GM's research and marketing hacks, three out of four consumers consider their car to be a status symbol, despite 95-percent of people having no idea what they look like inside their car. As strange and admittedly vain as this campaign is, we can't help but think that it isn't an entirely bad idea. However, we doubt that it's going to make the trek across the pond and redefine our dealership experience.
GM's full press release is available after the jump.
PRESS RELEASE
DOES MY BUMPER LOOK BIG IN THIS?
A touch of style is being brought to the car forecourt today with the launch of the world's first drive-in fitting room, which allows motorists to check out what they look like in their car before they commit to purchase.
Despite three out of four (72 per cent) of drivers saying they use their car as a status symbol – wanting other drivers to view it as a reflection of the owner's personality and success – 95 per cent admit they have no idea what they actually look like behind the wheel.* That is until now...
To help car buyers make the right purchasing decision, Chevrolet has created a bespoke drive-in fitting room. The curtained-off room allows buyers to "try on" the car by driving it onto a central revolve placed in front of three giant mirrors. A remote-control handset allows drivers to rotate the revolve to get a 360 degree view of what they actually look like in their motor. The unique fitting room is being trialled in a South London forecourt.
Nicky Hambleton-Jones, presenter of Channel 4's makeover show 10 Years Younger, commented:
"You wouldn't dream of buying a dress or suit without trying it on first so why should it be any different when it comes to buying a car – after all you never know who might pull up next to you at the lights. Most people have no idea what they actually look like behind the wheel, but seeing as the car is an expression of your personality, it's important to make sure you get the model that complements your style. Well done Chevrolet for creating the first drive-in fitting room letting us literally try on our cars – and bringing a much needed touch of glamour to forecourts."
Susan Kalair of Chevrolet comments:
"We're excited to be the first car brand to introduce a drive-in fitting room. It's such a simple idea but with 95 per cent of motorists saying they have no idea what they look like in their car, we think it could prove a drive-away hit."
Regional results:
Percentage of drivers who use their cars as a status symbol – wanting other drivers to view it as a reflection of the owner's personality and success (by region):
* Yorkshire – 82 per cent
* Scotland – 80 per cent
* North East – 77 per cent
* London – 75 per cent
* = West Midlands – 73 per cent
* = South West – 73 per cent
* South East – 72 per cent
* East Midlands – 69 per cent
* Wales – 65 per cent
* North West – 63 per cent
* East – 62 per cent
Percentage of drivers who admit they have no idea what they actually look like behind the wheel (by region):
* Scotland – 99 per cent
* East Midlands – 98 per cent
* = North West – 97 per cent
* = West Midlands – 97 per cent
* = South East – 97 per cent
* North East – 95 per cent
* = Wales – 94 per cent
* = London – 94 per cent
* East – 93 per cent
* Yorkshire – 92 per cent
* South West – 89 per cent
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Aprime @ Apr 11th 2008 1:18PM
"Despite three out of four (72 per cent) of drivers saying they use their car as a status symbol – wanting other drivers to view it as a reflection of the owner's personality and success – 95 per cent admit they have no idea what they actually look like behind the wheel.* That is until now..."
That's f'ing sad.
tankd0g @ Apr 11th 2008 1:34PM
Must be a lot of depressed and disapointed people leaving that dealership. Some things are best left to your imagination.
MajorGeek @ Apr 11th 2008 2:40PM
It is sad. Read comments here that people make about myself and many others and the vehicles we drive to understand why some people react this way. This website, any website, I can not begin to name the things people have said about my vehicles that are personal attacks, not fact based or polite opinion based.
mk @ Apr 11th 2008 1:20PM
I swear, if people get any more shallow, this country will fold up on itself.
Do people honestly buy cars purely on how they look to other people in that car???
What about price? practicality? useability, value, good design, or anything else?
Does this car make my head look inflated?
Gag me. Narcissistic moron people. Consumption has become utterly mindless. I am a capitalist, and I am all for competition, and GM can do what it wants.
But why are the american people allowing themselves to be so damn shallow?
Aprime @ Apr 11th 2008 1:23PM
... This is the UK we're talking about, sir.
mk @ Apr 11th 2008 1:29PM
If the UK is like this, the US is at least as bad about it.
I love a lot of things about the United States, and I like most of what I hear about the UK.
But shallow people are not bound by international borders, and western civilization itself seems to be going in this direction...
Even if this story is about something in the UK, the US is also considering it, and there are plenty of other stories about narcissistic morons in the US, as well. Possibly even more of them. Take a look at hollywood, you can't even toss a gum wrapper without hitting half a dozen self absorbed people.
Disgruntled Goat @ Apr 11th 2008 1:24PM
Makes perfect sense. Brands define my identity so I need to know that my choice in transportation sufficiently portrays me as hip and successful. If it doesn't what will?
kamal @ Apr 11th 2008 1:29PM
how is 3/4 is 72% .. am i missing something?
Ferg @ Apr 11th 2008 1:46PM
Probably easier than saying 18 out of 25 people (18/25ths)
Larry @ Apr 14th 2008 6:59PM
OMG you are right!!! hes 3% off !!11!! It clearly should have been written as 18/25. This sort of sloppy journalism could lead to the downfall of western civilization, for shame autoblog!!
pacman @ Apr 11th 2008 2:46PM
72% - Ha, I was thinking the same thing!
Narcissism isn't what we need to worry about - crappy public education seems to be a far greater concern.
Joking aside, its just a stupid marketing gimmick for fun. I don't think it will be used by anyone to help in the decision making process. The "image" piece is thought out long before the consumer goes into the showroom. The dude that buys a Hummer knows how "cool" he will look with his rims and tint without needing to actually see himself in the vehicle from afar. Just as the Prius driver knows how "cool" they look in a sea blue gas sipper and an Obama and Apple sticker on back. And finally, just as the chic in the BWW 3 convertible just knows how her choice of Bavarian conveyance tells the world that she is better than the chic in a Cavalier.
Corey W. @ Apr 11th 2008 2:06PM
I think some of you are living in fantasy world!! You don't think most people, place at a high level, the design/look of a car when purchasing?!? This is the same thing....debating what a car looks like and how you look in it, is like arguing which state issued quarter is worth more?!?
There are "point A to point B" people that wouldn't care if their car was shaped like shoebox, as long as it carried more than 5 people, gets 40+ miles to the gallon, and using Consumer Reports as their ONLY source of automotive information.
Then there's the rest of us that....yeah, overall look and design is a big deal.
mirror image @ Apr 11th 2008 2:18PM
I do not think I want to know what I look like while driving my car. I would rather use my imagination to delude myself into thinking that a 62 year old guy with a gray beard driving around in a lowered red 2001 Acura Intergra GS-R with gunmetal alloys and a black type R front airdam looks really cool and not like a moron in need of a life.
AdamIke @ Apr 11th 2008 2:28PM
Mini did this a few years ago when they came back to the US market.
Like it or not, the facts are the facts and in the marketing world they are addressing a desire that consumers have, which in turn could sell more cars. It is a good idea, they are providing the opportunity for customers to see what they look like inside the car. It's actually too good of an idea for GM to think of first...
The whole program makes sense, it's no different than a mirror in a dressing room or one in a hat store. You want to see what you look like in it before you buy. If it makes sense for a $20 hat, how can it not for a $25,000 car??
KM...I think you getting upset about shallow people is not worth it. They are there, and they always will be as a product of the media, celebrities, TV, etc. Worry about other things you can control.
But I do have to ask...why are you the only commentor to have a picture of your car by your name? You must want everyone to know what car you have. Not too far off the narcissitic morons in the UK and US that want to see what they look like in the car before they buy it.
mk @ Apr 11th 2008 2:57PM
Anybody can have an avatar by their name. There are instructions on the site. you can make your avatar whatever you want to. Should I have a picture of YOUR car beside my name?
And enjoying a good looking, good driving car is different than obsessing about how one looks behind the wheel to other people.
In the former case, the object of appreciation is not one's self, and one doesn't make the purchase decision based on how the car makes "me" look.
I buy good looking cars, because I appreciate looking at cars, and good design, not because I give a flip about what I look like driving the thing.
I am simply voicing my disapproval at identity marketing. "You are this because you buy that." "Look what people will think of you if you buy this product."
It demeans people to assign self worth to a purchase decision. And people who assign their self worth by their purchases are SHALLOW. If their freinds are only amenable because of what car they drive, and how they look driving it, then they aren't freinds, and I wouln't want to associate with such superficial people.
There are more interesting people out there than those who determine worth by consumption of certain products. At least there are a few left, more and more of them are falling prey to madison avenue, and other marketing machines every day, year, and generation.
I don't feel the need to stand by and say nothing as that happens.
Marketing is a very useful tool, but it shouldn't be used to demean people, and make people comfortable in their shallow opinion of themselves, and others.
tek @ Apr 11th 2008 2:31PM
Doesn't surprise me...
This is why I am British but live in Canada.
MajorGeek @ Apr 11th 2008 2:42PM
I love older people puttering around in sports cars and the like. If they love it, why not, I think its awesome! Paint flames on your coffin as well, but until your in it, live it!
Phil @ Apr 11th 2008 3:10PM
At least there's aftermarket deep window tint for those who make the wrong choice...
CarbonBlack @ Apr 11th 2008 3:11PM
that was one FLY HONEY in those pics.
e90+335i @ Apr 11th 2008 3:18PM
"Does this tahoe make me look fat?"