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How Is Scion Addressing Its Target Market With Regard To Positioning And The Product Itself?

How is Scion addressing its Target Market with regard to Positioning and the Product itself?

Positioning is the act of designing Scion's offering and image, to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of Generation Y Consumers, whom are the Target Market. (Kotler, Keller, 2006, p. 310)

The people in Scion's Target Demographic, the 17% of Generation Y whom Marketers consider to be Trendsetters, tend to be all too aware of the car company's attempts to market to them. Even before Scion's cars were actually on the street, Scion was publicly hinting about how it was going to be the first car company to capture this elusive group of consumers, which are described as "early 20s, male, ethnic."

What may seem counterintuitive is that many in this group do not seem to mind. They go to Scion promotions because the events are usually free and feature artists and musicians they like. If a Scion logo just happens to be printed on a flier, so be it.

By Positioning Music and Art and another category, like film, Scion is getting that 17% Generation Y Trendsetters by way of their Lifestyle Interests, and not necessarily by way of selling the vehicles themselves. For example, Toyota markets the Scion at music events, and have Showrooms at the events, specifically designed with the youth atmosphere and environment, as opposed to just having a car to look at.

The strategy seems to be working because in 2004, its first full year on the market, Scion had the lowest average buyer's age (35) in the automotive industry, and sold around 100,000 customized cars. Whether the company's subtly aggressive Lifestyle Marketing campaign can take all the credit is debatable, but most industry observers agree that it certainly does not harm the Brand's reputation. (Kotler, Keller, 2006, p. 397)

Advertising professionals realize that the heart of any campaign is the product and the position it holds in people's minds, which is the whole idea of Positioning. Products and...