Portland Scion Dealer Highlights New Advertising Campaign

Berlin City Scion, one of your top Maine Scion dealers would like to share with you Scion’s new advertising campaign, which is reaching out to a new demographic.

When Toyota introduced its sub-brand in 2000, it was touted as a car for first-time buyers aged 18 to 24, and over the years has used its own record label, ties to film, guerrilla marketing and even forehead ads to reach its youthful target.

But the credit crunch and scarcer jobs among its core demographic are leading to a tougher sales challenge — Scion sales peaked in 2006, when 173,000 cars were sold and dropped to 45,000 last year, according to Automotive News. So the automaker is launching a TV and video push aimed at broadening its target market to 18- to 34-year-olds featuring a rather unlikely spokesman — the Greek god Zeus — for its tC model, which accounts for roughly half of its total sales.

In commercials, which premier June 27 from AD agency Attik, “Zeus” is seen fraternizing with mortals. Attik has also created video vignettes from outtakes it hopes will go viral from the commercial’s filming for the limited-edition tC Release Series vehicle, due in July.   So if you are looking for a Scion tc for, Berlin City Scion, your Maine Scion dealer has a great selection.

The Scion brand was supported with $20 million in measured media last year, according to Kantar Media, compared to $888 million for Toyota and $211 million for Lexus during that time.

Scion’s had a history of cutting-edge marketing, and it’s in dire need of a winning strategy, as the initial appeal of the boxy car has faded, said Rick Mathieson, who runs a marketing consulting firm and wrote about Scion in his book, “The On Demand Brand.” He said portraying Scion as a car of the gods and using Zeus is a creative idea was a good way to appeal to the demographic. But he cautioned that even the cleverest campaign could fail.  We would love to get some feedback from Portland Scion enthusiasts on what you think of the new advertising campaign.   Check out the video above and let us know.

Paul Seredynski, senior editor of Edmunds Auto Observer, said Scion has raised to an art form marketing “to the generation that doesn’t want to be marketed to.” While he generally finds the company’s marketing efforts impressive, he said viral marketing hasn’t successfully translated to sales among Scion’s younger buyers. And no matter how dazzling the approach, it will be difficult to confront the obstacles that Scion has faced, where smaller sales volumes have made it a lower priority brand. This combined with Toyota’s recalls and complications from the earthquake, have all served to weigh heavy on the brand.

Berlin City Scion, located in Portland, has a great selection of new and used vehicles to choose from.  However, if you are not looking to purchase a new or used car at this point but have one to sell, we’ll buy it!

Our Portland used car inventory is drastically low; therefore, we offer a We’ll Buy program that will take that unused car off your hands.  With this program we make selling your used vehicle easy by providing quick and up-front appraisals. We’ll get you the highest trade in value on your car, or buy it out right from you.

2012 Scion iQ Price: $16,115	2012 Scion xD Price: $16,875	2012 Scion xD Price: $16,875	2012 Scion tC Price: $20,305
2012 Scion xB Price: $17,980	2012 Scion tC Price: $20,305

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