The Toyota Prius.
It’s a polarising car.
Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson called it ‘hideously ugly’.
So how did it become the best selling car in California? And the obvious car choice for greenies around the world?
It didn’t get there because of its looks…
Or did it?
Toyota designed the Prius very intentionally.
Despite what you may think, Toyota didn’t run out of budget when it came time to work on the car’s looks.
Ever since Toyota first launched the model it has always stood out as futuristic - ahead of its time.
It screams ‘different’ in a way that makes everyone ask what it is. It’s ‘green’.
So it became the obvious leader of the eco-friendly car category.
Early adopters of green cars don’t care so much about fancy looks - they care more about being green. If anything they’re happy to be driving around in a statement car to outwardly signal their most important values.
It’s also a viral car. Being strange helps with word of mouth growth - and people notice it on the roads.
That’s how Toyota effectively dominated all the other (better looking) hybrid cars.
Disclaimer: I have a Prius and could count on my hand how many times people have said it’s a nice looking car.
Toyota designed the Prius very intentionally.
Despite what you may think, Toyota didn’t run out of budget when it came time to work on the car’s looks.
Ever since Toyota first launched the model it has always stood out as futuristic - ahead of its time.
It screams ‘different’ in a way that makes everyone ask what it is. It’s ‘green’.
So it became the obvious leader of the eco-friendly car category.
Early adopters of green cars don’t care so much about fancy looks - they care more about being green. If anything they’re happy to be driving around in a statement car to outwardly signal their most important values.
It’s also a viral car. Being strange helps with word of mouth growth - and people notice it on the roads.
That’s how Toyota effectively dominated all the other (better looking) hybrid cars.
Disclaimer: I have a Prius and could count on my hand how many times people have said it’s a nice looking car.
Think your product is already different from the competition? Brainstorm ways to make it wilder.
If you need help thinking outside the box, Google the ’11 Star Experience by the founders of AirBnB’.
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