This is a joke, right?

[yeller77]

http://www.thelotusf...obal-marketing/

[WayneB]

They could have saved themselves a fortune by using Karl Sharratt instead.

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

Think of the factory options though...

[Vulcan Grey]

Never heard of him...

Never heard of him...

[Gus82]

I HATE this sort of thing, it just seems like pure madness to me!

However...

As long as the real engineers and designers developing the cars know what they're doing then we will get great new Lotus', and this will probably help sell all the cars needed to fund their replacements.

I hope in the long term though they just stick to motorsport to promote the company!

[cazna52]

Good work at identifying your target market. Lets see how many of his fans can stop smoking weed for long enough to save up their unemployment payments for a few decades to get the down payment to upgrade from their skateboard to a Lotus car.

[karmavore]

Rappers don't drive cars like that.

Good work at identifying your target market. Lets see how many of his fans can stop smoking weed for long enough to save up their unemployment payments for a few decades to get the down payment to upgrade from their skateboard to a Lotus car.

Whoa.... bigoted old white man alert.

But yeah, this is retarded. Lotus wants to be like Ferrari and Porsche, right? So why don't they ask themselves if this sounds like something either of those two classy companies would do?

[Iconic Ride]

Where's Bob Marley when you really need him?

[Moxie]

Never heard of him...

Funny, I said the same thing about Dany Bahar, but regardless, I don't personally care if Swizz Beatz is a Norwegian Black Metal head. I just find it hard to believe that out of all the possible interested candidates out there, this guy would be the most suited. So to go to cazna52's comment, the only reasonable conclusion is that my assumptions are wrong and Swizz Beatz does in fact perfectly suit the target market...as envisioned by Dany. Why? Because today's rapper's minimum core competencies explicitly include the personal direction and/or involvement in marketing and ('scuse me while I suppress some bile when uttering this foul and vacuous word) branding, the latter of which is Dany's favorite word.

I'm sure it also doesn't hurt that Swizz Beatz's wife is Alicia Keys and plugs Lotus in to her crowd.

Wow. I just watched that video and words fail me. Actually, they don't, but I'd rather not skew too rancorous and some of them would get me kicked off TLF. So serious question--what exactly is this guy's function as "VP of Creative Design and Global Marketing"? I mean the "creative design" part. Or is he just going to phone in some ideas, take his wonga for awhile, and vanish in a year or two, apparently in a helicopter?

"I believe in what I say?" Is this guy kidding? As opposed to the rest of us? And Dany..."I think we have some cool and crazy ideas..." I'll say.

I really wish they'd just tone down the vacant branding babble, STF up, and focus on making cars that aesthetically and performance-wise clean everyone's clocks. All this babble just gets in the way of connecting with the cars. Or is actively off-putting.

And hats off to Bibs for his sober commentary on the press release.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Moxie

[molemot]

Barking. Totally barking....what possible relationship can there be between this chap and his support base and the target market for Lotus? Whatever they are paying him has to be wasted. A large amount of money does seem to be being frittered away rather than being spent on the core business of car design and manufacture.

[Exploded]

Just pimp my ride, baby....

Now once again, I ask who takes Bahar (still) even a little bit serious????

[Moxie]

John,

We're not the target market and I'd reckon you don't even know anyone who is any more. Me neither. If anything proves that point, this does. And the video...the potential for parody is almost irresistible. And I emphasize almost. Lotus staff standing...standing around hanging on his every word? Please. It's offensive to watch. Those people deserve better. And informed consumers...remember them?..."for those who know the difference"?...deserve better than to have Dany incessantly telling us "it's about _____". I think he's lost sight of the fact that he should be drawing attention to the product in a way that draws you in, cleanly and efficiently, without calling attention to the fact that he's trying to call attention to the product. I find his entire method one huge off-putting distraction. What it's "about" is I give you money, you give me the keys, and then get out of the damn way. After that, we decide for ourselves in our own contexts what it's about, namely our relationship to and experiences in our cars (not his abstract branding jive) and each other as enthusiasts.

They should take whatever they're paying Swizz Beatz, give half to Bibs since his Evora chronicles are actually honest and straightforward and devoid of blather--and thus persuasive--and at least in my case, directly contributing to a sale, and spend the rest on a selected focus group of non-target marketees who are old enough to give them an honest opinion as to why they're throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Skilful marketing would do a much better job of threading the needle to appeal to existing customers while going for new markets. All this crap is ego-wanking garbage.

And not one to be above ego-wanking garbage, I've taken a cue from the video and will now re-label my Google Calendar to describe my day in the following self-important manner:

• The Coffee
  
• The Commute
  
  • The Starting of the Car
    
  • The Turning off of the Car
    

  [*]The Meet(ing?)

  [*]The Vision (I need new glasses)

  [*]Clock Off (apparently by early/mid afternoon--whew--what a day!)

And don't forget--when someone tells you "The best thing to do is for things to happen organically," i.e., naturally, they should of course be bathed not in sunlight, but this, because, ya know, it's so organic looking...

I also like the commitment, dedication, and sense of presence I get from watching him walk the halls at Hethel while texting, surely about something other than Lotus.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Moxie

[cazna52]

Breaking News!

Group Lotus have announced a name change to Group Lotuz.

We look forward to the release of their new carz, the Ezprit, the Elize and all da other fully sik carz what will now haz spinnerz rimz... word dawg.

[ramjet]

Well look at it this way, if anyone can actually get people to like rap, they must be able to sell ice to eskimos, 'cos as far as I'm concerned, rap is rubbish.

And if it doesn't work, we can all sit around and say,

"Der goes da 'hood!"

[chandrew]

Surely he's only becoming an advisor to Lotus, in much the same way that Victoria Beckham is to Land Rover. He represents a sector which has proven to have (a) large purchasing power (b) massive commercial influence into the mass market. Let's face it, Lotus aren't going to hit the sales numbers that they need by continuing their past projection of just focussing on a smaller and smaller niche of niche enthusiasts. If Porsche did that they'd just be producing GT models in tiny numbers (well they wouldn't, they'd probably be bankrupt by now.)

As long as they continue to offer a good product I'll continue to support them.

[mdavies]

As the incredulous posts above............. and well said.

Those aspects of Lotus have now moved so far beyond my comprehension that I can make no relevant comment. Does anything else still exist in management's vision? One tiny suggestion.

Bibs, I propose that Lotus should look at the apparently simple, cheap Evora engine intake kit just announced by Radium. (Details on Evora Engine etc thread here.) Assuming it performs, endorsement within warranty could show an attitude and spirit that reflects that of the "old Lotus" that I, for one, bought into. Yes, I'm aware of the issues, but given the multi-millions being spent in other directions at present, some costs (even perhaps including a handful of warranty claims), could be hugely rewarding. It could show that there is still more to Lotus than image, media and marketing.

Edited August 16, 2011 by mdavies

[simonb]

Surely he's only becoming an advisor to Lotus, in much the same way that Victoria Beckham is to Land Rover. He represents a sector which has proven to have (a) large purchasing power (b) massive commercial influence into the mass market. Let's face it, Lotus aren't going to hit the sales numbers that they need by continuing their past projection of just focussing on a smaller and smaller niche of niche enthusiasts. If Porsche did that they'd just be producing GT models in tiny numbers (well they wouldn't, they'd probably be bankrupt by now.) As long as they continue to offer a good product I'll continue to support them.

Just because the yoof of Tottenham have new trainers and lots of flat screen tellies, does not mean they have purchasing power

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

Barking. Totally barking....what possible relationship can there be between this chap and his support base and the target market for Lotus? Whatever they are paying him has to be wasted. A large amount of money does seem to be being frittered away rather than being spent on the core business of car design and manufacture.

Werd.

[Moxie]

This guy is presumably adding value. But how exactly? What's he doing other than increasing overhead and the sticker price? If he's simply being brought in to do outreach to a new market segment, fine, and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he therefore warrants a marketing title. But "creative design"? By doing what?

More importantly, the video communicates nothing. It has no content and no message other than the impression that Lotus is a minor gig for him that doesn't warrant his full attention. Given the incredibly banal comments in the video I don't actually believe he's as shallow as portrayed. He's obviously not an idiot. But if he's so important and valuable for Lotus, how about actually letting the guy say something? Like put him in front of a camera for cuts longer than 5 seconds and let him communicate something interesting or that indicates his value. But "I feel like the key is to infiltrate the market in a cool way"?! Dany, if you're reading this, truly, for less money I can dish out advice twice as good.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Moxie

[Kimbers]

To the one voice here that seems to agree with this....Andrew....are you insane?

25 years of Motor Industry experience (not to mention growing up at Lotus and with MJK) and I don't think I have ever read anything so rediculous.

Just look at the press release:

1. Like Group Lotus , he means business: He’s a risk taker with considerable credentials including music producer, rapper, designer AND painter.
   

Like Group Lotus he means business....huh? He's a risk taker....How id he a risk taker? Cause he makes music? Does he spend £770 million he doesn't have on rediculous b and f list celebs and make one his VP? I know, lets ask him! "Excuse me Mr nobodyknowsyou, would you spend all of your own money and £700 mill of other peoples on making Mike Kimberley a Rap Star? No? I thought not."

Considerable credentials: Where? Where the Frickin hell does he have them cause I and 99% of people don't know him. P Diddy, now theres a rapper that people know. Wow...all his credentials really help him in his position at Lotus

2. Like our cars, he’s multi award winning: This year he shared a Grammy Award with Jay-Z

So's JK Rowlings and Peewee Herman. Does that make them qualified to be VP of "creative design" in a car company?

3. Like Group Lotus he keeps good company: This man regularly works with the likes of Bono, Kanye West, Beyoncé and Alicia Keys.

Firstly, some would say Lotus haven't been keeping good company recently having a string of B list celebs earn their appearance fee is hardly keeping company. And really? What does this have to do with making him good for the role?

Ferrari, Lambo and Porsche...the very companies Lotus are aiming at, would never do something this tackey, plainly rediculous and laughter inducing. I would think that the very companies who would have been worried to see Lotus getting investment and producing such award winning cars as the Evora are now sitting back relaxed in the safe knowledge that those making the decisions at Lotus are plainly insane.

Bibs's comments are restrained and pertinent. Luckily I don't have to be....WTF are you thinking and doing Mr Bahar? Is your idea box so empty that the only thing you can think of after claiming you "drive a Porsche cause you don't think the Evora is up to much" Live on Anglia TV news, is to get a rapper in (and pay him I presume) to help you creatively?

Well heres a few things you maybe didn't know:

Rappers come from the gangsta culture innit! Is that really the culture you want to be promoting your products to? Do you have suspension that jumps the car up and down and have an option to add the cars own body weight in a beat box, amps and speakers?

His last album bombed big time he was quoted as being "disappointed".

Kasseem was, according to press reports (and I quote them so you can't sue me!) being sued for $334,000 because he hasn't been supporting his first child and is behind on alimony payments. Nice figurehead there DB!! It was settled in full to avoid any legal nastyness.....oh...wait! Could he be employed to talk sense to certain people who keep spending millions on rediculous court cases?

OMG I could carry on getting mileage from this but the whole thing is just plainly so rediculous I'm gonna go to work with a huge smile on my face!!

[Moxie]

I did NOT do this, but has anyone checked the Wikipedia entry for him? Friggin' hilarious. Search for Lotus on the page. Again, not me. Never posted anything on Wikipedia.

[Kimbers]

Hahahaha. Now thats funny! I wouldn't have the foggiest how to post on there but thats really funny!!

[cazna52]

According to the IP our hero is someone in or near Wickford. I hope that entry lasts for a while, it is brilliant

[chandrew]

To the one voice here that seems to agree with this....Andrew....are you insane?

I might be insane but working in global branding I might understand where they're coming from.

So might BusinessWeek or all those folk like Mercedes - "Hip-hop is really a language of the younger generation and it's always great for a brand to be relevant with the younger or next generation of buyers," "Mercedes has sponsored events related to awards shows and hip-hop magazine parties. It really speaks to what our brand stands for — the success, status, aspirations."

Or Moet Hennessy "We appreciate that business. We want it. It's critical to our business success... We've never had any hesitation or reservation about embracing the hip-hop community." (source)

But I suppose that you folk all know lots more about marketing than the brand folk at some of the most successful global companies whose careers depend on the decisions they make and who have the data to show that association with rap music works.

As the saying goes: “The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success.”

[molemot]

I think that the passage of time will show the success or otherwise of these "branding" efforts....I consider it likely that heads will roll in the aftermath.

Interestingly, the dictionary definition of "Swizz" is "a fraud....a great disappointment"......!