Q: What do these names have in common: Caliber, Pacifica, Aspen?

A: They are all current products from the Chrysler Corporation.

Never heard of them? Not surprising.

In the past, every XY American would certainly know the names of all contemporary Chrysler products.

To this day, many still remember the Charger, GTO and Barracuda (pictured), for example.

These models were from the all-important ‘muscle car’ era. Muscle cars were important because guys liked them. More importantly, guys thought women liked them. However, most important by far, was that muscle cars represented a collection of intangible brand assets collectively and contemporarily known as lifestyle.    

It’s ironic that Chrysler has the solution to their woes way back in the 1960s with lifestyle marketing.

Today, the principle of intangibles drives (sorry) the vast majority of all product management including style, features, mileage, etc.

Toyota got the intangible principle cold in the early in 1990s. They focused really hard on engineering ‘fun’ into their offerings. Arrogant executives in Detroit ignored it, others were dumbfounded, in denial.

In its remarkable early ‘90s masterstroke, Toyota changed-the-rules from the quality-focus of the 1980s to today’s intangible focus -- overnight.

Detroit never caught up.   

This week Subaru introduced their new global marketing approach with this Q & A: – “What makes a Subaru a Subaru? Love.”

Hunh? Love? Yep.

Brilliant use of The Intangible Principle.

Chrysler is now bankrupt. Here are the main reasons for its crisis –

·         Tangible focus

·         Union excess

·         Corporate narcissism

Those are the biggies that everyone denies. There is a lot of revolting doublespeak about the Chrysler disaster. Mealy-mouthed politicians, greedy union bosses and overweening US auto executives cling to ridiculous, flimsy excuses for their profound failures. It's pathetic.

The word is out, on the street. Adopt The Intangible Principle or get in the fast lane to oblivion!