Dodge Gets Social

Dodge is finding a new way to make buying a car fun and a family affair again.  The company has entered 2013 with a revamped strategy with clear intentions of mashing social with automobile purchasing.  With the introduction of the 2013 Dodge Dart, Dodge has created the Dodge Dart registry.  The registry functions the same as a wedding registry.  A consumer announces that they intend to buy a Dodge Dart vehicle and through family and friends, find sponsors to pay money towards a specific portion of the car.  I really like this new concept introduced by Dodge.  First, they break away from their traditional SUV or truck models of vehicles and create a fresh fuel-efficient, and smaller vehicle.  The marketing team at Dodge has set the stage for the Dart to enter the category of "My First Car..," alongside the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.  But Dodge gives the Dart an edge.  Through the registry system, it's no longer unreasonable to ask for money towards a car.  Friends and family have access to the prices of the various components of the Dart.  Therefore, if sponsoring the $300 steering wheel was too pricey, now your grandma can opt for something cheaper.   All in all, this social registry delivers two things.  First, it gives Dodge extra publicity and exposure to the public.  Each Dart registry can be uploaded to Facebook and passed around to friends in order to increase car sponsorships.  Second, creating the registry provides a sense of community.  Each friend and family member can feel like they are all reaching toward a common goal and know exactly what their contribution was applied to.  Time will tell if this social campaign is a hit.  But I definitely see this method of buying a car being applied more often in the future.