So today I was in conversation with a dealer (who shall remain nameless) He was just doing his job and following up on a previous interest I'd registered in a DVT, I mentioned that the Black Horse pcp deals were fairly poor comparatively speaking against the competition and I was still weighing up whether to bother going the same route, I found the lack of ability to play with the figures off putting tbh especially when 'other' manufacturers actually massage numbers to suit you, not suit them as Black Horse seem to do. OK so nothing surprising there, Black horse are indeed fairly crap. However he then went on to try and push the Ducati by citing that buying a Ducati is a lifestyle choice, they're a lifestyle brand and people buy them with their heart......that's why competitive products are cheaper he said ......or why better finance packages are available Apart from the obvious chuckle at the time it got me thinking................WTF does that cod shit even mean? Can a 'lifestyle' really be sold? If so I'm dying to know who's got a free 'lifestyle' that they got when only buying a Ducati? Do fully grown Adults really fall for that? I mean what's changed for you personally since owning a Ducati, are you more popular, sexier, more intelligent, interesting? Don't you find it actually more off putting that the brand you love is now being pitched on its 'lifestyle' strength more so than it's pedigree and actual ability?
I'm a fair bit poorer. I seem to care less about my appearance, fitness and diet. My family and friends see me less. I'm really dull in conversation unless you are talking about torque settings and timing belts. Not sure it was a great life style choice to be honest.
I think the sort answer is Yes, adults do fall for that, marketing works, but only up to a point; maybe you are beyond that point No doubt they will lose some customers but will probably gain many more, aren't Ducati sales significantly up this year ?
Of course marketing works..........................................why else would anyone drink Coca Cola? And yes Ducati UK sales are up 35% on last year!
All corporate bollox and totally off putting . Unless of course you are not to be put off buying buying one because you like and can afford one and couldn't give a flying phuque what anyone else thinks. Surely the best way to be .
Everything we say, do or wear says something about who we are, it is unavoidable. What does @gliddofglood have to say ?
Whilst I agree that what the dealer was saying is cheesy as f*ck! He is kind of right in my opinion, there is something different about owning a ducati, coming from Japanese, the whole experience of owning one is different. I didn't buy one for that reason, but certainly when people ask what I ride and I say Ducati, or Panigale, they get pretty excited. I also get people breaking their necks to look at it, which has never really happened on any other bike. Also found that other Ducati owners, like to come over and have a chat etc. So I can buy the whole 'Lifestyle' crap.
When my regional operations manager found out I owned never mind rode a Ducati I suddenly became his best friend and was given respect from regional colleagues Spent half hour talking about ownership of a Ducati Those who know what a Ducati suddenly become interested I have had an "impressed" or two from a couple of male persons So yes you can sell a Ducati "lifestyle" I believe
Hope this doesn't make you a target for robbers, blackmailers and kidnappers, Steve. Not wanting to worry you or anything.
.....when in reality, you are that strange (peculiar) chap that we find creeping around in the bogs with a bucket and mop......:wink:
Perhaps i am beyond Perhaps i am beyond that point, maybe I'm all the better for it, maybe I'm not. Call me cynical but I'm a great believer in people not being able to buy 'cool' If you can buy in to it, or other people seem to rate you and become your best friend due to buying 'it'..........Then whatever 'it' is, neither they or the thing you purchased is in fact 'cool' I'm just becoming acutely aware that Ducati seem to becoming more style over substance ........obviously the caveat to that would be the 939 exhausts....... or indeed a skateboard attached to a 400cc scrambler.......... neither of which scream style Don't get me wrong, I still love my Ducati's, not all, but some. However to be told that 'the' reason why a particular PCP deal is more expensive is due to the fact the bike I'm interested in is a 'Lifestyle product' actually made me not want it even more. Especially when all bikes being compared are the same buy price before you run PCP deal
That's because you have already been there done that got the tshirt and the book The unsuspecting can be tempted into buying into the brand I certainly was smitten without looking anywhere else Owning a Ducati willed me on to passing my test No other brand passed my eyes
Me too actually, a Monster S2R was my first 'big bike' after the RDlc 125, those were the days still, back then Ducati were different, yes they still broke down but it seemed cooler to own one then as they weren't ramming it down everybody throats, nowadays I'm just not liking the marketing angle they take. Im not even old for christ sake, I'm still the better side of 40..... (thats less than 40)
