Mitsubishi Missing the Message

Mitsubishi 'street racing' ad reviewed

Mitsubishi Motors Canada's recent ad featuring their rally-inspired 2008 Lancer has created controversy in the GTA with the recent rash of highway crashes caused by street racing. This article released today gives light to the controversy and the PR move by Mitsubishi in considering to "review" the commercial after its current advertising run. However, no mention is made by the Mitsubishi Motors representative to the effect of removing elements promoting street racing in future ads. Mitsubishi Motors finds itself in the position to choose between appeasing the public outcry against its marketing strategy or alienating its youth market by downplaying the company's "racing heritage". The simple move of putting an end to the ad and any future promotion of street racing is more far-fetched than most would think. For years, Subaru and Mitsubishi battled head-to-head for pole position in the World Rally Circuit. Both companies have boasted in the past for having a proud rally heritage and both have established a reputation for importing some of the most underrated "pocket-rockets" on the car market today. The well-publicized and scrutinized release of 2001's "The Fast and the Furious" film, launched both companies into a new stratosphere in the eyes of both hardcore and casual racing enthusiasts. Both companies benefited from this, seeing their sales in the US soar. Mitsubishi Motors received such high demand for their cars that they decided to bring the brand north of the border in 2002 to steal some of the market share from rival Subaru. The difference between the two companies today? Mitsubishi promotes its vehicles through its racing history. Subaru's marketing strategy focuses on its all-wheel drive technology and the winter capabilities of such models as the Forester and Legacy. If Subaru can survive without promoting their racing models like the WRX or WRX STi to the public in their ads, Mitsubishi should be able to as well. "Under review" = Sweeping the controversy under the rug. Street racing is a problem that no company should be proud to promote and as we've seen over the years, it often claims the lives of the most undeserving and unwilling of participants in crashes. That's one aspect of the subject that no company should be proud to promote.


Jamie C
Summer Coordinator
Student Life NOW!