The psychology behind the success of the Corvette brand
Beyond the roaring engine and the car itself, what is it that has made Chevrolet's Corvette the enduring success it is today?
1. All-American, all the time
Chevrolet's market slogan for a long time went "Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet." Which created an association between the brand and other icons of American culture, striking the heart of what comes to mind at the mention of the American Dream itself. At the top of the heap when it come to the All-American Chevy is the one and only American sports car, and star of many a dream, the Corvette. Chevrolet have taken steps to retain their American brand identity, and it has gone a long way towards preserving the authenticity of the Corvette and the rest of their line. For instance, rather than outsource, Corvette production has remained in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which is as heartland American as you can possibly get.
As an added bit of trivia, Corvette's team took that marketing slogan to heart when they added an Easter egg in the 1996 C4. Underneath the carpet, stamped into the metal floor, are symbols of the hot dog, baseball and apple pie were included, next to the Chevy bowtie.
2. The Corvette is a fixture in pop culture
The Corvette's perennial presence in TV and film, as well as the reference in pop songs such as Prince's "Little Red Corvette" provide the Corvette brand with unpaid advertising in the most innocuous (and therefore effective) of ways. There is a ton of media that people are consuming voluntarily, all with the same resounding message: "The Corvette is cool." Not that Chevrolet needs a lot of propaganda to get that point across, but its fixture in pop media is a huge part of what lifted it from vehicle to cult icon.
3. Sharp aesthetics sell themselves
Promising specs will satisfy the gearheads, but the average consumer seems more engaged by the look of a sports car, rather than the sporting performance. Because of that, much of Corvettes mythic appeal is simply due to the look. In this regard, Corvette have always set themselves apart with bold designs that look considerably more distinctive than your garden variety roadster.
4. Chevy pay respects to history
Even if the Corvettes of today bear little resemblance with the vintage ones from the 1950s, the gradual evolution of the Corvette to the current high-performance beast we know today enjoys a boost from its historical pedigree. The National Corvette Museum is arguably the most significant car museum dedicated to a nameplate. The museum at Bowling Green, Kentucky has captured the entire span of Corvette's 60+ year history under one roof. Organizing the exhibit by generation, patrons get a sense of the direct lineage between the crude, but too-cool classics, and the 'Vettes of today. This indirect nostalgia does wonders to boost the public's perception of subsequent models.
5. Some things just happened organically
At the end of the day, the powerful Corvette culture makes one wonder: How much of this was orchestrated by Chevrolet themselves? Oftentimes, fan culture and popular perception will take a life of their own, above and beyond what the marketing and advertising sets out to do. When that happens, it's up to the brand to embrace the fandom and run with the current. Corvette's rich community and all-American vibe are a warm addition to the impressive looks and performance specs the car can offer. Even if the fan culture is homegrown, it's still kudos to Chevrolet for crafting a vehicle that inspires such passion in its owners.
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