At least they understood

These old sales training films sometimes (but not always) treated the Conservative Prospect as undesirable and the Step-up Prospect and Luxury Prospect as desirable. Ford tended to hold the Conservative Prospect in slightly higher esteem.

But they all recognized that PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT. The companies made DIFFERENT MODELS to qualify the DIFFERENT PROSPECTS.

Ford’s three series showed their attitude.

Mainline for Conservative Prospects implied that simplicity was the norm. Of course the Model T was strictly and solely for Mainline types, especially farmers. The company didn’t offer three status types until 1939. GM and Chrysler played the hierarchy game from the start.

Customline for Step-up Prospects implied status seeking, and in the ’50s Custom was also associated with hotrods and racing.

Fairlane was named after Henry’s estate. Nuff said.

= = = = =

Modern corporations have lost the understanding of genes. They openly and loudly disdain the Conservative Prospect and aim solely at Luxury Prospects as currently understood.

Bud Light made this mistake and couldn’t afford it. Busch didn’t have Mainline, Customline and Fairlane series inside Bud Light. Bud Light is Mainline, and it was previously targeted at the Conservative Prospect.

Luxury Prospects have ALWAYS been sexually broad-minded, to put it delicately. This part is NOT new. Aristocrats can afford to be loose. When the one series explicitly rejected the Conservative Prospects, the Prospects responded with mutual rejection.

The financial source of this one-sided marketing is also old. Ford was ABLE to respect Mainline types because it was NOT in the stock market. Ford didn’t let Wall Street determine its fate until 1956, after it had solidly established three brands and three series inside each brand. GM and Chrysler depended on Wall Street from the start, so their sales pitches were aimed primarily at Luxury Prospects. Chevy tried to look like Cadillac and Plymouth tried to look like Imperial.

Modern corporations have disconnected entirely from profits, so they no longer feel any pressure to even recognize Mainline types.

Later thought: Even pricing assumes everyone is a Luxury Prospect. All houses are priced like mansions now, and all cars are priced like limos. There’s no longer a Mainline car or a Starter house.