Does the “Budget Rolls-Royce” Need a Little PR Help?

Posted on March 24, 2009 | Tags: pr, public relations

Some press are reporting Rolls-Royce’s new smaller, less expensive model is the company’s response to the world-wide recession, even calling it the “Recession Rolls.” The facts are that current economic circumstances have nothing to do with the development of the 200EX.

Rolls-Royce has been working on the smaller, less expensive model for the last few years and announced in 2006 that it would be released in 2010. The car will sell for around $250,000, about $100,000 less than its standard model. Its designer predicted the car would be purchased by those who owned the larger model but preferred to also drive a smaller one, comparing the ownership to having a tuxedo and a business suit.

Since tracking media consumption by ultra high net-worth individuals is difficult, the brand’s PR firm has engaged non-traditional advertising and customer events for its strategy. Fine, but when a company like Rolls-Royce releases a brand new model at the Geneva car show, the PR needs to ensure major press like the Wall Street Journal

Baby Rolls

have the story straight. After all, the section reporting on the car in the WSJ was The Wealth Report, who dubbed it the “budget Rolls-Royce. And that readership and publication does reach high net worth individuals.

The poor coverage probably won’t affect sales to that market. But hey, why not have Rolls-Royce PR coverage?

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