Study Shows New Aphrodisiac, And It Will Make Your Engines Roar

BY: 

Dave Forde
May 24, 2012

We have all heard the saying “Sex Sells,” well according to The CarCourting Report which was commissioned by autoTRADER.ca, more than one in three Canadians (36 percent), including almost 40 percent of women and close to 50 percent of young Canadians under 35 report driving a sexy car makes them feel more attractive.

Move over chocolates and oysters, there is a new aphrodisiac in town.

“Canadians really didn’t hold back in this study, showing us that although choosing a car might seem like a wholly rational decision, emotion and even social implications are a major influence on Canadian car buyers,” said Ian MacDonald, Director of Marketing, Trader Corporation. “We discovered that people not only judge others on the type of car they drive, they also internalize their choices – cars appear to be a key part of how we identify ourselves personally.”

The study also found that a full 61 percent of Canadians admitted they would even walk awayfrom purchasing the car of their dreams if it wasn’t the right colour! Moreover, 41 percent believe people should drive cars that match their personality. This figure jumps to 47 percent among young Canadians under 35 years of age for whom image is clearly a more important consideration. One in five Canadians even go as far as agreeing that people should drive cars that match their appearance.

Based on such personality matching, survey respondents assigned the following cars to some of our most-loved Canadian celebrities (based on the most popular vote):

  • Ryan Gosling would be a macho Ford Mustang
  • Shania Twain would be a stylish BMW 3 Series
  • Wayne Gretzky would be an active Subaru Forester
  • Pamela Anderson would be a status-seeking Porsche 911
  • Alanis Morissette would be an environmentally-friendly Toyota Prius
  • Michael Bublé would share the limelight with Ms. Twain as a stylish BMW 3 Series

To help Canadians find their own perfect match, autoTRADER.ca has created a Facebook app, dubbed ‘The autoLYZER’, concepted by DDB Canada and promoted by its integrated groups, Tribal DDB Toronto, Radar DDB and DDB Public Relations. This unique app helps Canadians discover three automobiles which are for sale onautoTRADER.ca at that moment in time, best suited to their personality and social life. The app analyzes real-time data via Facebook, looking at an individual’s lifestyle, interests, social activities, and Facebook friends’ opinions via existing posts, to help narrow down which cars would be the best fit for him or her personally. All in a matter of seconds!

Canadians are social shoppers, often turning to family and friends for purchase recommendations.

“This study confirmed our hypothesis that the car-buying process is a very social and emotional one today,” said MacDonald. “Sixty-four percent of Canadians said they would seek out advice from friends and family when car shopping; our new autoLYZER app leverages the latest technology to assist in that exact need – to give Canadians that kind of advice and present them with real cars for salefrom autoTRADER.ca’s 389,000 current listings.”

Survey data also revealed that more than 7 in 10 Canadians polled (71 percent) said they were not in love with their current ride. But by no means are we a country of quitters! When it comes to courting cars, the majority of Canadians (58 percent) report being polygamists – admitting they would test drive many different makes and models before settling on the car they like best. So Canada, what car best matches your personality?

Join your peers!

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Dave Forde


Dave “The Connector” Forde has been involved in the marketing, public relations and technology industry across Canada for over 20 years in various sales and marketing roles, he launched The Connected One network of business sites which connects buyers to the right sellers. Profectio and PR In Canada covers news about the marketing and public relations industry each day helping professionals advance their career and businesses. He also serves as an advisor to a number of businesses across the country. Find Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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