Confessions of a reforming brandaholic and the importance of good PR

With great sadness I have found myself forced to say a sad goodbye to our long serving family car.

Unfortunately the cost of passing the MoT now exceeds its value, a familiar tale for many I’m sure.

[quote align=”right” color=”#999999″]my circumstances and needs were vastly different![/quote] Through misty eyes, I’ve had to remind myself though, that when I first picked her out, my circumstances and needs were vastly different!

Back then, I only needed a little run around with enough space to take my nearest and dearest on a smattering of trips. Fast-forward to present day and my needs have completely changed with the influx of children into my family.

If, like me, you are now a family of four, then it’ll soon hit you like something of an epiphany, that an estate is the only sensible option for growing needs.

So the next car I’m getting has to fit a number of criteria:

• Safe
• Fun to drive (Yes I’m a family driver, but I still need to feel a bit alive at the wheel!)
• Economical
• Practical
• Spacious
• Room for one more (You never know how many bundles of joy one will end up with!)

 

After some heated debate (one of the numerous pros of working at an automotive PR agency is that you’re never short of informed opinion to draw on!) I narrowed my search down to two manufacturers. The heart was beating for Audi’s A4 Estate whilst the head was contemplating Skoda’s Octavia VRS.

[quote align=”left” color=”#999999″]Brand snobbery was about to rear its ugly head[/quote] Both cars tick all those boxes so surely it should just be a choice between which offered the best bang for buck? Wrong! Brand snobbery was about to rear its ugly head.

The Skoda worked out, for my personal needs, to be a better fit in terms of safety, boot space, running costs and desired BHP. However I kept coming back to the fact that it was still a Skoda.

[quote align=”right” color=”#999999″]‘Nice Skoda Greg!’ they would tease[/quote] I just couldn’t get past the fact I would have to possibly explain and quantify my reasoning to any taunting friends – ‘Nice Skoda Greg!’ they would tease as I attempted to hide behind the wheel, distancing myself from the badge at the end of the bonnet.

So finally I spent a good amount of time poring over my favourite titles which contain automotive stats and news and I was thrilled to note that the Skoda Octavia is the recent recipient of a good many awards.

The Skoda’s perfect fitting of my wish list, coupled with these industry accolades, proved enough to finally tip the balance and have firmly stayed my hand from buying my next car simply on account of badge appeal.

I’m proud to say, with credentials such as these, I can say without a doubt that I’m a convert; my next car will be a Skoda!

Brand snobbery be dammed. Long live suitability, practicality and good PR!

Greg