Nielsen research shows that green marketing by auto companies continues to have a positive effect on consumer perceptions with 51 percent of consumers reporting that green marketing initiatives increased their consideration of the product. This is up 24 percent compared to 2010. Social media discussion about auto makers’ green marketing initiatives has also been more positive this year with a 44 percent increase in positive discussion versus 2010.

“Our research identifies how effective auto manufacturers are in raising awareness of their green products, initiatives, and innovations,” said Lois Miller, President, Nielsen Global Automotive. “We can then understand if they were able to change perceptions and consideration in a positive way among consumers.”

“We are thrilled that Nielsen Automotive has again chosen the Los Angeles Auto Show to host its increasingly important Green Marketer of the Year Award,” said Brendan Flynn, Director of Communications for the Los Angeles Auto Show. “Nielsen’s award provides an accurate and important gauge for auto makers and makes a perfect addition to the green story at the LA Show.”

Methodology
To determine the finalists and winner, Nielsen leveraged three research studies to incorporate awareness levels and perceptions across media types. The studies included:

• A custom survey of nearly 7,000 consumers’ cross-media awareness and perceptions of environmental messages by automotive brand
• Response data from 2.5 million viewers of national television advertising collected by Nielsen’s ad effectiveness measurements service, focusing on green automotive ads
• Measuring social media “buzz” sentiment within green-related discussion threads

Auto manufacturers that ran any national TV ads with “green” themes between October 2010 and September 2011 were eligible for consideration.

Some insights on the Insight

The 2010 Honda Insight is having a tough time breaking out of the Prius’ shadow as the majority of consumers often compare the two vehicles. However, keep in mind that the Honda Insight just came on the market in March 2009 while the Toyota Prius has been around for roughly 10 years. Buzz generated by the Insight’s release in March was no comparison to the attention it gained at the Paris & Detroit Auto Shows.

Shoppers, Buyers and Rejecters are turning to Twitter to tweet about their intentions and experiences. Thus far, the 2010 Honda Insight is outpacing both the 2010 Prius and 2010 Ford Fusion on Twitter.

Which hybrid has the most “positive” charge?

2010 Honda Insight online discussion is driven primarily by comparisons to the Toyota Prius. Price is frequently referenced as the Insight’s selling point; however, some do not feel that the difference in price makes up for the Insight’s lower MPG rate (compared to the 2010 Prius) or perceived lack of features. When diving into the topics surrounding the conversations around the Insight and Prius to gauge sentiment, the Insight created a more polarized view.

If consumers regularly evaluate the Insight as a potential “Prius Killer,” the Insight may fail to emerge with a unique reputation, divorced from the Prius. The perception that the design of the Insight is too similar to that of the Prius highlights the belief that the Prius is the gold standard to which all other hybrids must aspire. Insight and future hybrid cars will have to keep an eye not only on the road, but also the web to help shape the conversations of the new breed of hybrid shopper.