Listening Blog Post

The brand I decided to do some research on was Rivian. Rivian is a new car manufacturer that produces electric cars and trucks. When looking on Rivian's social media platforms, I saw a couple of people who wanted different options for their car's interior. Some of the options the consumers were wanting were a Carmel/tan interior instead of plain black. Another thing consumers were wanting was different options when it comes to the technology inside of the vehicle, people are wanting lane assist, better stereos, and other technological advances. Overall, their social media had lots of good reviews when it comes to customers. Most of the comments I stumbled upon were praising the company and wanting them to keep up the good work. 

Rivian's value proposition is to keep the world adventurous forever. They believe there is a more responsible way to explore the world and are determined to make the transition to sustainable transportation an exciting one. They have designed emission-free electric adventure vehicles to challenge what's possible.

Like I said above, most of the comment sections have a good "vibe" to them. I looked through multiple posts and wasn't coming crossed anyone talking bad about the company or bringing up things that go wrong on said vehicle. One example of a positive comment was from "neilsee", he stated "Props to everyone that is putting work into creating these vehicles". There were other comments that had a similar message but this one got the point across relatively easily. Another quote that I came upon was from "sdmsgsc180731". He stated " Rivian makes hands down gorgeous trucks!! I need to get rid of my Tesla." Now I don't think Rivian's idea was to take customers away from Tesla but people seem to like what Rivian is doing with their products and vehicles. Tesla is definitely one of Rivian's biggest competitors but both companies have their own thing that makes them different from each other. One final comment that I found off Rivian's Instagram was from "jcpatts". He stated "I'm not a pickup guy, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want this." This comment shows that Rivian is changing the truck game. People who aren't truck guys now are interested in what the Rivian truck has to offer.

The main products Rivian are trying to sell are its electric SUV and its electric Truck. Most of their Instagram posts are pictures of their truck in the wilderness. They show the truck in the snow, woods, and on the beach. Their main message is getting people outdoors and to be more adventurous in their daily lives. Rivian's Instagram also shows the different interior colors, different options that are offered, and also when the trucks will be ready for purchase. Overall, their Instagram is full of photos of their truck driving off-road and being used as an "off-roader".

Rivian's overall product is remarkable. No other car manufacturer has an electric truck or an electric SUV that seats seven people. Some other things that make the truck remarkable is design of it and also the features that the truck offers. Rivian uses storytelling when advertising its new vehicles. They tell the consumers what they should be ready for and what the buyers should be excited about. The one marketing challenge that Rivian faces are they are new to this market. Their trucks are going to have some flaws and quarks that will eventually need to be addressed. With every new car manufacturer comes problems with their products, no car comes off the assembly line perfectly. As their brand gets more recognition, Rivian will see more increases in sales and also see more positive reviews from their customers. Overall, I believe they are succeeding in some aspects. One aspect being they are new to the business and have a lot of room to improve. Another aspect is they are the first company to produce a fully electric pickup truck with a five-foot bed. In all, Rivian seems to be somewhat successful in the small time they have been a thing. With more time will come more sales and a better reputation for the company. 

Most of the comments that were on their social media were answered by someone from the company. When one customer asked whether they have different interior color options, Rivian responded saying "as we produce more and more vehicles, we will also come out with more interior color options". As of right now they only have two options, one being a basic black, and the other being a forest green. Personally, I would rather have a tan/caramel interior instead of forest green. With Rivian responding to their customers, then customers will feel better about buying a product from them. It makes people feel good when the company responds to them while answering their questions/concerns. 

If I was the brand manager of this company I would change the way they market their vehicles. Most of their posts consist of the truck in some place that people would never be able to get to. Such as mountains and beaches that normal consumers wouldn't be able to access. If I was to respond to customers, I would ensure that most of the questions are answered in a timely fashion and that they are fully answering the questions that are being asked. If a customer had any sort of problem, I would ensure that their problem is solved to the best of our capabilities. Overall, I would be a customer first mentality where the customer is never wrong. 

In conclusion, I learned many new things about how to market vehicles and also how to deal with problems. When Rivian first came out it had some flaws that made customers question whether they should buy this vehicle or not. But with a good work ethic and a good set of employees, you will be able to solve these problems relatively quickly.