Dacia says its hot water bottles poke fun at other manufacturers that charge a subscription to access in-car features.
Subscription services are something plenty of industries offer – gyms, streaming sites and even our evo Australia magazine can be subscribed to. However, budget car brand Dacia has decided to highlight its opposition to some car companies offering subscriptions for in-built car features by offering free hot water bottles.
Anyone is welcome to collect a Dacia-branded hot water bottle between 1 and 2 February at the Dacia showrooms. While that might not be applicable in Australia right now, Dacia’s parent company Renault is planning to launch the brand here by 2025 as a potential disruptor.
The not-so-subtle reason for the Romanian brand’s choice of hot water bottles to spearhead its marketing stunt could well be BMW’s controversial decision to offer heated seats on some of its models through a monthly subscription. Dacia actually goes as far to call the hot water bottles “heated seat saviours”.
Luke Broad, Dacia Brand Director for the UK said: “Asking someone to pay extra to activate factory-fitted equipment certainly isn’t Dacia. Whether consumers view heated seats as essential or not, our commitment to value and a fuss-free ownership experience means that we will only ever ask them to push a button to enjoy them.”
BMW also offers heated steering wheels on a monthly subscription so perhaps we’ll see Dacia come out with free gloves next.