A Lucrative Direction for Automakers Automobiles have traditionally been regarded as a "men's" product. More men than women are interested in vehicles for their own sake, buying auto magazines and attending car shows. Automotive ads aimed at men have long had a tone indicating that, in Maslow's hierarchy of needs (Gwynne, 1997), the focus of the sales message is esteem. Cars are presented as power fantasies, sometimes with women draped lasciviously over them (Craig, 1992, p. 7). The names of American SUVs, such as Durango and Tahoe, evoke the Wild West.
However, women in fact account for a large proportion of the automotive market. Moreover, women are undoubtedly a factor in automotive purchasing decisions by married men; the husband may sign