THE BIG 4 LUXURY CAR BRANDS A look into Brand Positioning & Driver Imagery By Dan Pankraz

Dan Pankraz Senior Planner, DDB Youth Planning Specialist B ut also LOVE cars

danpankraz.wordpress.com

WHAT I DID TO ANALYSE AUDI, BMW, MB AND LEXUS Test drove a BMW 325i, Lexus IS250, Audi A4 S Line and Mercedes Benz C200, all cars were in the $80-100k price range Wrote letters to dealers and asked them to send me back information on the cars. Spent time on social media sites analysing content/ads Browsed car forums and blogs to get a better picture of the driver Spoke to drivers of all four marques … And most importantly, I spent lots of time ‘watching’ drivers in Sydney and Melbourne

Test drove a BMW 325i, Lexus IS250, Audi A4 S Line and Mercedes Benz C200, all cars were in the $80-100k price range

Wrote letters to dealers and asked them to send me back information on the cars.

Spent time on social media sites analysing content/ads

Browsed car forums and blogs to get a better picture of the driver

Spoke to drivers of all four marques

… And most importantly, I spent lots of time ‘watching’ drivers in Sydney and Melbourne

BRAND POSITIONING SUMMARY Technology and Performance Sophisticated driving experience Car is hero Badge is hero You are hero ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE CLASSIC PRESTIGE LUXURY AND LIFESTYLE Sporty and stylish driving experience Design is hero INNOVATIVE DESIGN BMW and Audi are closely aligned, MB and Lexus are similarly aligned Ownership Experience

OWNER TYPE Progressive, Stylish, Urban Cool, Creative Aspirational, design oriented, sporty, motivated CAR SAYS “ I move with the times, I appreciate design but equally want a drivers car” CAR MAKES ME FEEL Innovative, stylish, sporty AUDI DRIVER IMAGERY Audi is more likely to be successful through passion, cool and socially aspirational

OWNER TYPE

Progressive, Stylish, Urban Cool, Creative

Aspirational, design oriented, sporty, motivated

CAR SAYS

“ I move with the times, I appreciate design but

equally want a drivers car”

CAR MAKES ME FEEL

Innovative, stylish, sporty

AUDI BRAND BOARD Design Innovative Technology Sports appeal Stylish Modern Innovative design, contemporary, desired.

Design

Innovative Technology

Sports appeal

Stylish

Modern

RETAIL AUDIT: AUDI IS MODERN Audi experience focuses on the design, styling of the car and feels very accessible, yet not pushy. BRAND Communicates style and driver focus. Modern, grey, accessible but not overly sophisticated. CAR Showcase latest models, A8 and RS6 Ability to get up close and personal to car PEOPLE Relaxed, friendly, approachable, early 30s, open shirts, casual feel SALES Sell styling, design and driving technology (Quattro, FSI)

OWNER TYPE Powerful, Masculine, Teutonic Wears badge on their sleeve Aggressive, dominant, driven, determined CAR SAYS “ I’m on my way to the top and I achieve in all aspects of my life…no compromises” CAR MAKES ME FEEL Powerful, strong and in control BMW DRIVER IMAGERY BMW drivers have ‘more to prove’, are less open to change, and more competitive.

OWNER TYPE

Powerful, Masculine, Teutonic

Wears badge on their sleeve

Aggressive, dominant, driven, determined

CAR SAYS

“ I’m on my way to the top and I achieve in all aspects of my life…no compromises”

CAR MAKES ME FEEL

Powerful, strong and in control

BMW BRAND BOARD 1. A real drivers car 2. Exceptional Performance 3. Powerful cars 4. Makes the right statement about me 5. Great reputation Ultimate Performance but lacks emotion

RETAIL AUDIT: BMW IS COLD AND CLINICAL BMW experience puts the car first. However, does not create the perception of contemporary progress BRAND No ability to engage with the brand. Cold, clinical, and big open space. Nothing progressive / interesting. CAR Selling technical features of the car Benefits of driver feeling ignored PEOPLE Super serious and professional. Suits and ties, business meeting feel. SALES Highly knowledgeable about car, limited lifestyle appeal

OWNER TYPE Heritage, Stylish, Sophisticated Traditional, badge on their blazer Showy, conservative values, maintaining status quo CAR SAYS ABOUT ME “ Look at me! I’ve made it: money and assets, its mine, mine, mine!” HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL Successful in the eyes of others MERCEDES BENZ DRIVER IMAGERY

OWNER TYPE

Heritage, Stylish, Sophisticated

Traditional, badge on their blazer

Showy, conservative values, maintaining status quo

CAR SAYS ABOUT ME

“ Look at me! I’ve made it: money and assets, its mine, mine, mine!”

HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL

Successful in the eyes of others

MERCEDES BENZ BRAND BOARD Prestigious Great reputation Luxurious Good resale value More than just a car

Prestigious

Great reputation

Luxurious

Good resale value

More than just a car

RETAIL AUDIT: MERCEDES BENZ IS POMPOUS Mercedes Benz showcase car quality and try to appeal to vanity and importance of customers BRAND Focus on prestige, elegance of the cars. Quiet environment, symbols of luxury CAR Focus on luxury E class saloons, C-class. Cars are all locked. PEOPLE Aggressive sales staff, hard sell Suits an ties, big deal being done SALES Sell quality, safety and luxury. Can you afford this mentality? No solo test drives.

OWNER TYPE Understated, Engaging, Intelligent Independent confidence Progressive, open-minded, intelligent, energetic CAR SAYS ABOUT ME “ I’m confident in my own skin, I don’t need to shout” HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL Quietly confident and comfortable LEXUS DRIVER IMAGERY Not a ‘driver’. However, successful and wants the lifestyle attached to that.

OWNER TYPE

Understated, Engaging, Intelligent

Independent confidence

Progressive, open-minded, intelligent, energetic

CAR SAYS ABOUT ME

“ I’m confident in my own skin, I don’t need to shout”

HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL

Quietly confident and comfortable

LEXUS BRAND BOARD Quiet and precise Great after sales service Gadgets and extras Lifestyle living Luxurious Luxury and lifestyle..ME, ME, ME

Quiet and precise

Great after sales service

Gadgets and extras

Lifestyle living

Luxurious

RETAIL AUDIT: LEXUS = REAL ESTATE SELL Lexus try to make you feel like a guest, but it becomes too much of a hard sell - it’s very hard to get to experience car without being hounded. BRAND Luxury ‘guest in your own home’. Pristine, quiet, immaculate, black and white CAR ‘ No touching allowed’, all cars in black Car put on pedestal, all cars in showroom PEOPLE 40 something sales staff, friendly Suits an ties, SALES Hard sell, very slow, focus on Encore program. Sit down to talk about your needs.

SEMIOTICS OF LETTERS TO DEALERS Put in letters Advanced Sophistication Personal Privileges Innovative Engineering and technology Joy of motoring Dynamic and refined, Young and dynamic Thoughtful Engineering Innovative design Letters from dealers reinforce similar codes of communications those uncovered in the dealership visits

Not Progressive Progressive HOW THE BIG 4 LUXURY BRAND EXPERIENCES MAP OUT Active Driving (Car & Drive are central) Passive Driving Other priorities like lifestyle or badge value - Luxury Quality Refinement Prestige Designer Innovation Sports performance Sexy, not serious Luxury Value Experience Refinement - Machinery, Performance ‘ Us’ not you - Aggressive

- Luxury

Quality

Refinement

Prestige

Designer

Innovation

Sports performance

Sexy, not serious

Luxury

Value

Experience

Refinement

- Machinery, Performance

‘ Us’ not you

- Aggressive

LEARNINGS It’s clear Audi have taken on BMW and are now the more ‘progressive’ luxury choice Mercedes Benz have rested on their laurels and provide no motivation for anyone under 40.. under serious threat from Lexus. Lexus focuses heavily on their unique ‘ownership experience’ and is very understated BMW have amazing machinery and is still the ‘Drivers Car’, but they’re ‘cold’ and a little self obsessed - they need to create a more consumer centric brand experience

It’s clear Audi have taken on BMW and are now the more ‘progressive’ luxury choice

Mercedes Benz have rested on their laurels and provide no motivation for anyone under 40.. under serious threat from Lexus.

Lexus focuses heavily on their unique ‘ownership experience’ and is very understated

BMW have amazing machinery and is still the ‘Drivers Car’, but they’re ‘cold’ and a little self obsessed - they need to create a more consumer centric brand experience