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Brand Audit
Written by
Saad Iqbal Haider
Lincoln motor company
1 | P a g e H I B S
Father made the most popular car in the world. I would like to make
the best car in the world.
-Edsel Ford on Lincoln Motors.
Lincoln motor company
2 | P a g e H I B S
Lincoln, a storied luxury marque, has long been in crisis. The brand has suffered from
inconsistency and misdirection that tarnished the image of the automaker and relegated it to fleet
and mid-level segments which is far from synonymous with all things luxury. Given the severity of
the scenario, the brand is now in reinvention, which, in the contentious luxury market could spell
surefire success or certain doom.
BACKGROUND
History
Lincoln was established as a luxury automobile manufacturer in 1917 by Henry M. Leland. The
company was shortly thereafter sold to the Ford Motor Company where it was developed into Ford’s
standalone luxury brand. Over the course of the years, the brand was led by Edsel Ford to success
in the luxury automotive industry.
The Lincoln brand became an icon of American luxury and decadence from the 1930’s until the
1970’s. It was one of the few premium automotive brands to survive the great depression. In its early
years the company thrived on customization and creating a unique luxury experience for the
customer. Every Lincoln was open to a vast multitude of changes to the point that many Lincolns
can be considered bespoke models. Every Lincoln automobile was delivered in a cloak of white
canvas. Generating a heightened user experience was key for the company’s success. It was an
experiential brand. Lincoln became a byword for American luxury, the pinnacle of design and
performance.
As the years progressed, Lincoln suffered from slow innovation and intense homologation as a
division under the Ford Motor Company which diminished multiple points of differentiation that
the brand had achieved over the years since its inception. The oil crisis in the 1970’s introduced
foreign automobile manufacturers in the United States, Lincoln’s primary market, and Lincoln’s
market share suffered as customers went to their foreign counterparts. Although the entire US
automotive industry suffered at this point, it is worth noting that the response at the time was crucial
to retain and develop brand imagery for the future.
Unfortunately, the Lincoln brand had suffered severely and by the 1990’s Lincoln saw a major
restructuring. The brand was rehoused under the Premier Automotive Group wherein it would
theoretically benefit from homologation with co-brands Jaguar and Land Rover. This proved to be
part of Lincoln’s downfall as the brands image and design language floundered from homologation
and intentional parities. Although the year 1998 saw the peak of Lincoln’s sales which also surpassed
Cadillac for the first time, sales and market share has declined year over year since then until the
brands re-invention in 2012.
As of 2012, the brand has been reformed as the Lincoln Motor Company, a bid to create degrees
of separation from parent company Ford and convey a sense of autonomy. This helps the brand
develop its individuality, a key part of luxury marketing. This effort has been mildly successful in
terms of sales targets and rebuilding the brand as fresh and innovative all-the-while leveraging on the
Lincoln motor company
3 | P a g e H I B S
brands existing luxury heritage. This extends beyond the nameplates and focuses more intensely on
customer experience to go so far as creating a Black Label range of customized versions of their
lineup.
Brand Portfolio
The Lincoln brand, a brand that falls under the Ford Motor Company brand, houses six models
which cover different automotive segments ranging from full-size sedan and CUV to the SUV
segment. The brand has been subject to continuous nameplate changes leaving brand recognition to
suffer from seemingly superfluous alphanumeric naming traditions. The brand has, however, sought
to revive the Continental nameplate along with a change in design language which will be further
elaborated upon the Brand Elements section. The Lincoln portfolio can be seen below in figure 1.
BRAND INVENTORY
Lincoln has many brand elements in its arsenal that have proven crucial to success in the
past, but mismanagement has let the brand’s image dwindle leaving their notable elements subject
to misrepresentation, retirement and resurrection. The current list of brand elements capitalizes on
previous heritage and conveys distinctiveness in the brands personality but not in a particularly bold
manner. Recent marketing efforts have finally attempted to capitalize on the strong elements, and as
the reinvention process continues, elements that cause more harm than good are being phased out
to create a positive image of the brand in the eyes of consumers (Bunkley, 2015).
Lincoln Motor
Company
Crossovers
Lincoln
MKC
Lincoln
MKX
Lincoln
MKT
Sedans
Lincoln
MKZ
Lincoln
MKS
(Phase out)
Lincoln
Continental
(Upcoming)
SUV
Lincoln
Navigator
Lincoln
Black Label
Lincoln
MKX
Lincoln
MKC
Lincoln
MKZ
Ford Motor
Company
Figure 1 - Lincoln Inventory
Lincoln motor company
4 | P a g e H I B S
Brand Elements
- Logo – The four-point star Lincoln logo has adorned Lincoln vehicles since the 1950’s. The
logo has had variations but the brands new minimalist and clean presentation style has
ushered in the future direction of the brand.
- Lincoln brand name – The Lincoln brand name carries with it the heritage of the brand from
its inception in 1917. The name conveys American tradition and legacy. It’s named after the
15th
president of the United States, making it recognizable and memorable. The name of the
brand has been revamped in 2012 to the Lincoln Motor Company in a bid to generate
further distinction between Lincoln and its parent company, Ford. All literature and
marketing material when bearing the Lincoln brand name and logo are shown in a clean and
clutter-free font (Berkowitz, 2012).
- Historical nameplates – The brand has nameplates which carry significant historical cache.
These include the Continental nameplate, a highly desirable nameplate that has seen
popularity amongst Presidents, Politicians, and Celebrities alike. The nameplate, although
retired after 52 years in 2002, was resurrected in 2015 for the flagship model due to be
released in 2017.
Another name in the Lincoln arsenal is the Zephyr, which was intended as the original
moniker for the MKZ although it was soon given the alphanumeric designation instead to
emulate the system implemented by German Luxury Automotive brands, Mercedes and
BMW. (Bensinger, 2008)
- Grille and design elements – Lincoln has several design cues which have become
recognizable elements of the brand. One of which is the front grille of all their products. The
grille was modelled in 2008 show inspiration and connections with Lincoln’s early designs in
the 1930’s and 1940’s, colloquially referred to as the split-wing grille.
The Lincoln Continental flagship model has ushered in a new design language where this
grille is being abandoned for a rectangular mesh grille reminiscent of British luxury
automakers, Jaguar, and Bentley. (Bunkley, 2015)
Product
As shown below, Lincoln has developed luxury automobiles that delve in the following segments of
luxury passenger vehicles:
1. Mid-Size sedan;
2. Full-Size sedan;
3. Compact Crossover;
4. Mid-Size Crossover;
5. Full-Size Crossover;
6. Full-Size SUV;
Over the years the Lincoln brand has been subject to many changes and reiterations of its product
line leaving little consistent design language across product generations. However, once a
Lincoln motor company
5 | P a g e H I B S
generation’s design language has been decided upon, the brand incorporates those elements into its
design and engineering for the entire product line. Likenesses between product features and parent
brand product features damage the ability for Lincoln to give itself distinction as a luxury brand.
Lincoln was once famous for its aesthetically pleasing designs, quiet and comfortable interior, as well
as strong performance that does not compromise on the element of comfort. The strategy for the
future of the brand wants to build upon that heritage.
Given the variations in product categories and respective features, the features noted hereafter
pertain to the most recent Lincoln product, the Lincoln MKZ, which takes all its feature and design
cues from the upcoming Flagship model, the Lincoln Continental and is therefore representative of
the future direction of the Lincoln product line.
Product features:
1. Automobile chassis derived from Ford but made distinct with additional design elements;
2. In-house engineered engines;
3. Alcantara interior lining;
4. Leather interiors in varieties of origins, colors and trims;
5. Chrome and wood panel features
6. 30-Way adjustable seats;
7. 4-Way Climate control;
As part of Lincoln’s reinvention, the brand leveraged its history of customized products and services
to create the Black Label Series where three models are offered with additional trims and features
to build more luxury value for the customer. The packages are designed to match the needs and
value sets of different regions. There are different leather and wooden trims. The personalized
element goes beyond the product alone. Purchase of a Black Label Series product includes
concierge customer care service that provides luxury maintenance services to members of the Black
Label club. Referred to as a club, it includes at-home ordering, home-delivery of the products,
maintenance management and temporary vehicles for the maintenance period. (blacklabel)
Pricing
Past pricing – Historically, Lincoln has set premium pricing. In the 1950’s Lincoln even priced its
models at prices similar to Rolls-Royce, a globally recognized ultra-luxury brand
(ConsumerPriceIndex). Since then there have been many price changes to reflect economic and
industry trends.
During the reintroduction of the brand after divestiture from PAG, the brands entire portfolio was
below industry pricing levels which devalued the brand in the eyes of consumers. There were also
comparisons made of the price points and the corresponding value derived when Ford had products
providing equivalent value to
Lincoln motor company
6 | P a g e H I B S
Current Pricing - Pricing for Lincoln products ranges from $32,000 to $80,000. Prices correspond
with industry ranges for similar product categories. There is, however, debate as to whether the prices
justify the features and experience considering the architecture and feature-set of the vehicles is still
largely similar to the products by parent company Ford.
Distribution
The brand is distributed via traditional automotive dealership networks however it is almost
exclusively in conjunction with its parent brand Ford. Until recently, the experience at the
dealerships between the two brands is indistinguishable, as is the marketing and the weighting of the
promotion and division of floor-space at dealerships. This goes against the general ethos of luxury
marketing by removing exclusivity and uniqueness. The top performers in the luxury automobile
segment do not dilute their brands, give them equal weight, or similar on-site marketing.
Although the profitability of a standalone Lincoln store is questionable in the US, Lincoln could take
inspiration from itself in its Lincoln Store launches in China. Standalone Lincoln stores in China
convey the company’s themes and messaging consistently and cohesively in a manner consistent with
luxury marketing. (LincolnOpensFirstStoresInChina, 2014)
Communications
Advertising
The Lincoln brand has undergone a powerful transformation that has been shepherded by its
advertising campaigns. The core focus of the advertising to convey the brands transformation as well
as its heritage and generate appeal among a younger audience than currently acquired.
Early into the reinvention of Lincoln, the brand realized a misstep in trying to use advertising to
promote the brand rather than promoting specific products in the lineup. Following this realization,
the brand began advertising its MKS and MKC products to considerable success, particularly in the
MKC segment. (Buss, 2013)
The most notable campaign of late is a series of video adverts featuring actor Matthew
McConnaughey. The adverts were immediately viral which boosted Lincoln’s ability to be
recognized in the market and generated a buzz about its products. The brand has continued its
advertising campaigns with Mr. McConnaughey to introduce other products in their range, and there
is other advertising to introduce and remind younger audiences about the brand and its product line.
This includes advertising for the Navigator nameplate featuring a younger audience in a bid to gain
access to a younger market.
Their adverts are featured online on Youtube as well as banner adverts. Austere and elegant print
ads have appeared in automotive and lifestyle magazine. Their adverts have had rotation during
several Superbowl although they have refrained from advertising during the event since 2013’s
#Steerthescript campaign.
Lincoln motor company
7 | P a g e H I B S
Currently their television ads have significant rotation on US National television with 998 advertising
spots in the last 30 days alone (ispot) and a spend ranking of No.31 compared to all other advertisers.
(https://www.ispot.tv/brands/dzS/lincoln-motor-company)
Ambassadors
Emmet Smith - Emmet Smith, an NFL player was picked as the brand’s ambassador, a tactic
intended to complement the brands advertisements during the 2012 Superbowl.
Matthew McConnaughey – As mentioned before, the brand has made use of Matthew
McConnaughey in advertising and he has become a brand ambassador, a tactic that was
misunderstood at first because the choice of personality seemed arbitrary, however his allegiance to
the brand created a considerable amount of buzz which seemingly resulted in a boost in sales and
brand recognition.
Sports and Culture
In the early years of Lincoln’s operation, the brand was present in motorsports which also resulted
in considerable inroads in terms of brand perception in the performance category. However, the
brand has refrained from presence in the motorsports world recently as it is more prudent an avenue
for parent company, Ford.
Lincoln owners clubs exist for brand enthusiasts but they do not have a connection to the brand.
Lincoln does however maintain minimal contact with these enthusiasts to ensure that the heritage of
the brand is continued and played upon.
Philanthropy
Lincoln has created a charity program called Driven to Give which uses the dealer network and a
selection of charities to generate funds for worthy causes which can relate to Civic Organization and
services, Medical Research and treatment, Culture and Arts, Education and Youth Development
and Social Programs. This wide set of philanthropic causes gives Lincoln ample opportunity to
demonstrate its value and relevance to a wide target demographic thereby giving it considerable
awareness and recognition.
Digital Presence
In this digital era, Lincoln has shown tremendous fortitude by maintaining an active and powerful
digital presence on multiple social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo,
Youtube, Tumblr and Pinterest as well as its website, and on its blog. All of these are strong vehicles
in their content marketing strategy. It is worth noting that since the brand overhaul in 2012, the
Lincoln brand has ensured that all of its digital efforts are in line with same thematic message and
tone, an important point in constructing a cohesive image of the brand for the consumer.
Lincoln motor company
8 | P a g e H I B S
BRAND EXPLORATORY
Consumer Knowledge
Lincoln is at a crossroads in its transformation. As it attempts to shake off the negative perceptions
of the brand and create a more desirable positive brand perception. Figure 2 below shows the words
associated with the brand in 2012 before the more significant reinvention phase. Although there are
considerable words with positive sentiment the vast majority of associations are negative like the
words “old”, “Stodgy”, “big”, boxy” and “heavy”. These are all words that can be associated with past
product performance and imagery.
The brand has experience a sharp increase in brand awareness, although not to skyrocketing levels.
Advertising campaigns communicating the new brand image and values breathed new life into the
brand, doubling brand awareness and improving brand perception as well. (Mcdonald, 2014)
Figure 3 above shows Lincolns brand perception map as of 2016. As can be seen, there is a stronger
positive response. The return of the continental nameplate, the crossover models, and Matthew
McConnaughey advertisements clearly had a positive impact. The Crossover segment is being
associated with Lincoln, a highly favorable result considering the growth of this segment in the luxury
market. Although there were a few negative impacts showing evidence of the company’s negative
perception from the past, the most damaging perceptive comment is that of the word “Ford” wherein
the parallelism to the parent company hurts the Lincoln brand as a unique and luxury brand. The
considerable number of responses recalling Limo or Chauffeur suggests that the perception of
Lincolns as a performance luxury automobile are still far from realization.
Figure 4 below features a Centrality-Distinctiveness map that shows Lincoln’s perception in
comparison with other brands in the luxury automotive sector, as well as sales volume and a second
matrix showing the price points of those brands (shown through the size of the circle). This map
shows that there is massive room for improvement for Lincoln as a luxury brand. Other brands in
Figure 2 – Brand Perception 2012 (JWhiteRsearch,
2012)
Figure 3 – Brand Perception 2016 (Primary data)
Power, lively
Lincoln motor company
9 | P a g e H I B S
its proximity are far from desirable parallels. Ideally, Lincoln would desire going further towards the
aspirational or unconventional values wherein the top luxury brands perform or where individuality
and uniqueness as a brand can be established and leveraged.
As Lincoln continues its reinvention it is more likely to see a shift from the peripheral quadrant
towards the mainstream and aspirational quadrant. Lincoln brand managers have to carefully usher
the development of the brand to ensure that the brands equity is not damaged by going too far or
too long towards the mainstream quadrant. The goal must be to make the brand into an Aspirational
brand, opening the brand up to the possibilities of vying for increased market share and sales volume
through differentiation. The brand is increasing its revenue and sales but the brand is far from being
in a safe space.
Figure 4 – Centrality-Distinctiveness Map 2016 (Dawar & Bagga 2015)
Lincoln motor company
10 | P a g e H I B S
Brand Resonance Pyramid
The Lincoln brand resonance model pyramid seen above in Figure 5, taking elements from the
earlier perception word maps suggests there is not enough synergy between the two sides of the
pyramid. The benefits Lincoln strives to deliver are not yet in harmony with the judgements, imagery
and feelings in the mind of the consumer.
The pyramid is relatively weak at the bottom owing to the considerably low brand awareness in the
luxury market. Lincoln has to make significant inroads in the market to develop its brand further as
a premium luxury automobile manufacturer. The reintroduction of the Lincoln Continental could
be key to this occurring.
One element that is evident that once a prospect purchases a Lincoln Automobile they remain very
loyal to the brand (Wernle, 2015), with considerably high attachment and community involvement
with other Lincoln owners and the company itself.
Of course, given that the brand is currently going through a reinvention phase, it is largely possible
that such results can be attributed to ongoing changes and there will be improved alignment in the
near future.
Competitive Analysis
The luxury automobile is divided in to two primary tiers. Tier 1 contains brands that have been
consistent in providing premium products and services over the course of their operation. These
are the highest selling automobiles in the market and often the first-choice for most consumers.
Tier 2 contains brands that are not the first-choice and often provide excellent products and
service, although not with the consistency of the Tier 1 brands. (Wernle, 2015). This can be made
Figure 5 – Brand Resonance Pyramid
Lincoln motor company
11 | P a g e H I B S
more obvious with observation of the distances recorded on the Centrality-Distinctiveness Map in
Figure 4.
Below is a list of the tier 1 and 2 brands.
Tier 1: BMW, Mercedes, Lexus.
Tier 2: Audi, Volvo, Buick, Cadillac, Acura, Infiniti, Land Rover, Jaguar
Given the list of brands, only those with a similar product line, pricing strategy, market presence and
future strategy will be considered as potential competitors.
BMW, Mercedes and Lexus are the designated leaders of the market. They have global presence
and are considerably strong in every major market where Lincoln is present. Therefore, Audi, Acura,
and Cadillac are their competitors in the second tier market. Below is a snapshot of key competitors
from these tiers.
Cadillac - Cadillac was founded just a few years before Lincoln by the very same founder. The brand
has a storied history similar to Lincoln and has befallen considerable hardships given the lack of
consistency and the inability to keep abreast of new trends. Recently the company has undergone a
revival to re-establish its presence in the market as a key player. The brand has a product line very
similar to Lincoln but it has not achieved the same success as Lincoln in the crossover segment.
The brand has positioned itself similarly to Lincoln, bring classic American luxury with technology
and performance. Cadillac however is also struggling to establish itself as a leader especially since it
is constantly trying to position itself directly up against the German leaders of the luxury automobile
industry, Mercedes and BMW. This competitive spirit has lead Cadillac to Europe where it is
struggling to establish itself.
Cadillac is Lincoln’s closest counterpart in the US and is definitely one its main competitors in the
Chinese market. Cadillac is prepared to inject 3 billion in the business over the next 5 years (Priddle,
2015). Cadillac has also introduced models with features particularly desired by the Chinese
consumer in order to attract more Chinese buyers. As the strategy pans out in the coming years this
competition will crystalize to determine which brand has succeeded at establishing itself as the top
performer in this market.
Mercedes - Mercedes has a history older than that of Lincoln, and the brand has been carefully
managed since inception. Mercedes has defined itself as the epitome of luxury to the point that it is
top-of-the-mind luxury brand. It has 18% market share (Wernle, 2015). It is easily recognizable and
this has been done with careful and consistent brand management over the years to avoid dilution
or damage to the brand. In keeping with other tier 1 luxury brands, Mercedes has a vast product line
touching every segment with multiple variants per product and ample room for customization. The
brand has a global presence with high awareness, strong resonance, and very high loyalty.
Lincoln motor company
12 | P a g e H I B S
Audi
Audi is the closest brand in the second luxury tier that is showing signs of transitioning to the first
tier of luxury brands. The brand was close to being relegated as a dying brand but it was saved by
careful curation, establishing Audi as a leader in technology and practical luxury as well as
performance. The brand consistently provides uniqueness and quality while also establishing itself
as a tech-savvy company thereby gaining the trust of consumers.
This combination of consistency, luxury and tech developments has allowed Audi to carry itself into
the next generation of luxury automotive engineering as a strong contender and as sales figures
gradually keep increasing, Audi could soon transition itself into the first tier of luxury automotive
brands (Wernle, 2015). Lincoln has much to learn and appreciate from Audi’s strategy. While Audi
was on the brink of destruction two decades ago, it has now emerged as a powerhouse brand.
(Stewart, 2012)
STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
Positioning
Figure 6 below summarizes some positioning analysis and points of parity and points of
differentiation, as described further below.
Brand Mantra: “Quiet luxury” (Bunkley, 2016)
Points of Parity Points of Differentiation
 High quality
 American Luxury automaker
 Fine materials
 Highly engineered
 Sober and subtle design
 Highly customizable product line
 Lincoln Logo
 Rich history and heritage
 Lincoln nameplates.
Figure 6 – POP & POD
Points-of-Parity
Points or parity are easy to establish in such a competitive market. All luxury automobiles have to
bear products of high quality, with fine materials, considerably high engineering. The brand is also
not the only American luxury automaker that can flaunt such a quality and neither is it the only brand
that has sober and subtle design. In addition to those factors, it is not the sole luxury automaker to
offer highly customizable products in its portfolio.
Points-of-Difference
Lincoln separates itself on the basis of its rich heritage. The company can leverage its history, heritage
and significance, its logos and nameplates. At this stage, where the brand is reinventing itself, there
is little room for it to differentiate itself in the luxury automaker. If the brand is not able to create
more points of differentiation, like a Lincoln Color or unique technology.
Lincoln motor company
13 | P a g e H I B S
Brand Mantra
The brand mantra is currently “Quiet luxury”, a subtle mantra that suggests the direction that
Lincoln wants to take in terms of design and functionality. The brand wants to contain a portfolio
that it is subtle and stylish without being too bold so as to repel audiences. The mantra also
suggests that the brand wants to delve deep into providing customers with a quiet and comfortable
space, often synonymous with classic luxury.
TACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The brand audit has shown Lincoln to have considerable strengths, but far too many challenges as
well which need to be addressed for the survival and growth of the brand.
Emphasize the Company’s autonomy from parent brand, and play on continuous heritage:
 Lincoln is one of the oldest luxury automakers in existence, and only one of the two
American luxury automakers with a rich history and many developments in the auto industry
that have come through the brand.
 Lincoln must continuously emphasize on this heritage, but all-the-while ensuring that the
brand emphasizes its autonomy to create more differentiation. The return of the Lincoln
Continental nameplate should not be lightened and any opportunity to build the brand
through the nameplate should be harnessed. This could include reminding the audience
about the in-house engineering, custom craftsmanship, the Lincoln design team as well as
the difference in the customers that go to Lincoln in comparison to parent company, Ford.
 The company must also do more to create differences between itself and Ford. Lincoln
needs to ensure the product designs, pricing, packaging, and promotion strategies do not
generate any type of parallelism between the two brands. Although both brands carry
considerable positive value in their own right, Lincoln needs to establish itself as a unique
brand rather than an upscale Ford division. Its uniqueness will help prevent cannibalism and
parallelism between the two brands.
Deal with big bang disruption:
 The luxury automobile market is currently being shaken up by Tesla, a powerful contender.
Tesla has quickly established itself as a new American Luxury automaker. The brand houses
an all-electric product portfolio and is fairing successfully in the market against fossil-fuel and
hybrid luxury automakers. As of 2016 the brand has also begun adding self-driving systems
to its cars. The response to such a disruptive force in the market, a possible sign of where
the industry is headed, is absolutely crucial to ensure relevance and survival.
 Lincoln already has some associative points such as Limo, Livery, and Chauffeur. Although
the company still makes itself available in these areas, it has not explored the possibility to
expand into the all-electric luxury, and self-driving automobile markets. Although that
association exists, Lincoln is not thought of as a particularly tech-savvy brand and to establish
trust in such an area the brand must increasingly add and communicate its more
technological features in every product generation so that the brand may transition into the
future of luxury automobiles. Building that technology reputation coupled with existing
Lincoln motor company
14 | P a g e H I B S
associations will help carry Lincoln into the all-electric and self-driving markets, an
opportunity recognized by tier 1 luxury automakers as well.
Explore the female luxury market:
 There is evidence that suggests that the female demographic is responsible for 80% of luxury
purchases and 60% of new automobile purchases in the US (Bruce, 2015). Another study
suggests that the Millenial female demographic is responsible the lion’s share of luxury car
purchases (Devere, 2016).These trends and correlations cannot be ignored by Lincoln.
 To ensure that they remain top-of-mind for the female audience they need to increase their
focus on communicating value to the female audience. The product line already contains
automobiles that meet the needs and wants of the female consumer. Therefore marketing
efforts need to be improved to target the Millenial female market.
Find consistency in naming strategy:
 Product names are crucial to elicit recognition and recall from consumers and the target
audience. Lincoln has damaged itself by constant changes to the naming strategy. The current
naming strategy caused considerable confusion and there is no evidence that suggests that
the alphanumeric naming methodology evokes more luxury or performance sentiment
amongst the audience.
 Lincoln cannot afford to change from the alphanumeric at such a crucial stage of
development. Therefore, with the re-introduction of the continental nameplate, the brand
has a the ability to do either:
a) Phase out the alphanumeric naming system gradually and to bring back more historic
and popular nameplates; or,
b) Retain the alphanumeric and historical nameplates, but to create distinction between the
two such as additional luxury elements in the historical nameplate product series’ to help
communicate the naming system with more clarity to the audience.
Continue marketing efforts to reach younger consumers
 Lincolns current marketing strategy has proven successful, especially to market the MKC
and the MKZ which were financially successful for the brand. The marketing efforts were
successful at increasing sales by roughly 16% in their first year and to reduce the age of the
average Lincoln owner by approximately 4 years. (McDonald, 2014).
 The marketing efforts need to be continued to gain access to younger consumers in the
luxury market. It is necessary to inform, persuade and remind younger consumers to take
ownership of the Lincoln brand.
Lincoln motor company
15 | P a g e H I B S
References
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http://www.autonews.com/article/20160328/OEM04/303289941/lincolns-navigator-concept-embodies-quiet-
luxury-mantra
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china.html
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brand/#5012c080c7ec
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McDonald, Soraya. (2014). Those cheesy Matthew McConaughey commercials actually worked for Lincoln.
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commercials-actually-worked-for-lincoln/
JWhiteResearch. (2012). Lincoln brand perception map. Last retrieved from:
http://www.slideshare.net/jwhiteresearch/lincoln-brand-perception-map
Dawar, Niraj & Bagga, Charran. (2015). A better way to understand brand strategy. Last retrieved from:
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Wernle, Bradford. (2015). Tier 2 luxury brands struggle to compete with elite germans and lexus. Last
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compete-with-elite-germans-lexus
Lincoln motor company
16 | P a g e H I B S
Priddle, Alisa. (2015). Cadillac, Lincoln in tortoise-hare race for luxury sales. Last retrieved from:
http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2015/01/07/cadillac-lincoln-strategies-
naias/21415793/
Stewart, James. (2012). Ford tries to save Lincoln. Last retrieved from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/business/ford-tries-to-save-the-lincoln.html?_r=0
Bruce, Chris. (2015). Mercedes wants to be the luxury car for women. Laste retrieved from:
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/16/mercedes-luxury-car-for-women/
Devere, Jody. (2016). Growth In Luxury Car Sales Comes From Millennial Women, Not Wealthy
Execs. Last retrieved from:
http://cbtnews.com/luxury-car-growth-comes-from-millennial-women/

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Lincoln Motor Company Brand Audit

  • 2. Lincoln motor company 1 | P a g e H I B S Father made the most popular car in the world. I would like to make the best car in the world. -Edsel Ford on Lincoln Motors.
  • 3. Lincoln motor company 2 | P a g e H I B S Lincoln, a storied luxury marque, has long been in crisis. The brand has suffered from inconsistency and misdirection that tarnished the image of the automaker and relegated it to fleet and mid-level segments which is far from synonymous with all things luxury. Given the severity of the scenario, the brand is now in reinvention, which, in the contentious luxury market could spell surefire success or certain doom. BACKGROUND History Lincoln was established as a luxury automobile manufacturer in 1917 by Henry M. Leland. The company was shortly thereafter sold to the Ford Motor Company where it was developed into Ford’s standalone luxury brand. Over the course of the years, the brand was led by Edsel Ford to success in the luxury automotive industry. The Lincoln brand became an icon of American luxury and decadence from the 1930’s until the 1970’s. It was one of the few premium automotive brands to survive the great depression. In its early years the company thrived on customization and creating a unique luxury experience for the customer. Every Lincoln was open to a vast multitude of changes to the point that many Lincolns can be considered bespoke models. Every Lincoln automobile was delivered in a cloak of white canvas. Generating a heightened user experience was key for the company’s success. It was an experiential brand. Lincoln became a byword for American luxury, the pinnacle of design and performance. As the years progressed, Lincoln suffered from slow innovation and intense homologation as a division under the Ford Motor Company which diminished multiple points of differentiation that the brand had achieved over the years since its inception. The oil crisis in the 1970’s introduced foreign automobile manufacturers in the United States, Lincoln’s primary market, and Lincoln’s market share suffered as customers went to their foreign counterparts. Although the entire US automotive industry suffered at this point, it is worth noting that the response at the time was crucial to retain and develop brand imagery for the future. Unfortunately, the Lincoln brand had suffered severely and by the 1990’s Lincoln saw a major restructuring. The brand was rehoused under the Premier Automotive Group wherein it would theoretically benefit from homologation with co-brands Jaguar and Land Rover. This proved to be part of Lincoln’s downfall as the brands image and design language floundered from homologation and intentional parities. Although the year 1998 saw the peak of Lincoln’s sales which also surpassed Cadillac for the first time, sales and market share has declined year over year since then until the brands re-invention in 2012. As of 2012, the brand has been reformed as the Lincoln Motor Company, a bid to create degrees of separation from parent company Ford and convey a sense of autonomy. This helps the brand develop its individuality, a key part of luxury marketing. This effort has been mildly successful in terms of sales targets and rebuilding the brand as fresh and innovative all-the-while leveraging on the
  • 4. Lincoln motor company 3 | P a g e H I B S brands existing luxury heritage. This extends beyond the nameplates and focuses more intensely on customer experience to go so far as creating a Black Label range of customized versions of their lineup. Brand Portfolio The Lincoln brand, a brand that falls under the Ford Motor Company brand, houses six models which cover different automotive segments ranging from full-size sedan and CUV to the SUV segment. The brand has been subject to continuous nameplate changes leaving brand recognition to suffer from seemingly superfluous alphanumeric naming traditions. The brand has, however, sought to revive the Continental nameplate along with a change in design language which will be further elaborated upon the Brand Elements section. The Lincoln portfolio can be seen below in figure 1. BRAND INVENTORY Lincoln has many brand elements in its arsenal that have proven crucial to success in the past, but mismanagement has let the brand’s image dwindle leaving their notable elements subject to misrepresentation, retirement and resurrection. The current list of brand elements capitalizes on previous heritage and conveys distinctiveness in the brands personality but not in a particularly bold manner. Recent marketing efforts have finally attempted to capitalize on the strong elements, and as the reinvention process continues, elements that cause more harm than good are being phased out to create a positive image of the brand in the eyes of consumers (Bunkley, 2015). Lincoln Motor Company Crossovers Lincoln MKC Lincoln MKX Lincoln MKT Sedans Lincoln MKZ Lincoln MKS (Phase out) Lincoln Continental (Upcoming) SUV Lincoln Navigator Lincoln Black Label Lincoln MKX Lincoln MKC Lincoln MKZ Ford Motor Company Figure 1 - Lincoln Inventory
  • 5. Lincoln motor company 4 | P a g e H I B S Brand Elements - Logo – The four-point star Lincoln logo has adorned Lincoln vehicles since the 1950’s. The logo has had variations but the brands new minimalist and clean presentation style has ushered in the future direction of the brand. - Lincoln brand name – The Lincoln brand name carries with it the heritage of the brand from its inception in 1917. The name conveys American tradition and legacy. It’s named after the 15th president of the United States, making it recognizable and memorable. The name of the brand has been revamped in 2012 to the Lincoln Motor Company in a bid to generate further distinction between Lincoln and its parent company, Ford. All literature and marketing material when bearing the Lincoln brand name and logo are shown in a clean and clutter-free font (Berkowitz, 2012). - Historical nameplates – The brand has nameplates which carry significant historical cache. These include the Continental nameplate, a highly desirable nameplate that has seen popularity amongst Presidents, Politicians, and Celebrities alike. The nameplate, although retired after 52 years in 2002, was resurrected in 2015 for the flagship model due to be released in 2017. Another name in the Lincoln arsenal is the Zephyr, which was intended as the original moniker for the MKZ although it was soon given the alphanumeric designation instead to emulate the system implemented by German Luxury Automotive brands, Mercedes and BMW. (Bensinger, 2008) - Grille and design elements – Lincoln has several design cues which have become recognizable elements of the brand. One of which is the front grille of all their products. The grille was modelled in 2008 show inspiration and connections with Lincoln’s early designs in the 1930’s and 1940’s, colloquially referred to as the split-wing grille. The Lincoln Continental flagship model has ushered in a new design language where this grille is being abandoned for a rectangular mesh grille reminiscent of British luxury automakers, Jaguar, and Bentley. (Bunkley, 2015) Product As shown below, Lincoln has developed luxury automobiles that delve in the following segments of luxury passenger vehicles: 1. Mid-Size sedan; 2. Full-Size sedan; 3. Compact Crossover; 4. Mid-Size Crossover; 5. Full-Size Crossover; 6. Full-Size SUV; Over the years the Lincoln brand has been subject to many changes and reiterations of its product line leaving little consistent design language across product generations. However, once a
  • 6. Lincoln motor company 5 | P a g e H I B S generation’s design language has been decided upon, the brand incorporates those elements into its design and engineering for the entire product line. Likenesses between product features and parent brand product features damage the ability for Lincoln to give itself distinction as a luxury brand. Lincoln was once famous for its aesthetically pleasing designs, quiet and comfortable interior, as well as strong performance that does not compromise on the element of comfort. The strategy for the future of the brand wants to build upon that heritage. Given the variations in product categories and respective features, the features noted hereafter pertain to the most recent Lincoln product, the Lincoln MKZ, which takes all its feature and design cues from the upcoming Flagship model, the Lincoln Continental and is therefore representative of the future direction of the Lincoln product line. Product features: 1. Automobile chassis derived from Ford but made distinct with additional design elements; 2. In-house engineered engines; 3. Alcantara interior lining; 4. Leather interiors in varieties of origins, colors and trims; 5. Chrome and wood panel features 6. 30-Way adjustable seats; 7. 4-Way Climate control; As part of Lincoln’s reinvention, the brand leveraged its history of customized products and services to create the Black Label Series where three models are offered with additional trims and features to build more luxury value for the customer. The packages are designed to match the needs and value sets of different regions. There are different leather and wooden trims. The personalized element goes beyond the product alone. Purchase of a Black Label Series product includes concierge customer care service that provides luxury maintenance services to members of the Black Label club. Referred to as a club, it includes at-home ordering, home-delivery of the products, maintenance management and temporary vehicles for the maintenance period. (blacklabel) Pricing Past pricing – Historically, Lincoln has set premium pricing. In the 1950’s Lincoln even priced its models at prices similar to Rolls-Royce, a globally recognized ultra-luxury brand (ConsumerPriceIndex). Since then there have been many price changes to reflect economic and industry trends. During the reintroduction of the brand after divestiture from PAG, the brands entire portfolio was below industry pricing levels which devalued the brand in the eyes of consumers. There were also comparisons made of the price points and the corresponding value derived when Ford had products providing equivalent value to
  • 7. Lincoln motor company 6 | P a g e H I B S Current Pricing - Pricing for Lincoln products ranges from $32,000 to $80,000. Prices correspond with industry ranges for similar product categories. There is, however, debate as to whether the prices justify the features and experience considering the architecture and feature-set of the vehicles is still largely similar to the products by parent company Ford. Distribution The brand is distributed via traditional automotive dealership networks however it is almost exclusively in conjunction with its parent brand Ford. Until recently, the experience at the dealerships between the two brands is indistinguishable, as is the marketing and the weighting of the promotion and division of floor-space at dealerships. This goes against the general ethos of luxury marketing by removing exclusivity and uniqueness. The top performers in the luxury automobile segment do not dilute their brands, give them equal weight, or similar on-site marketing. Although the profitability of a standalone Lincoln store is questionable in the US, Lincoln could take inspiration from itself in its Lincoln Store launches in China. Standalone Lincoln stores in China convey the company’s themes and messaging consistently and cohesively in a manner consistent with luxury marketing. (LincolnOpensFirstStoresInChina, 2014) Communications Advertising The Lincoln brand has undergone a powerful transformation that has been shepherded by its advertising campaigns. The core focus of the advertising to convey the brands transformation as well as its heritage and generate appeal among a younger audience than currently acquired. Early into the reinvention of Lincoln, the brand realized a misstep in trying to use advertising to promote the brand rather than promoting specific products in the lineup. Following this realization, the brand began advertising its MKS and MKC products to considerable success, particularly in the MKC segment. (Buss, 2013) The most notable campaign of late is a series of video adverts featuring actor Matthew McConnaughey. The adverts were immediately viral which boosted Lincoln’s ability to be recognized in the market and generated a buzz about its products. The brand has continued its advertising campaigns with Mr. McConnaughey to introduce other products in their range, and there is other advertising to introduce and remind younger audiences about the brand and its product line. This includes advertising for the Navigator nameplate featuring a younger audience in a bid to gain access to a younger market. Their adverts are featured online on Youtube as well as banner adverts. Austere and elegant print ads have appeared in automotive and lifestyle magazine. Their adverts have had rotation during several Superbowl although they have refrained from advertising during the event since 2013’s #Steerthescript campaign.
  • 8. Lincoln motor company 7 | P a g e H I B S Currently their television ads have significant rotation on US National television with 998 advertising spots in the last 30 days alone (ispot) and a spend ranking of No.31 compared to all other advertisers. (https://www.ispot.tv/brands/dzS/lincoln-motor-company) Ambassadors Emmet Smith - Emmet Smith, an NFL player was picked as the brand’s ambassador, a tactic intended to complement the brands advertisements during the 2012 Superbowl. Matthew McConnaughey – As mentioned before, the brand has made use of Matthew McConnaughey in advertising and he has become a brand ambassador, a tactic that was misunderstood at first because the choice of personality seemed arbitrary, however his allegiance to the brand created a considerable amount of buzz which seemingly resulted in a boost in sales and brand recognition. Sports and Culture In the early years of Lincoln’s operation, the brand was present in motorsports which also resulted in considerable inroads in terms of brand perception in the performance category. However, the brand has refrained from presence in the motorsports world recently as it is more prudent an avenue for parent company, Ford. Lincoln owners clubs exist for brand enthusiasts but they do not have a connection to the brand. Lincoln does however maintain minimal contact with these enthusiasts to ensure that the heritage of the brand is continued and played upon. Philanthropy Lincoln has created a charity program called Driven to Give which uses the dealer network and a selection of charities to generate funds for worthy causes which can relate to Civic Organization and services, Medical Research and treatment, Culture and Arts, Education and Youth Development and Social Programs. This wide set of philanthropic causes gives Lincoln ample opportunity to demonstrate its value and relevance to a wide target demographic thereby giving it considerable awareness and recognition. Digital Presence In this digital era, Lincoln has shown tremendous fortitude by maintaining an active and powerful digital presence on multiple social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo, Youtube, Tumblr and Pinterest as well as its website, and on its blog. All of these are strong vehicles in their content marketing strategy. It is worth noting that since the brand overhaul in 2012, the Lincoln brand has ensured that all of its digital efforts are in line with same thematic message and tone, an important point in constructing a cohesive image of the brand for the consumer.
  • 9. Lincoln motor company 8 | P a g e H I B S BRAND EXPLORATORY Consumer Knowledge Lincoln is at a crossroads in its transformation. As it attempts to shake off the negative perceptions of the brand and create a more desirable positive brand perception. Figure 2 below shows the words associated with the brand in 2012 before the more significant reinvention phase. Although there are considerable words with positive sentiment the vast majority of associations are negative like the words “old”, “Stodgy”, “big”, boxy” and “heavy”. These are all words that can be associated with past product performance and imagery. The brand has experience a sharp increase in brand awareness, although not to skyrocketing levels. Advertising campaigns communicating the new brand image and values breathed new life into the brand, doubling brand awareness and improving brand perception as well. (Mcdonald, 2014) Figure 3 above shows Lincolns brand perception map as of 2016. As can be seen, there is a stronger positive response. The return of the continental nameplate, the crossover models, and Matthew McConnaughey advertisements clearly had a positive impact. The Crossover segment is being associated with Lincoln, a highly favorable result considering the growth of this segment in the luxury market. Although there were a few negative impacts showing evidence of the company’s negative perception from the past, the most damaging perceptive comment is that of the word “Ford” wherein the parallelism to the parent company hurts the Lincoln brand as a unique and luxury brand. The considerable number of responses recalling Limo or Chauffeur suggests that the perception of Lincolns as a performance luxury automobile are still far from realization. Figure 4 below features a Centrality-Distinctiveness map that shows Lincoln’s perception in comparison with other brands in the luxury automotive sector, as well as sales volume and a second matrix showing the price points of those brands (shown through the size of the circle). This map shows that there is massive room for improvement for Lincoln as a luxury brand. Other brands in Figure 2 – Brand Perception 2012 (JWhiteRsearch, 2012) Figure 3 – Brand Perception 2016 (Primary data) Power, lively
  • 10. Lincoln motor company 9 | P a g e H I B S its proximity are far from desirable parallels. Ideally, Lincoln would desire going further towards the aspirational or unconventional values wherein the top luxury brands perform or where individuality and uniqueness as a brand can be established and leveraged. As Lincoln continues its reinvention it is more likely to see a shift from the peripheral quadrant towards the mainstream and aspirational quadrant. Lincoln brand managers have to carefully usher the development of the brand to ensure that the brands equity is not damaged by going too far or too long towards the mainstream quadrant. The goal must be to make the brand into an Aspirational brand, opening the brand up to the possibilities of vying for increased market share and sales volume through differentiation. The brand is increasing its revenue and sales but the brand is far from being in a safe space. Figure 4 – Centrality-Distinctiveness Map 2016 (Dawar & Bagga 2015)
  • 11. Lincoln motor company 10 | P a g e H I B S Brand Resonance Pyramid The Lincoln brand resonance model pyramid seen above in Figure 5, taking elements from the earlier perception word maps suggests there is not enough synergy between the two sides of the pyramid. The benefits Lincoln strives to deliver are not yet in harmony with the judgements, imagery and feelings in the mind of the consumer. The pyramid is relatively weak at the bottom owing to the considerably low brand awareness in the luxury market. Lincoln has to make significant inroads in the market to develop its brand further as a premium luxury automobile manufacturer. The reintroduction of the Lincoln Continental could be key to this occurring. One element that is evident that once a prospect purchases a Lincoln Automobile they remain very loyal to the brand (Wernle, 2015), with considerably high attachment and community involvement with other Lincoln owners and the company itself. Of course, given that the brand is currently going through a reinvention phase, it is largely possible that such results can be attributed to ongoing changes and there will be improved alignment in the near future. Competitive Analysis The luxury automobile is divided in to two primary tiers. Tier 1 contains brands that have been consistent in providing premium products and services over the course of their operation. These are the highest selling automobiles in the market and often the first-choice for most consumers. Tier 2 contains brands that are not the first-choice and often provide excellent products and service, although not with the consistency of the Tier 1 brands. (Wernle, 2015). This can be made Figure 5 – Brand Resonance Pyramid
  • 12. Lincoln motor company 11 | P a g e H I B S more obvious with observation of the distances recorded on the Centrality-Distinctiveness Map in Figure 4. Below is a list of the tier 1 and 2 brands. Tier 1: BMW, Mercedes, Lexus. Tier 2: Audi, Volvo, Buick, Cadillac, Acura, Infiniti, Land Rover, Jaguar Given the list of brands, only those with a similar product line, pricing strategy, market presence and future strategy will be considered as potential competitors. BMW, Mercedes and Lexus are the designated leaders of the market. They have global presence and are considerably strong in every major market where Lincoln is present. Therefore, Audi, Acura, and Cadillac are their competitors in the second tier market. Below is a snapshot of key competitors from these tiers. Cadillac - Cadillac was founded just a few years before Lincoln by the very same founder. The brand has a storied history similar to Lincoln and has befallen considerable hardships given the lack of consistency and the inability to keep abreast of new trends. Recently the company has undergone a revival to re-establish its presence in the market as a key player. The brand has a product line very similar to Lincoln but it has not achieved the same success as Lincoln in the crossover segment. The brand has positioned itself similarly to Lincoln, bring classic American luxury with technology and performance. Cadillac however is also struggling to establish itself as a leader especially since it is constantly trying to position itself directly up against the German leaders of the luxury automobile industry, Mercedes and BMW. This competitive spirit has lead Cadillac to Europe where it is struggling to establish itself. Cadillac is Lincoln’s closest counterpart in the US and is definitely one its main competitors in the Chinese market. Cadillac is prepared to inject 3 billion in the business over the next 5 years (Priddle, 2015). Cadillac has also introduced models with features particularly desired by the Chinese consumer in order to attract more Chinese buyers. As the strategy pans out in the coming years this competition will crystalize to determine which brand has succeeded at establishing itself as the top performer in this market. Mercedes - Mercedes has a history older than that of Lincoln, and the brand has been carefully managed since inception. Mercedes has defined itself as the epitome of luxury to the point that it is top-of-the-mind luxury brand. It has 18% market share (Wernle, 2015). It is easily recognizable and this has been done with careful and consistent brand management over the years to avoid dilution or damage to the brand. In keeping with other tier 1 luxury brands, Mercedes has a vast product line touching every segment with multiple variants per product and ample room for customization. The brand has a global presence with high awareness, strong resonance, and very high loyalty.
  • 13. Lincoln motor company 12 | P a g e H I B S Audi Audi is the closest brand in the second luxury tier that is showing signs of transitioning to the first tier of luxury brands. The brand was close to being relegated as a dying brand but it was saved by careful curation, establishing Audi as a leader in technology and practical luxury as well as performance. The brand consistently provides uniqueness and quality while also establishing itself as a tech-savvy company thereby gaining the trust of consumers. This combination of consistency, luxury and tech developments has allowed Audi to carry itself into the next generation of luxury automotive engineering as a strong contender and as sales figures gradually keep increasing, Audi could soon transition itself into the first tier of luxury automotive brands (Wernle, 2015). Lincoln has much to learn and appreciate from Audi’s strategy. While Audi was on the brink of destruction two decades ago, it has now emerged as a powerhouse brand. (Stewart, 2012) STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS Positioning Figure 6 below summarizes some positioning analysis and points of parity and points of differentiation, as described further below. Brand Mantra: “Quiet luxury” (Bunkley, 2016) Points of Parity Points of Differentiation  High quality  American Luxury automaker  Fine materials  Highly engineered  Sober and subtle design  Highly customizable product line  Lincoln Logo  Rich history and heritage  Lincoln nameplates. Figure 6 – POP & POD Points-of-Parity Points or parity are easy to establish in such a competitive market. All luxury automobiles have to bear products of high quality, with fine materials, considerably high engineering. The brand is also not the only American luxury automaker that can flaunt such a quality and neither is it the only brand that has sober and subtle design. In addition to those factors, it is not the sole luxury automaker to offer highly customizable products in its portfolio. Points-of-Difference Lincoln separates itself on the basis of its rich heritage. The company can leverage its history, heritage and significance, its logos and nameplates. At this stage, where the brand is reinventing itself, there is little room for it to differentiate itself in the luxury automaker. If the brand is not able to create more points of differentiation, like a Lincoln Color or unique technology.
  • 14. Lincoln motor company 13 | P a g e H I B S Brand Mantra The brand mantra is currently “Quiet luxury”, a subtle mantra that suggests the direction that Lincoln wants to take in terms of design and functionality. The brand wants to contain a portfolio that it is subtle and stylish without being too bold so as to repel audiences. The mantra also suggests that the brand wants to delve deep into providing customers with a quiet and comfortable space, often synonymous with classic luxury. TACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS The brand audit has shown Lincoln to have considerable strengths, but far too many challenges as well which need to be addressed for the survival and growth of the brand. Emphasize the Company’s autonomy from parent brand, and play on continuous heritage:  Lincoln is one of the oldest luxury automakers in existence, and only one of the two American luxury automakers with a rich history and many developments in the auto industry that have come through the brand.  Lincoln must continuously emphasize on this heritage, but all-the-while ensuring that the brand emphasizes its autonomy to create more differentiation. The return of the Lincoln Continental nameplate should not be lightened and any opportunity to build the brand through the nameplate should be harnessed. This could include reminding the audience about the in-house engineering, custom craftsmanship, the Lincoln design team as well as the difference in the customers that go to Lincoln in comparison to parent company, Ford.  The company must also do more to create differences between itself and Ford. Lincoln needs to ensure the product designs, pricing, packaging, and promotion strategies do not generate any type of parallelism between the two brands. Although both brands carry considerable positive value in their own right, Lincoln needs to establish itself as a unique brand rather than an upscale Ford division. Its uniqueness will help prevent cannibalism and parallelism between the two brands. Deal with big bang disruption:  The luxury automobile market is currently being shaken up by Tesla, a powerful contender. Tesla has quickly established itself as a new American Luxury automaker. The brand houses an all-electric product portfolio and is fairing successfully in the market against fossil-fuel and hybrid luxury automakers. As of 2016 the brand has also begun adding self-driving systems to its cars. The response to such a disruptive force in the market, a possible sign of where the industry is headed, is absolutely crucial to ensure relevance and survival.  Lincoln already has some associative points such as Limo, Livery, and Chauffeur. Although the company still makes itself available in these areas, it has not explored the possibility to expand into the all-electric luxury, and self-driving automobile markets. Although that association exists, Lincoln is not thought of as a particularly tech-savvy brand and to establish trust in such an area the brand must increasingly add and communicate its more technological features in every product generation so that the brand may transition into the future of luxury automobiles. Building that technology reputation coupled with existing
  • 15. Lincoln motor company 14 | P a g e H I B S associations will help carry Lincoln into the all-electric and self-driving markets, an opportunity recognized by tier 1 luxury automakers as well. Explore the female luxury market:  There is evidence that suggests that the female demographic is responsible for 80% of luxury purchases and 60% of new automobile purchases in the US (Bruce, 2015). Another study suggests that the Millenial female demographic is responsible the lion’s share of luxury car purchases (Devere, 2016).These trends and correlations cannot be ignored by Lincoln.  To ensure that they remain top-of-mind for the female audience they need to increase their focus on communicating value to the female audience. The product line already contains automobiles that meet the needs and wants of the female consumer. Therefore marketing efforts need to be improved to target the Millenial female market. Find consistency in naming strategy:  Product names are crucial to elicit recognition and recall from consumers and the target audience. Lincoln has damaged itself by constant changes to the naming strategy. The current naming strategy caused considerable confusion and there is no evidence that suggests that the alphanumeric naming methodology evokes more luxury or performance sentiment amongst the audience.  Lincoln cannot afford to change from the alphanumeric at such a crucial stage of development. Therefore, with the re-introduction of the continental nameplate, the brand has a the ability to do either: a) Phase out the alphanumeric naming system gradually and to bring back more historic and popular nameplates; or, b) Retain the alphanumeric and historical nameplates, but to create distinction between the two such as additional luxury elements in the historical nameplate product series’ to help communicate the naming system with more clarity to the audience. Continue marketing efforts to reach younger consumers  Lincolns current marketing strategy has proven successful, especially to market the MKC and the MKZ which were financially successful for the brand. The marketing efforts were successful at increasing sales by roughly 16% in their first year and to reduce the age of the average Lincoln owner by approximately 4 years. (McDonald, 2014).  The marketing efforts need to be continued to gain access to younger consumers in the luxury market. It is necessary to inform, persuade and remind younger consumers to take ownership of the Lincoln brand.
  • 16. Lincoln motor company 15 | P a g e H I B S References Bunkley, Nick. (2015). Lincoln splitting with split-wing grille. Last retrieved from: http://www.autonews.com/article/20150817/OEM04/308179985/lincoln-splitting-with-split-wing-grille Bunkley, Nick. (2016). Lincoln navigator concept embodies the quiet luxury mantra. Last retrieved from: http://www.autonews.com/article/20160328/OEM04/303289941/lincolns-navigator-concept-embodies-quiet- luxury-mantra Berkowitz, Justin. (2012). Why is Lincoln now the Lincoln Motor Company?. Last retrieved from: http://blog.caranddriver.com/why-is-lincoln-now-the-lincoln-motor-company-we-ask-matt-vandyke-its-new- global-director/ Bensinger, Ken. (2008). ABCs of why car names are now letters and numbers. Last retrieved from: http://www.seattletimes.com/news/abcs-of-why-car-names-are-now-letters-and-numbers/ Consumer Price Index. (2014). Last retrieved from: https://www.minneapolisfed.org/community/teaching-aids/cpi-calculator-information/consumer-price-index- 1800 Lincoln Opens First Stores in China (2014). Last retrieved from: https://media.lincoln.com/content/lincolnmedia/lna/us/en/news/2014/11/06/lincoln-opens-first-stores-in- china.html Buss, Dale. (2013). Lincoln pivots to pushing MKZ rather than whole brand. Last retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2013/10/09/lincoln-pivots-to-pushing-mkz-away-from-focus-on- brand/#5012c080c7ec Ispot. Lincoln Motor Company TV Commercials. Last retrieved from: https://www.ispot.tv/brands/dzS/lincoln-motor-company McDonald, Soraya. (2014). Those cheesy Matthew McConaughey commercials actually worked for Lincoln. Last retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/04/those-cheesy-matthew-mcconaughey- commercials-actually-worked-for-lincoln/ JWhiteResearch. (2012). Lincoln brand perception map. Last retrieved from: http://www.slideshare.net/jwhiteresearch/lincoln-brand-perception-map Dawar, Niraj & Bagga, Charran. (2015). A better way to understand brand strategy. Last retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2015/06/a-better-way-to-map-brand-strategy Wernle, Bradford. (2015). Tier 2 luxury brands struggle to compete with elite germans and lexus. Last retrieved from: http://www.autonews.com/article/20150316/RETAIL01/303169995/tier-2-luxury-brands-struggle-to- compete-with-elite-germans-lexus
  • 17. Lincoln motor company 16 | P a g e H I B S Priddle, Alisa. (2015). Cadillac, Lincoln in tortoise-hare race for luxury sales. Last retrieved from: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/general-motors/2015/01/07/cadillac-lincoln-strategies- naias/21415793/ Stewart, James. (2012). Ford tries to save Lincoln. Last retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/business/ford-tries-to-save-the-lincoln.html?_r=0 Bruce, Chris. (2015). Mercedes wants to be the luxury car for women. Laste retrieved from: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/16/mercedes-luxury-car-for-women/ Devere, Jody. (2016). Growth In Luxury Car Sales Comes From Millennial Women, Not Wealthy Execs. Last retrieved from: http://cbtnews.com/luxury-car-growth-comes-from-millennial-women/