The other day I was checking out one of my classmate’s blog, the post Isn’t Audi Going Overboard came to my attention. It talks about Audi’s “weird” strategies of turning its head directly against other luxury premium brands such as BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. The author expresses his opinion about Audi’s behaviour in its recent “unethical” commercials.

Below is a sample commercial:

In my personal opinion, Audi did not actually take a dangerous step towards the ethics issue, but rather making an unwise decision in its competition. Its attempt of lowering other brand images will eventually backfire once the competitors get angry – and they surely will do – if the campaigns become overly wide-spread. Competition means improvement, not the creation of feud and grudge among players.

So I would rather call it “unwise” than “unethical”.

Advertising through mass media might just be a cliche. Let’s now take some good look at some other clever ways of campaign runnings.

Video Game – ever imagined a car manufacturer coming up with a pc game? Take a look at Volvo The Game – not just a look – a hand in the game, and feel it. If the game gets enough players, the car company will draw more than enough attentions to its own. Without a share in the EA game series Need for Speed, Volvo creates own game and distribute online for free downloads.

Product Placement – Aston Martin in James Bond? That’s not just it. In the recent Angelina Julie’s film The Salt, Chevrolet is clearly a featured vehicle. One more example, in Twilight, what does Edward drive? A Volvo.

Sponsorship – Toyota Center is the home court of the NBA Houston Rockets. This is a perfect example of how car manufacturers find ways to disseminate their names.

By-products – Check this out in Yousuf Ali’s blog – $7500 Lamborghini? Don’t panic on the title itself – it is a Lambo bike. But whatsoever, anyone thinks that Lamborghini is making money off its bicycle products? The answer is no. By introducing by-products to the market, it by no means is a bad way to promote oneself. In fact, this case is far from being rare. You can purchase a BMW T-shirt, Volvo Wallet and a GM lamp – at premium pricing. Clearly, the manufacturers are not professional in these areas,  and they do not intend to make any direct profit. But think about the length of time consumers spend on checking those things out – I would take a look if somebody tells me that he has a Mercedes computer mouse!

How do different car manufacturers compete against their direct competitors? Given the fact that doing business always means the exposure to cut-throat competition, it’s mostly the direct competition that is cutting the throat. Now, two players in the race market, Subaru and Mitsubishi, are striving for the posession of the market share for lower-end sports cars. Both are Japanese, both are veterans in the heavy industry, and both are known for manufacturing high performance vehicles. Take a look at Mitsubishi Evo vs. Subaru Impreza.

Mistubishi Evo – What it has over Subaru is its appealing look. Fewer people are indeed fans of the look of a Subaru. The decent and featured appearance of Evo, together with its superb curve handling, Evo identifies itself as a classic sports utility of history.

Subaru Impreza – Subaru is fast! That’s all I can say. Also, don’t forget that there is the engine, the Subaru Boxer, one of the greatest inventions ever.

As snow spans over Canada and the temperature plunges way below zero, there is a good reason for choosing a car that is tailored for winter driving – safety.

AskMen.com has come up with a list of top 10 cars for winter drive. Take a brief look and you will learn that some of the previously rare models now become the king of the roads.

Some important features for a winter car? See below –

1. All Wheel Drive: Clearly the essential part of a winter vehicle. Without it, a car can hardly move forward. Many off-road vehicles, as well as Audi and Volvo models, are well equipped with all wheel drivce. Thus they become the most popular cars in the harsh weather.

2. Tranction Control System (TCS): as a a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system, even though TCS increases braking distance on loose surfaces such as snow, it boosts up vehicle control.

Fancy commercials on TV, on web and on newspapers are no doubt important channels of communication with potential buyers. But as manufacturers, dumping big dollars into marketing campaigns without putting themselves in the buyers’ shoes could not be any sillier.

What would a consumer look for before buying a vehicle? Unilateral commercials? Car reviews, in fact.

There are hundreds of car review channels. TV programs, magazines, Youtube Channel, Facebook page, newspaper columns… You name it. Here are some sample effective reviews around the globe, some of which are with vast visibilities:

Top Gear (BBC) – One of the most top-rated TV programs off all time. BBC is never stingy in its investments in making premium footages that promise to blow audience away. Jeremy Clarkson, its host, becomes a well recognized celebrity because of the popularity of the Top Gear series. Far beyond simple car reviews, Top Gear imports a sizeble element in entertainment and stimulation. A great number of scenes are guaranteed to be never seen before. Jeremy and his colleagues never bother saving their criticism against drawbacks of on any vehicles they spotted. Certainly, they never save their ethusiastism and affection if the car is genuinely worth compliment.

Cars.com – One of the largest websites for cars trading, reivewing and commenting. Vast number of their model review videos have been uploaded to Youtube and have generated hundreds of thousands of views. With concise comments and professional demonstrations, viewers obtain very clear idea about the big picture of particular models from different brands.

Kelly Blue Book -The largest automotive vehicle valuation company in the US. Its Youtube videos are placed on top of list and are one of the most popular sources for car reviews. In their comprehensive reviews of various models, the clear and succinct demonstration by a proficient narrator helps viewers can readily learn the good and bad about a vehicle, as well as having clear comparison among different options. Moreover, it presents remarkably precise pricing information.

Motor Trend – A very popular American automobile megazine. It rates the latest models and provide very clear comparison and contrasts towards different models against their competitor products. For example, Audi Q5 against Volvo xc60, Mercedes S600 against BMW 760Li. Very steadfast in their own standpoints. The megazine also explain car models in much detail.

So what should manufacturers do? Keep an eye on reviews, especially on the reviews against themselves – no doubt the best source for finding flaws on their model. Don’t expect everyone to accomplish this. In one review towards Lincoln MKZ by Cars.com, Mike Hanley explicitly stated that the lower-class appearance of the parking break does not integrate well with the luxurious cabin at all. But Lincoln’s reaction? None. I believe that quite a number of buyers have turned to other options simply because of this. On another occasion, Jeremy blamed Volkswagen Touareg’s unstable suspension. But it seems that unstability has been a chronic disease in the family of Touaregs.

It’s indeed time for some manufacturers to wake up and refrain from unilaterally focusing on creating fancy ads.

Re-envisioned, re-designed, re-released. This is all about Volvo’s great new model, the S60.

Activated with power, momentum and stylish design, and still with the safety features from the heritage Volvo has left, S60 thoroughly refreshes people’s mind. Frankly, not everything has to be German – cars are no exceptions.

Once geared up with the 3.0 Liter, 6-Cylinder Engine that throws out 300horse power, it becomes the most dynamic model Volvo has ever built.  But this isn’t it – Volvo is determined to create something that ultimately integrates comfort, sportiness and safety. It is the first vehicle in the market that implements Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake. When the car is running under 30 mile/hour, it will send a warning to the driver and automatically come to a full stop if a pedestrian stumbles into the traffic, avoiding a collision eventually. Volvo says that 70% of the traffic accidents around the world take place under 30 mile/hour, so perhaps majority of such incidents will be avoided if everyone drives a Volvo – ideally.

Segmentation/Positioning analysis of S60

Apparently, Volvo intends to overhaul its image with this brand new model. Years ago, Volvo entered the market with its competitive safety package and has then attracted a certain number of buyers concerned with security of vehicles – these buyers are the target market. However, its somewhat outdated appearance and slack in power in previous models, plus the enhancement of safety features from its rivals, Volvo’s market share plunged. With the advent of the S60, we can clearly witness the ambition of this veteran manufacturer – restoring the pie. The S60 model targets the segment of young buyers who are fond of sportiness but without sacrificing comfort and safety features (in contrast to cars like Subaru WRX STI or Mitsubishi Evo, which seems to only focus on momentum). The positioning? A luxurious, fashionable, naughty car.

Walking on a busy Vancouver city street, you will, if you are observant enough, find that some car models, such as Toyota Camry and Honda Civic, can almost be spotted every other second. On the other hand, when was the last time you ever saw a Lincoln MKS? A Volvo S80? Or a Volkswagen Phaeton?

You might claim that price is the decisive factor because financially, a Toyota or a Honda remarkably cuts your expense in all aspects. You might be partially correct, since few people in today’s world are able to purchase a Ferrari; and that is the reason why Ferraris are sporadic.

Please think again. Several premium brands such as Mercedes, Range Rover and BMW tend not to provide buyers with inexpensive models, but they are still everywhere. Whereas some rare models in the market, Ford Fusion and Buick Regal for examples, are actually less costly.

Right, this is trickier than you thought. But at least it tells you that money is not everything – people are looking beyond the sticker price. So what are consumers really looking for? The answer lays in a particular order: affordability, cost efficiency, word of mouth, and brand recognition.

• Affordability: Money does come as the first issue, and that’s partially why a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is much more likely to catch your attention than a BMW or Porsche – they are not everywhere.

• Cost effeciency: Fewer manufacturers these days over-estimate what their models. Prices are carefully determined in correlation to the overall quality of the vehicle. However, it does not mean that such situations do never exist. Take BMW X6 for example, you pay a premium price for a car that virtually does nothing special. What are you paying for?

• Usefulness: Mercedes G models and S models are at the same level in terms of pricing. But the latter is too much more commonly spotted. As an off-road oriented model, G Class are affordable to S buyers, and the models provide excellent cost efficiency seeing what you get from what you pay for. But not too many folks around will recommend you a G wagon simply because they are not very useful. You don’t usually drive them in urban areas as it is going to be a waste.

• Brand recognition: Volvo S80 and Volkswagen Phaeton are recognized as great cars, ONLY by those people who really know them. An S80 is a combination of superior safety and remarkable quality but they are not too popular. A Phaeton by no means is inferior compared to Mercedes S Class and BMW 7 Series with its blend of high-end technology, appealing interior and massive power. The majority of the population, however, still does not usually give a second look to such cars. It is time for the manufacturers to consider market penetration strategies if ever are willing see a growth in sales.

Hello and welcome to the third post. If you are an SUV lover, you have come to the right place. If you aren’t, on the other hand, you might reconsider a little bit. After all, what’s wrong with a sizable, roomy, bold and presumably aggresive vehicle roaring on the road?

Well, modern SUVs are not necessarily always meant to be full of noise or aggresion. But rather, some of them are designed ot be quiet, smooth and elegant, without sacrificing their size or power. Now, let’s take a look at several typical off-roaders and their target market.

SUVs originally were designed for rural buyers who required both on- and off-road driving. Some of the current SUV models in the market are still equipped with stiffened suspension, all-wheel drive and towing capacity, which together enable the go-anywhere ability (in a relative term of course).

Model 1: Volkswagen Touareg – “Brains, Brawn and Beauty”

Strength: You have it right – it’s VW. For decades, Volkswagen has followed its legacy and built vehicles with both quality and performance with affordable pricing. Starting from $48,440, a fairly reasonable price for its level of performance (Go ahead and check out the video where a Touareg tows a Boeing 747), Touareg is truly a people’s car.

Target Market: For drivers constantly venturing off-road, this model is totally worth a consideration. For those who are looking for elegant, stylish design and impressive on-road manners, Touareg will by no means dissapoint them either. Its highly capable system design delivers only the excellence.

Weakness: If you look forward to driving a car that draws pedestrians’ attentions with your brand, this is not the right one for you – because it’s Volkswagen, something not designed for attacting oculus. Also, if you want to have a seven-seat car and with plenty of cargo space, try look for something else. This is only a mid-sized SUV.

Model 2: Land Rover Discovery – “Strong. Spacious. Versatile.”

Strength: In comparison with other cars, Land Rover Discovery is perhaps an SUV just for off-road, even though sometimes found on urban streets. Once equipped with a superbly powerful V8 petrol engine which delivers 370 horsepower, few can beat a Discovery where the road ends.

Target market: scientifc expeditions, militaries and adventurous buyers who seek for bold style in a vehicle.

Weakness: Relatively few people are big fans of the rough appearance. Furthermore, during this period of time where the oil price is skyrocketing, people might turn to competitors with better fuel economy. Land Rover’s family has been quite notorious in fuel consumption for a while.

Model 3: Mercedes G Class – “A Powerful Presence for Over 25 Years”

Strength: German. Heritage. Nostalgia. Excellence. Dignity. Best of all, Mercedes. If there is something beating Land Rover in off-road capabilities, this is it. This is one of the few cars on the streets stubbornly refuse to switch their look and thus a G-Wagen keeps reminding everyone of lives two decades ago. If upgraded by AMG, its might gets redoubled and the car goes anywhere – you name it – deserts, forests, mountains, wetlands, snowlands… Its adventurous style will never fade away.

Target market: Militaries, expedition teams, keen drivers who “believe in staying strong” and seeking to have “personality personified”. Canadian forces have them as military vehicles, and so do other armies. Some groups of people do genuinely love the look. Thus they become the targets.

Weakness: If there is a drawback, it’s the price. Starting from $114,400, not yet achievable by most civilians – and that is just the price for a base model. A fully equipped one could go anywhere up to $160,000, so it’s perhaps just a dream for many. Also, it’s worth mentioning that quite a number of people do not much appreciate the appearance. They deem it to be outdated. And perhaps it is.

Model 4: Toyota FJ Cruiser – “King of the hill”

Strength: Ever thought that Japanese engineering creates something like this? Truth is, it’s cool. An FJ Cruiser is a combination of stylish design and off-road capabilities. Being popular among the younger generation, it is not uncommon to see them on streets day by day. Moreover, it is reasonably comfortable and luxurious despite its somewhat rugged look.

Target market: For those who drive to work on-road every week day and spend their weekends in the countryside, this is an ideal SUV. After all, a good-looking vehicle is much appreciated everywhere.

Weakness: With a base price of $31,900, it may turn some buyers away for cheaper off-roader options. This is because that a such basic model does not include much – not even AWD for an off-road SUV. Also, its fuel economy is not of great reputation.

Model 5: Jeep Wrangler – “Best-in-class”

Strength: Many do think that the rugged look of a Jeep is the strength personified. Jeep is actually one of the most off-road oriented vehicles in the market, and with options of relatively cheap models. Thanks to an excellent suspension system, a Jeep is truly born to be maneuvered in the wilderness. It’s hard to get away without considering an off-roader costing only $19,000.

Target market: Off-road driving norms with limited budget on vehicle spendings will find it desirable. Rugged style lovers will also appreciate this model.

Weakness: A Jeep Wrangler dramatically compromises on the road. No matter in what aspects: appearance, performance and fuel economy, there always seem to be better alternatives. Stability inside the car is another issue.

When mentioned Lincoln, people think of “town car”. Nowaways when the pie of luxury sedans is usually partitioned by big names such as Mercedes, BMW and Lexus, relatively few people would give Lincoln a second thought as the public often perceive it to be the cars only for seniors. In spite of all these, Lincoln marketing team still deserves a large bonus in promoting their products on TV.

First, take a look at the Lincoln MKS commercials below.

“A truly beautiful ad that i do NOT mind interrupting my favorite TV shows.” – ArmoredNinja2 (Youtube user)

“I love this commercial. It is just so cool and hi-tech with music!” – fromoxwithlove (Youtube user)

Both of the video commercials shown above are blessed with high-tech graphics, appealing images and most importantly, perfect music selections.

A promotion project aiming at changing the public minds is far from being anything easily achievable. Lincoln has put a remarkable amouunt of investment in their marketing campaign and has certainly come up with something appealing.

Welcome to Third Gear. Here you will explore the world of car manufacturers’ marketing strategies. Enjoy!