Communication Strategy for Audi - Case Study Example

? Communication strategy for Audi Introduction In the recent past, UK’s car market has expanded quickly and is rated amongst the worlds competitive. With the addition of automotive competitors in the market, from the entire Europe, a brand of a car requires a deeper understanding of its customers to help it in the development of communication marketing strategies. What is meant by this is application of the appropriate media and messages with the aim of communicating the information to the targeted UK market successfully. There are basic things that may be needed by customers from different places in the UK. Despite their needs their preferences and tastes of a product always vary from one customer to another. The explanation for the difference lies in geographic, culture and socioeconomic environments. These are state in which the goods are consumed. The sociological and location factors influence the consumer’s behavior and directly apply to communication. Audi has got many customers in UK market inclusive of billionaires, and others are aged below 30 years. The statistics have been pointed out specifically to show that customers in this market change. Studies done in the past have revealed that decision making, purchasing criteria and channels of communication are different with the younger customers than the generation of the past who got wealth in the post cultural revolution. Although the currently rich customers in their 50’s make major targets for Audi products, a marketer should be in a position to forecast future developments. The main purpose of this report is to establish the targeted customers, their ways of processing information, how they use their personal and mass communication and their attitude to Audi products. Discussion The significance of implication of good strategies in communication marketing strategies by Audi is essential. Effective communication to the targeted market will grow into a critical state. The behavior of a consumer can be narrowed down to how the customers process information, the process of making a decision and their culture (Kotler & Armstrong, 2004). Due to the difference in consumers, there must be a difference in marketing communication. Marketing communication is a process of management whereby the consumers communicates with an organization. It incorporates personal and mass communication at various levels of the process. Personal communication is communication in marketing on how information is relayed to a consumer by the sales person. In addition to that, it is concerned with how media information is interpreted. Mass communication is communication in the market on different means through which firms convey information via mass media directed towards a large portion of the population. Based on Audi, the main reason for this report is to help understand Audi’s behavior on the grounds of its purchase, which defines a perfect strategy in marketing communication. This report will be divided into five. These are the Audi market, behavior of the consumer, market differences, market communication and the findings which to recommendation. Audi brand Horch one of the starters of Audi is also a founder of the automotive industry in German. This firm was situated in Saxony which is town well known of technology. In 1989, this firm’s yearly sales exceeded 100 for the first moment. In 1909, due to the misunderstandings between the supervisor and the board, Horch resigned from this firm and instantly started another company. Horch being the initial firm’s name was changed to Audi which was a Latin word having the same meaning as Horch. The development of Audi as a brand cannot be separated from the hard work and operations of Horch. From the time Audi came into existence, Horch made his point of attraction, which is the production of high quality. As his firm’s appearance, technology and performance improved Audi also earned a name. In 1969, the Volkswagen group under Audi with the support of finance by the public moved to another level of a fast development track. Three years from this operation, its expansion in the UK market continued and advanced in technology with the aim of producing cars of high quality. In 1998, this firm acquired the maker of Lamborghini and British Engine Company. The force driving Audi’s brand is its history of production of luxury cars. It is a pioneer of cars with excellent quality, horsepower and luxurious image. Audi markets 44% share that is highly above 23% of Mercedes. Although its products today are not synonymous with competitiveness of the brand, it still shows its light. Its other strength for selling expensively other than its competitiveness is that, it sells fast, sells better, and sells for a good period of time. Marketing strategy As reflected to be the brand possessing quality content, consumers despite other factors still buy its brands at high prices. To be specific, Audi’s brand value is of great essence; it reflects its value, comfortable and is displayed as gold content that forms the basis to be premium when compared to others. Brand value can be explained as a situation whereby a similar vehicle can be sold at a price that is better and the similar price can have a higher share value. Firms do get more money from carrying out researches and developing future models, expanding input capacities, creating a virtuous cycle that results to a heated up competition to the scheme in the market. This brand stands out the best example of value by continually improving on its own quality, service, and establishes the loyalty of its customers. Audi’s main competence or key points is the technology and brand. Competition in any market uses technology in identification of prevailing opportunities and in maintenance of technical vitality. Technology just contributes half of the success. The other half is done by the success earned from the marketing of the brand competitiveness. The expansion of market of Audi has been done in different periods. This has been done by use of different communication themes, noble positioning, upscale and luxury. Audi has its key points being brand positioning, public relations, advertising, event marketing, combined in different ways, employment of an integrated system of the market and smart. Audi has gained market advantage by use of marketing strategies that are integrated and integration of all marketing tools and elements (Proctor, 2000). Advertising forms the most appropriate and effective way of transmission in brand competition. As a firm is more competitive and posses an important brand, then advertisement of that brand is more profound. To highlight luxurious Audi cars and their dignity, the firm has introduced a variety of advantage. Audi has chosen watches, ceramics, ivory, diamonds, musical instruments and other crafts to be used in the background. The background is embroidered and curved using ivory to display the fine system of Audi Seiko, accompanied by diamonds and a wall to show the long lasting nature, porcelain, mobile phones, musical instruments and watches that expose the fine nature of the brand, and images that are elegant and form copies of superb nature making Audi be in its own class. In 1995, an introduction of A6L to the market strengthened the brand name in that it was valued at a price that was higher compared to the market’s anticipation. The brand of Audi was well known to customers, and their conception about the service, production, marketing, design, and development of the product was very right as they knew it all. In fact, the brand name was even vital than the marketing itself. At this level in the UK market, Audi was prescient. They produced vehicles of high quality and were consistent and continuous. Brand building and brand marketing forms an integration of the continuity improvement mainly displayed in the UK markets and improved levels of services. Success of marketing band had a direct impact on the creation of awareness of luxurious brand and loyalty of consumers, and none of the luxury car firms could be overlooked. As the loyalty of the brand is majorly because of the domestic customers, improvement of quality services and establishment of a good name is of great essence. The positioning strategy in marketing with their rivals dealing in luxury cars was achieved. In the real sense, Mercedes, BMW, or Cadillac were cars that the customers were well versed with but Audi being their major competitor in the UK market, they had to adhere to Audi’s operation to have a chance to compete. Audi merged to be a victor in the provision of its services. To support this statement, it serves as the largest in the country and covers a wide extension in providing services. Experts reiterate that the idea to win service is the direction to maturing and performing automotive market. Audi A6L used together with the 7840 forms new models with complete series. Individual consumers do not only require sales models and orders to satisfy their needs, but also are in need of enhancement of this brand in competitive UK market. Furthermore, there should be an enhancement of Audi’s quality and sales drive. Audi being good in the marketing of its brand, it became powerful. Because of the growing competition in the auto market, development and establishment of sales network that is strong is important. The major manufacturers of cars also focus on the dealer levels, and activities involving customers’ feedback as a way of attracting customers. In Audi’s case, the providing of services that are superior and of high quality is more vital than their price promotion. Audi possessed power and experience in their status, and this made even the police in charge of traffics to give way to a better portion of the brand. In the official market of cars, Audi has gained enormous profit levels. Though the Audi’s image of the old official car led to the brand’s image alienation, enhancement of the new brand turned out to be the general image which led to the success of the brand. To add to this success, there was a good image displayed by the senior officials. As much as the good image of the officials complied with the content of the Audi brand, its competitiveness boosted its psychological basis. In the luxurious car market, Benz and BMW are Audi’s major rivals in the market. The Volvo, Cadillac and others also compete closely. In contrary, the consumer’s perception of a good car is not the luxury but the creation of its awareness and its consistency in the market. This makes Audi their favorite as it made its way to the auto market long time ago and has been consistent in production of its brands. Audi also produces models of its brand in accordance to the prevailing characteristics in the market. In the UK market, the Audi series were officially listed as they were through with distribution campaign of the product. The conceptions consumers had about Audi and its advantages in domestic production, has been of great influence to its market strategy integration making event marketing clear as one of its strategies. This form of marketing in a wide scale sponsored the government, Audi commercial, and art. This was marketing that aimed at events and attraction of consumers’ attention of their targets in the UK market. Depending on the various customers targeted, Audi employed various strategies such as public relations; brand positioning and marketing aspects which saw them thrive. Other initiatives were the drop test on high altitude, Audi A4, tour events, road shows and other activities expanded this brand. Another key point to the brands localization was social marketing. With the efforts of Audi’s integration into the market, not only in the products and technology and other localization aspects but also inclusion of emotional aspects in the localization process, it made a contribution in the environmental protection field. It also contributed to the undertakings of social welfare. These activities as a whole: consumer, Audi brand, their connection, virtually narrow the distance between the public and Audi brand. Audi has scored high in marketing its brand and has managed to integrate social and internal resources. It is also good at mobilization of social resources, which in the marketing concept interprets its integrated market communication head. This has been Audi’s most successful implementation marketing communication. Summary and Recommendation From this report, Audi employs various strategies in its communication. For instance, Audi as a brand has won the consumers’ loyalty and trust. This has been possible because of its consistency and reputation in the market. As reflected to be the brand possessing quality content, consumers despite other factors still buy its brands at high prices. To be specific, Audi’s brand value is of great essence; it reflects its value, comfortable and is displayed as gold content that forms the basis to be premium when compared to others. Brand value can be explained as a situation whereby a similar vehicle can be sold at a price that is better and the similar price can have a higher share value. Firms do get more money from carrying out researches and developing future models, expanding input capacities, creating a virtuous cycle that results to a heated up competition to the scheme in the market. This brand stands out the best example of value by continually improving on its own quality, service, and establishes the loyalty of its customers. Audi’s main competence or key points is the technology and brand. The other is through event marketing. This was marketing that aimed at events and attracting of consumers attention of their targets in the UK market. Depending on the various customers targeted, Audi employed various strategies such as public relations; brand positioning and marketing aspects which saw them thrive. Other initiatives were the drop test on high altitude, Audi A4, tour events, road shows and other activities expanded this brand. In addition, it has adopted social marketing, which contributed to the undertakings of social welfare. These activities as a whole: consumer, Audi brand, their connection, virtually narrow the distance between the public and Audi brand. Audi has scored high in marketing its brand and has managed to integrate social and internal resources. It is also good at mobilization of social resources, which in the marketing concept interprets its integrated market communication head. This has been Audi’s most successful implementation marketing communication. There it is highly recommended that Audi as a firm should maintain its consumer’s loyalty by maintaining high quality in its brand. Apart from that, it should maintain the social marketing and event marketing. The significance of implication of good strategies in communication marketing strategies by Audi is essential. Effective communication to the targeted market will grow into a critical state. The behavior of a consumer can be narrowed down to how the customers process information, the process of making a decision and their culture. Due to the difference in consumers, there must be a difference in marketing communication. Marketing communication is a process of management whereby the consumers communicates with an organization. It incorporates personal and mass communication at various levels of the process. Personal communication is communication in marketing on how information is relayed to a consumer by the sales person. Reference Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G., 2004. Principles of Marketing. 10th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Lauterborn, R., 1990. New Marketing Litany: 4P's Passe; C-Words Take Over. Advertising Age, 26. Lazer, W., 1971. Marketing Management: A Systems Perspective. New York: John Wiley & Sons. McCarthy, E.J., 1960. Basic Marketing - A Managerial Approach. Illinois: Irwin. Proctor, T., 2000. Strategic Marketing: An Introduction. London: Routledge. Read More