1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main NG900 & OG93 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
What is Saab's brand identity? (long) Posted by Paul [Email]  (#792) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Paul) on Tue, 4 Feb 2003 16:33:54
In Reply to: 9-3X killed, JChristopher, Mon, 3 Feb 2003 12:10:25 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I fear Saab is in a downward spiral due to a lack of vision for what the brand stands for and what the unique Saab value-proposition is. When I bought my first Saab in 1987 (900 Turbo) it was clear what distinguished Saab: 1) Intelligent, versatile design of sports-car/hatchback 2) Great winter car in New England, Colorado etc. with (then) pioneering front wheel drive 3) Safe car with a standard airbag (an innovation at the time), crumple zone design, etc. 4) fun to drive. The car appealed to intelligent, slightly out of the mainstream buyers. Unfortunatley, Saab's build quality and the company's inability to effectively communicate the unique value of the Saab to a wider audience meant that a car with several unique value advantages was never as popular as it should have been.
Starting in 1998, the quality dramatically improved (a major advance, in part due to GM supply chain management), but the marketing problem was never solved. Now, instead of solving the marketing problem and building on the traditional strengths of the brand (and its core of loyal owners) Saab's identity is evaporating in an unfocused attempt at appealing to mainstream buyers by becoming a more mainstream (and thus, anonymous) car.
In 2003, what is Saab's identity and what are its value-adding advantages? It no longer has the versatile, intelligent hatch-back body style. It is no longer a leader in bad weather performance, as all of its competiors now have AWD. Many of its competitors have caught up regarding safety, or are close enough that it is no longer a major differentiator. The new Vector should be fun to drive, but what will its advantages be vs. BMW, Audi etc.?
Two points on the hatchback: 1) while many mainstream buyers prefer a sedan, why couldn't Saab employ flexibile manufacturing to produce both a hatch and a sedan for both the 9-3 and 9-5? The Japanese can make very small runs of specific model variants profitably (maybe something Suaru can bring to the party). 2) It is bad enough for Saab traditionalists that the hatch is no longer offered. But I have seen print adds that call attention to the elimination of the hatch as a benefit!! That is mismanaging brand loyaly big-time, and is very disrespectful of all the Saab buyers who bought into Saab's earlier marketing messages that the hatch was the epitome of intelligent design.
Saab needs to decide what it stands for and get its marketing act together (think of the impact that Subaru's positioning of the Outback as a sport-utility wagon had--aided by a great ad campign with Paul Hogan). At the time the Outback was launched, a 9000CSE hatch with AWD woudl have been the ultimate SUW.
posted by 209.6.125...
, Tue, 4 Feb 2003 16:33:54 <-- Viewing This Message
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
