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Yes to less DIY! As David E. Davis (of Automobile mag) once said, "Greasy hands are vastly over-rated."
Annyway...
<<“Saabs appeal to someone who likes a car that is a bit more unique than the look-alike Asian cars, are not so bland as domestics, have a European feel, and offer more for the money than other European marques.” Why can’t Saab market this better? This is its primary competitive advantage.>>
Agree this is a competitive advantage, but that doesn't mean GM can leverage it. GM is good at mass marketing, not so good at niches, which Saab certainly is. It really requires a different way of thinking, and building a message that reaches the kinds of buyers who are real "Saab types."
And right, there does not seem to be any kind of long-term strategy for building the brand. GM is doing OK at *maintaining* brand image across its mainstream brands but this is much easier than *building* a brand image for a more individualistic car.
It would be very interesting to see the demographic and psychographic info on Saab buyers. What are the predominant factors that induced buyers of new Saabs to pull the trigger? How does this compare to other marques? How are Saab buyers different? What is repeat ownership like? Multiple Saab ownership? Longevity of ownership? What is the relative importance of safety/performance/practicality? etc, etc, etc.
In some ways, I liken Saab to Apple Computer. Both are really niche products. But I suspect Dell or Gateway would have trouble successfully marketing a Mac equivalent (all the parts--design, functionality, feature set, image) because all they really sell on is price (although I suspect HP could do it) . Apple markets the Mac --and related products-- with a unique image that costs more than PC equivalents. But they are successful within their niche and have loyalty approaching that of Harley Davidson owners.
Interesting stuff, this branding, loyalty and developing products that help maintain it.
Noel
posted by 69.163.4...
, Thu, 11 Nov 2004 15:39:20
, Fri, 12 Nov 2004 07:28:00, Fri, 12 Nov 2004 09:56:56, Fri, 12 Nov 2004 10:28:29, Thu, 11 Nov 2004 07:44:23, Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:00:38
, Wed, 10 Nov 2004 12:36:42
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