THE BIG 4 LUXURY CAR BRANDS

A look into Brand Positioning

& Driver Imagery

By Dan Pankraz
 Dan Pankraz

Senior Planner, DDB

Youth Planning Specialist

But also LOVE cars
danpankraz.wordpress.com
 WHAT I DID TO
ANALYSE AUDI, BMW, MB AND LEXUS
• Test drove a BMW 325i, Lexus IS250, Audi A4 S Line and Mercedes Benz
C200, all cars were in the $80-100k price range

• Wrote letters to dealers and asked them to send me back information on the
cars.

• Spent time on social media sites analysing content/ads

• Browsed car forums and blogs to get a better picture of the driver

• Spoke to drivers of all four marques

• …And most importantly, I spent lots of time ‘watching’ drivers in Sydney

and Melbourne
 BRAND POSITIONING SUMMARY

INNOVATIVE ULTIMATE CLASSIC LUXURY AND

DESIGN PERFORMANCE PRESTIGE LIFESTYLE

Sporty and stylish Technology and Sophisticated Ownership

driving experience Performance driving experience Experience

Design is hero Car is hero Badge is hero You are hero

BMW and Audi are closely aligned,

MB and Lexus are similarly aligned
AUDI DRIVER IMAGERY

OWNER TYPE
- Progressive, Stylish, Urban Cool, Creative
- Aspirational, design oriented, sporty, motivated

CAR SAYS
“I move with the times, I appreciate design but
equally want a drivers car”

CAR MAKES ME FEEL

Innovative, stylish, sporty

Audi is more likely to be successful through

passion, cool and socially aspirational
 AUDI BRAND BOARD
1. Design

2. Innovative
Technology

3. Sports appeal

4. Stylish

5. Modern

Innovative design, contemporary, desired.

 RETAIL AUDIT:
AUDI IS MODERN
BRAND
Communicates style and driver focus.
Modern, grey, accessible but not overly sophisticated.

CAR
Showcase latest models, A8 and RS6
Ability to get up close and personal to car

PEOPLE
Relaxed, friendly, approachable, early 30s, open shirts, casual feel

SALES
Sell styling, design and driving technology (Quattro, FSI)

Audi experience focuses on the design, styling of the car and feels very
accessible, yet not pushy.
 BMW DRIVER IMAGERY
OWNER TYPE
- Powerful, Masculine, Teutonic
- Wears badge on their sleeve
- Aggressive, dominant, driven, determined

CAR SAYS
“I’m on my way to the top and I achieve in all
aspects of my life…no compromises”

CAR MAKES ME FEEL

Powerful, strong and in control

BMW drivers have ‘more to prove’, are less open to change, and more
competitive.
BMW BRAND BOARD

1. A real drivers car

2. Exceptional Performance

3. Powerful cars

4. Makes the right statement

about me

5. Great reputation

Ultimate Performance but lacks emotion

 RETAIL AUDIT:
BMW IS COLD AND CLINICAL
BRAND
No ability to engage with the brand. Cold, clinical, and big open space.
Nothing progressive / interesting.

CAR
Selling technical features of the car
Benefits of driver feeling ignored

PEOPLE
Super serious and professional. Suits and ties, business meeting feel.

SALES
Highly knowledgeable about car, limited lifestyle appeal

BMW experience puts the car first. However, does not create the perception
of contemporary progress
MERCEDES BENZ DRIVER IMAGERY

OWNER TYPE
- Heritage, Stylish, Sophisticated
- Traditional, badge on their blazer
- Showy, conservative values, maintaining
status quo

CAR SAYS ABOUT ME

“Look at me! I’ve made it: money and assets,
its mine, mine, mine!”

HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL

Successful in the eyes of others
MERCEDES BENZ BRAND BOARD

1. Prestigious

2. Great reputation

3. Luxurious

4. Good resale value

5. More than just a car

 RETAIL AUDIT:
MERCEDES BENZ IS POMPOUS
BRAND
Focus on prestige, elegance of the cars. Quiet environment, symbols of luxury

CAR
Focus on luxury E class saloons, C-class. Cars are all locked.

PEOPLE
Aggressive sales staff, hard sell Suits an ties, big deal being done

SALES
Sell quality, safety and luxury. Can you afford this mentality? No solo test drives.

Mercedes Benz showcase car quality and try to appeal to vanity and
importance of customers
LEXUS DRIVER IMAGERY

OWNER TYPE
- Understated, Engaging, Intelligent
- Independent confidence
- Progressive, open-minded, intelligent,
energetic

CAR SAYS ABOUT ME

“I’m confident in my own skin, I don’t
need to shout”

HOW IT MAKES ME FEEL

Quietly confident and comfortable

Not a ‘driver’.
However, successful and wants the lifestyle attached to that.
LEXUS BRAND BOARD

1. Quiet and precise

2. Great after sales service

3. Gadgets and extras

4. Lifestyle living

5. Luxurious

Luxury and lifestyle..ME, ME, ME

 RETAIL AUDIT:
LEXUS = REAL ESTATE SELL
BRAND
Luxury ‘guest in your own home’.
Pristine, quiet, immaculate, black and white

CAR
‘No touching allowed’, all cars in black
Car put on pedestal, all cars in showroom

PEOPLE
40 something sales staff, friendly
Suits an ties,

SALES
Hard sell, very slow, focus on Encore program. Sit down to talk about your needs.

Lexus try to make you feel like a guest, but it becomes too much of a hard sell - it’s
very hard to get to experience car without being hounded.
SEMIOTICS OF LETTERS TO DEALERS

Advanced Innovative Engineering

Young and dynamic
Sophistication and technology

Put in letters

Privileges Dynamic and refined, Thoughtful Engineering

Personal Joy of motoring Innovative design

Letters from dealers reinforce similar codes of communications those

uncovered in the dealership visits
 HOW THE BIG 4 LUXURY
BRAND EXPERIENCES MAP OUT
Active Driving
(Car & Drive are
central)

- Designer
- Innovation
- Machinery, Performance
- ‘Us’ not you - Sports performance
- Sexy, not serious
- Aggressive

Not Progressive Progressive

- Luxury
- Quality
- Luxury
- Refinement
- Value
- Prestige
- Experience
- Refinement

Passive Driving
Other priorities like
lifestyle or
badge value
23
 LEARNINGS
• It’s clear Audi have taken on BMW and are now the more
‘progressive’ luxury choice

• Mercedes Benz have rested on their laurels and provide no

motivation for anyone under 40.. under serious threat from Lexus.

• Lexus focuses heavily on their unique ‘ownership experience’ and is

very understated

• BMW have amazing machinery and is still the ‘Drivers Car’, but
they’re ‘cold’ and a little self obsessed - they need to create a more
consumer centric brand experience