Actual product or Secondary service
Mercedes Benz has adopted a brand strategy in terms of actual products that have enabled it to remain a competitor in the market. For instance, between 2003 and 2009, the Company produced several sports cars with McLaren Cars. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren has a carbon fibre body encompassed by a 5.4 litre V8 supercharged engine. Over the years, the Company has continued to produce cars like the McLaren F1 look-alike that saves the buyer an amount of $ 1 million or so (George 2010). Other products produced by the company that enable consumers save money are the Ferrari, a Mercedes SL55AMG hot sedan, a Porsche, a Bentley Continental and the Maserati Quattroporte all of which are more affordable at $250,000 to $500,000 price range.
The car nomenclature has been part of the Company’s marketing strategy in terms of its brand aimed at gaining grounds in the market. This has seen different products produced by the company being grouped alphabetically. For instance the C model illustrated that the car was characterized with a cabriolet body style. The brand in D signified that the product produced was a diesel motor (Smith 2007). The Mercedes with an E alphabet indicated that the car was having a petrol fuel injection. Other brands included the G model indicating that the vehicle is an off road vehicle.
In September 2003, the Company introduced the 7G-Tronic which was the first seven speed automatic transmission. There was as well the introduction of Mercedes-AMG, 6208 cc M156 V8 engine at 85 PS per litre; it was the most powerful naturally aspirated eight cylinder engine in the world. In an aim of attracting more customers, the company developed eth Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as well as brake assist which were designed to provide customers with safety when using the products. In a step further, the company invented the Pre-Safe system that was to detect an imminent crash (Pankraz 2011). It also assisted customers and the car in general to respond optimally to a given situation. Furthermore, the Company has the AMG in house performance tuning division specializing in the production of highly performing versions of most Mercedes Benz products.
Question Two
The product mix of top marques tends to differ. For instance Ford brands its products as AWD Territory as well as its lower priced 2WD variants SUV that have positioned it to compete favorably in the market. Toyota on the other hand produces the crossover SUV and the Kluger. Subaru also produces the Impreza WRX AWD heartstopper which take into consideration the safety of its consumers.
The Benz Company has also had mix of their products that include the McLaren 1, Ferrari, a Mercedes SL55AMG hot sedan, a Porshe as well as the Bentley Continental GT. The named brands of the company are intended at offering affordable prices to consumers. Mitsubishi Motors is famous for the introduction of the Japanese 4 by 4 models that takes another name in Australia and Japan.
The model is known as Pajero in Japan and Australia. In the United States and United Kingdom, the brand is known as Montero and Shogun respectively. The products of the different automobile industry tend to differ as competitors introduce new models into the industry (Saxena 2009). This has enabled the companies to develop products on a daily basis capturing different names to attract consumers. This is one way through which the companies position their brands in the market.
Reference
Anonymous. 2011. Marketing Highlights-Luxury Car Brands, Marques of Distinction.
Belk, W.R. 2006. Handbook of qualitative research methods in marketing. Edward Elgar Publishing. Massachusetts, MA.
Derval, D. 2007. Wait Marketing: Communicate at the Right Moment at the Right Place. Derval Research. Amsterdam.
George. 2010. The Best or nothing-new global brand strategy by Mercedes-Benz. Retrieved 2nd May 2011
http://www.globalmotors.net/the-best-or-nothing-new-global-brand-strategy-by-mercedes-benz/
Jain, A. 2009. Principles of Marketing. V.K. (India) Enterprises, New Delhi, ND.
Smith, R. 2007. New Mercedes Benz brand identity. Retrieved 2nd May 2011
http://www.gadget-paradise.com/0114/mercedes-benz/car-accessories/new-mercedes-benz/
Ohnsman, A. 2011. Hyundai Tops Asian Car Brands U.S .Gains as Quake Impact Looms. Retrieved 2nd May 2011
Pankraz, D. 2011. The Big 4 Luxury Car Brands. Retrieved 2nd May 2011
http://danpankraz.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/audi-lexus-bmw-mercedes-benz-brand-positioning/
Saxena. 2009. Marketing Management 4E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. New York, NY.
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