Showing posts with label Infiniti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Infiniti. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Profiles of luxury car owners – Rupert Hoogewerf

Rupert Hoogewerf
Rupert Hoogewerf
Luxury car brands tell much about the ambitions of their owners, and how people think about them, disclosed the Hurun White Paper on luxury cars last week. In the Global Times an overview of the profiles of the owners of Audi, BMW, Mercedes- Benz, Lexus, Volvo, Land Rover, Cadillac and Infiniti, according to Hurun founder Rupert Hoogewerf.

The Global Times:
The report came to some interesting conclusions. For example, the public opinion of Mercedes-Benz and Volvo car owners are very similar to the way the owners of these cars view themselves. The public perception of BMW owners contrasted greatly to the personal opinions of the owners. 
Mercedes-Benz: Owners of Mercedes-Benz cars are considered to be entrepreneurs, cultivated and successful. This was very much in line with how owners of Mercedes-Benz cars viewed themselves. 
BMW: Those who drive BMW cars consider themselves to be small and medium sized business owners, or senior managers of multinationals. They see themselves as being positive and are relatively discreet, all of which contrast to the public perception that they are nouveau riche, materialistic and pretentious. 
Land Rover: Land Rover car owners are considered to be young rich people who are boastful and vain. However, the owners consider themselves to be professionals and self-made businessmen. 
Volvo: Volvo cars, often viewed as inexpensive and practical, are unsurprisingly associated with low-key and valuable members of society. Of the eight car brands owners surveyed, Volvo car owners came closest to their public image, viewing themselves as being family-orientated and loyal Volvo customers. 
Audi: Government officials are thought to be the most likely owners of Audi cars. This image was the most distinct image of all the eight brands. Audi owners consider themselves accomplished white-collar workers. 
Cadillac: The owners of Cadillac cars are perceived as being mature and family-orientated, while the owners describe themselves as senior managers in multinational companies. 
Infiniti: Infinti cars are viewed as being owned by film star types, but the owners see themselves as young, active and middle-class workers. 
Lexus: The survey among the public failed to find a distinct class for Lexus car owners, with many respondents giving contrasting opinions. Lexus owners, however, consider themselves to be hard-working professionals in senior management roles of State-owned enterprises. 
Rupert Hoogewerf, the chairman and chief researcher of the Hurun Report, shared his opinion on the survey's results. 
"Spending money on a nice car is the first outward sign of success for many Chinese. The objective of this report is to highlight the brand image of these luxury cars in China," he said.
More at the Global Daily.

Rupert Hoogewerf is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers´request form.

Are you looking for more luxury good experts at the China Speakers Bureau? Check out our latest list.  

Friday, October 26, 2012

Mercedes: heading for a struggle in China - Shaun Rein

ShaunReinportrait
Shaun Rein
Until last year Mercedes sold its sedans like hot buns on the China market. But the preference for SUV's and higher-profile competition makes the future less certain for the German car market, writes business analyst Shaun Rein in Business Week.

Shaun Rein:
Demand is so strong for high-end SUVs that the Porsche Cayenne has a six-month waiting list and is barely discounted, if at all. Mercedes rolled out the GLK SUV at the 2008 Beijing auto show, but wealthy Chinese considered it low-end at a mere $50,000. The M-Class, an older luxury SUV, is boxy and plain and lacks the handling ability of its rivals. Mercedes needs to roll-out a high-end, more muscular SUV. 
Finally, Mercedes’s dealer network suffers from the worst satisfaction scores achieved against BMW, Audi (NSU:GR), Maserati, and Porsche, based on customer satisfaction surveys and mystery shopping that we completed. Common complaints have been that Mercedes salesmen were “unhelpful”, “unknowledgable,” and “unprepared” to deal with customer questions. 
Mercedes can certainly rebound in China. It still has strong brand resonance and in the next quarter will likely benefit from Chinese boycotts of such Japanese brands asLexus (TM) and Infiniti (7201:JP). If Mercedes can release new models at different price points—yet maintain a cohesive brand positioning—it has a chance to return to the top ranks of luxury automakers in the world’s biggest auto market.
More in Business Week. Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him for your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.
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