Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under:

HOW MANY BRANDS ARE TOO MANY?

With gas prices soaring and SUV sales sinking, General Motors just put its HUMMER brand under "strategic review." That's generally the term used when a company is getting ready to dump a brand. And that begs the question, how many brands does a car company really need?

There are a number of companies that have multiple brands, like GM (Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saab, Saturn, Opel, Holden, Vauxhaul), Ford (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo), Fiat (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Maserati) and Volkswagen (VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti). Some of these brands are strong and successful. Some are not.

The big, successful automakers these days seem to have only two brands, a mass market brand and a luxury one. That's the model Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are following. And that sure seems to be the business model that will work best for the foreseeable future.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto brandsAutoBrandsautolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogbrandsgmHUMMERjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblogThu, 19 Jun 2008 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[We say BMW, you say...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/we-say-bmw-you-say/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/we-say-bmw-you-say/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/we-say-bmw-you-say/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So here we have the kind of real-time social engagement that the Internet originally promised us. A site called Brandtag allows you to enter a 1-word attribute for a brand -- like "quattro" for Audi -- and then creates a page with the popularity of any brand identifier denoted by its size on the page relative to every other tag used, i.e. a tag cloud. For instance, one of the biggest words on the Ferrari page is "red," while one of the (many) smallest words is "viagra."

Generic descriptors seem to take the biggest places for all of the brands (browse them here) and some of the small words make you wonder -- like "pirate" for BMW. Yet there are some other intriguing middle-sized words that could make you ask, "Is that what more than one person thinks when they see me?" BMW owners should take note that many people apparently see you all as a-holes (NSFW-ish), though take heart that no brand is sacred from this swarm attack. Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: Brandtags]

We say BMW, you say... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 May 2008 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandbrand tagbrandsbrandtagbrandtagsinternettagsMon, 19 May 2008 14:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Chevrolet quietly eyes its Saturn rival]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/21/chevrolet-quietly-eyes-its-saturn-rival/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/21/chevrolet-quietly-eyes-its-saturn-rival/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/21/chevrolet-quietly-eyes-its-saturn-rival/#commentsFiled under:

Could there be some dissension among the General's troops?

Apparently GM's best selling and strongest brand, Chevrolet, has been having issues with its plastic clad sibling, Saturn, for years. Chevrolet dealers complain on the resources "wasted" on Saturn, which has been unprofitable for much of its sixteen year life. They state that many of the the marque's new vehicles such as the Outlook (SUV) and Aura (sedan) could easily wear Chevy badges.  All of which continues to point to the fact that the General has yet to resolve its chronic problems with brand identities.

But analysts point out that Saturn's advantages - high customer satisfaction and import conquests - are probably why GM is currently pouring millions of dollars into the brand. Also, as GM learned from Oldsmobile, discontinuing a brand does not necessarily free up resources. However, given that as Wagoner and friends have essentially moved Saturn into the brandspace occupied by the defunct marque, it continues to beg the question: how will Saturn succeed where Olds failed? Autoblog's own Chris Paukert asked the question a year-and-a-half ago, and is still waiting on GM's answer.

 

Chevrolet quietly eyes its Saturn rival originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandschevygmsaturnTue, 21 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST