Brand Management of Luxury Goods: Mercedes and BMW

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. Focus of the Study

1.2. Outline of Chapters

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Mass brands, luxury brands and the consumer choices

2.2. Brand management (branding)

2.3. Mercedes-Benz & BMW

2.3.1. The Mercedes-Benz brand model

2.3.2. The BMW brand model

2.4. Chapter summary

3 METHODOLOGY

3.1. Objectives

3.2. Research Question

3.3. Research Approach

3.4. Data Collection

3.5. Sampling

3.5.1. Questions

3.5.2. Piloting

3.5.3. Distribution method

3.6. Analysis

3.7. Limitations

3.8. Ethical consideration

3.9. Chapter summary

4 FINDINGS

4.1. Demographics

4.2. Values

4.3. Car attributes

4.4. Luxury

4.4.1. Status

4.5. Environment

4.6. Cars and Car brands

4.6.1. BMW & Mercedes-Benz

4.7. Chapter summary

5 ANALYSIS

5.1. Chapter summary

6 CONCLUSION

6.1. Future Research

6.2. Limitations

Objectives and Research Themes

This dissertation explores the perception of "luxury" in the automotive industry, specifically focusing on how German business students perceive BMW and Mercedes-Benz as luxury brands. The research aims to understand the key drivers of luxury consumption, such as status, image, and technological excellence.

• Significance of the "luxury" concept in automotive choices
• Comparison of brand attributes for Mercedes-Benz and BMW
• The influence of personal values on consumer brand selection
• Evaluation of luxury as a status symbol in the German market

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides an overview of the research scope, the importance of understanding luxury consumer perception, and outlines the structure of the dissertation.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW: This section critically discusses existing academic theories regarding luxury branding, brand management, and the specific brand models of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

3 METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the research objectives, the quantitative research approach using postal questionnaires, and the sampling method involving business students.

4 FINDINGS: The results of the primary research are presented here, illustrated through graphs and tables based on the analysis of survey responses.

5 ANALYSIS: The research findings are compared against the academic literature to identify similarities and differences in consumer perception and brand attributes.

6 CONCLUSION: The final chapter summarizes the research results, answers the research questions, and provides recommendations for future research and study limitations.

Keywords

LUXURY BRANDS, CONSUMER CHOICES, BRAND MANAGEMENT, CARS, GERMANY, BRAND EQUITY, STATUS SYMBOL, AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH, CONSUMER PERCEPTION, MARKETING, PREMIUM QUALITY, BMW, MERCEDES-BENZ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this dissertation?

The study focuses on understanding how consumers, specifically German business students, define and perceive luxury in the context of car brands, with a focus on BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

What are the central themes discussed in the work?

Key themes include brand management strategies, the role of status symbols, the importance of consumer values, and the impact of brand image and technology on perceived luxury.

What is the primary research question?

The research asks: What is the significance of the concept of "luxury" in the choice of car brands: Mercedes and BMW in Germany?

Which methodology does the author employ?

The author uses a quantitative research approach, employing a postal questionnaire (distributed via email) to gather data from 30 business students in Germany.

What does the main body of the work address?

The main body examines existing literature, describes the research methodology, presents findings from the primary survey, and provides a comparative analysis between the gathered data and established theories.

Which keywords define this research?

Primary keywords include Luxury Brands, Consumer Choices, Brand Management, Cars, Germany, Brand Equity, Status Symbol, and Automotive Industry.

How does the author distinguish between Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the analysis?

The analysis identifies that participants associate the Mercedes brand more with classic design and comfort, while BMW is perceived as more sportive and technologically driven.

Does the research support the theory that cars function as status symbols?

Yes, the findings indicate that 92% of respondents agree that a car can be a status symbol and that luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW are instrumental in signaling status.