This short brief intends to scrutinise Jaguar Land Rover’s targeted audiences from a present generation analytical position. Jaguar, despite the recession and the age group of the audience, has been in a leading position. It continues to occupy, in spite of occasional budget recommendations and communication obstacles, a product that provides the ultimate customer satisfaction.
1. Current Marketing Situation
The British Jaguar and Land Rover Manufacturers were acquired in 2008 for approximately $2. 3billion by India’s Tata Motors from Ford Motors. (Hoover’s, 2010, p1). Jaguar offers luxury coupes, sedans and convertibles.
The recession, despite restructuring of the company, has resulted in falling sales volumes, and erosion of brand equity.
Jaguar XFR occupies a difficult competitive niche. It faces competition from BMW’s M5, and the Audi RS6 and Mercedes E63 AMG (Carsuk. net, 2009, p1).
2. Marketing Objectives
Jaguar topped the globally accredited “ JD Power & Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study”, considerably up from its “ 10th position in 2008” (Daye & Van Auken, 2009, p1).
Its primary marketing objective is to strengthen its brand equity and achieve retailing mileage out of the above position. The objective needs to bridge the gap between its consumers’ inherited brand perceptions of unreliability and its actual performance (Daye & VanAuken, 2009, p1).
3. Target Audiences
Jaguar’s targeted market profile consists of individuals who are over 40 years in age and have a high net worth retail customer record.
Jaguar XJ, despite being a fine car, did not succeed because of the common perception of it being analogous to the iconic original 1968 XJ Series I (CarsUK, 2009, p1).
Jaguar’s current slogan “ Born To Perform,” appears to be contrary to the perceived style-quotient, which owners cite as reason to acquire the car (Kerwin & Kiley, 2004, p1).
4. Positioning Strategy
Jaguar requires constant positioning, akin to BMW’s enduring 30 year old “ Ultimate Driving Machine” (Kerwin & Kiley, 2004, p1).
Jaguar’s marketers need to position the brand as contemporary and cool; in line with the younger age profile of an increasingly affluent target audience (Carsuk. net, 2009, p1).
The positioning strategy needs to differentiate Jaguar from its direct competitors, BMW, Audi and Mercedes, areas of performance, dependability and styling.
5. Communication Objectives
Ford’s policy of a mass market approach was contrary to its luxury niche image and ruined Jaguar’s marketing (Kerwin & Kiley, 2004, p1).
Its communication objective should now be to prevent brand erosion and strengthen its old image as a special and luxury product (Å trach, & Everett, 2006, p1).
The communication objectives should be realistic in terms of reaching the maximum relevant target audience, without compromising brand exclusivity. The objectives should above all, endeavour to negate perceptions of unreliability in its brand equity.
6. Communications Mix
Jaguar’s Adam Henderson highlighted the company’s 360Degree approach on deployment of all available communication marketing channels. The company’s communication mix comprises of the following (Riley, 2010, p1):
National communications through press, TV advertisements, Out of Home posters/billboards, video and in-market magazines,
Digital communications,
Experiential luxury drives and track events,
Public Relations & Social media,
Brand Partnerships to engage with similarly interests viz. Barclays Wealth (investment bank),
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and
Local dealer marketing
7. Budget Recommendations
Much of Ford’s investment, (of around $10 billion since 1989), went into unsuccessful brand-stretching exercises, rather than in brand extension (Madslien, 2007, p1).
The marketing budget is approximately is £25 million. The marketing focus is on bringing in new customers (Riley, 2010, p1). Restricted budgets are making brands hesitate to invest in mobile campaigns. Jaguar, with achieved benchmarks, should continue such channel investments (Butcher, 2009, p1).
Section B: Creative Brief
1. Target Audience
Communication regarding current Jaguar offerings, in terms of their exclusive features and break-through styling, should reach the targeted audience of individuals, aged between 35 to 54 years, with high levels of disposable income (MobiAD News, 2008, p1).
It is practical to include young financially secure people in the target audience, without estranging its core customers (Universal-Knowledge@Wharton, 2005, p1).
2. Communications Objectives
The communications objective should look at striking a balance between solid old-fashioned elitism and contemporaneous innovative luxury (Riley, 2010, p1).
Brand communication should be analogous to that of a design-directed luxury brand, amidst the contemporary luxury world of intelligence, imagination and innovation. Communication should render the brand relevant and compelling to the target audience (Riley, 2010, p1).
3. Communication Obstacles
Decades of negative consumer testimonials regarding Jaguar’s unreliability and under-performance constitute huge obstacles to communications (Daye & VanAuken, 2009, p1).
Another obstacle amongst luxury auto brands pertains to their desire to endorse exclusivity, which clashing with the demographic distribution of social media (Silverstone, 2010, p1).
4. Key Promise/Benefit
The key benefit for the targeted audience is higher levels of customer experiential satisfaction.
Increased interaction will accomplish exclusivity to more segments of relevant targeted audience and will benefit all customers, dealers and prospects in terms of continuous customer satisfaction feedback. This will result in improved levels of dependability and “ customer satisfaction”.
5. Reasons for Key Promise Outweighing Obstacles
The key promise/benefit equation should bridge the gap between its targeted audiences’ perceptions of unreliability, versus its actual performance. This gap should be bridged by deployment of direct marketing methods deployed towards its core and potential target segments.
Engaging consistently with relevant segments of target audiences through experiential or other channels will help better CRM practices and removal of obstacles.
6. Tone/Key Feeling of this Communication
The key feeling needs to be a sustainable zeal for the Jaguar brand (Riley, 2010, p1).
It should inspire products and surpass Jaguar’s historical brand values. It should differentiate itself in conveying that Jaguar, at heart, is a lavish and awe-inspiring sports car company (Riley, 2010, p1).
7. Media (Newspaper, Radio and Direct Mail) to reach the Target Audience
The targeted audience needs to be reached through deployment of different marketing channels, viz. newspapers, journals and magazines, both – online and offline, and selected radio channels that promote luxury brands (Riley, 2010).
Direct mail can be effective only when focused on known and specific HNWI customer segments (Viswanathan & Chiam, 2007, p1).
8. Other Creative Considerations
Marketing strategy and communications should aim to get the attention of HNWIs attention, by portray the product’s successful qualities, rather than depending on them (Viswanathan & Chiam, 2007, p1).
Such audiences are often fickle and can be swayed by differentiated products or services that give them “ bragging rights” (Viswanathan & Chiam, 2007, p1). They can thus be persuaded by differentiated products or services that give them “ bragging rights” (Viswanathan & Chiam, 2007, p1).
Marketing through social networks is also important in the modern day atmosphere of online penetration (Riley, 2010, p1).
9. Budget/Financial Constraints
The overall marketing budget limits the budget for the campaign of the current XFR launch and decreases available expend.
The digital communication budget is expected to cannibalise the operational budget because of the earlier success of the mobile campaign initiatives. This will constrain the budget for long-term marketing commitment, required for preserving and enhancing brand equity.
Section C: Scripts
1. Quarter Page Newspaper Advertisement
The innovative Jaguar XJ embodies a bold and spirited automotive magnificence. Its sophisticated, sporting and sleek demeanour, offers an enticing blend of outstanding design, awesome performance and engineering without compromise.
The XJ customer can choose from four refined and powerful engines, which utilize the newest power train technology, to get an exceptional mix of class-leading efficiency and dependable performance.
Principles of aerospace engineering and extensive use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have determined the cars aerodynamic line. The lightweight aluminium body uses over 50% recycled material. Body panels manufactured from recycled material utilise only 5% of the energy needed for new aluminium, leading to a possible saving of 3 tonnes CO2 per vehicle.
Building on recent XK and XF successes, the all-new XJ is the new introduction, offered to our ever discerning Jaguar customers. It is the company’s four-door flagship, meant to fulfil aspirations of the new generation of customers (CarsUK. net, 2009, p1).
2. A 20 Second Radio Commercial
The following script is meant for broadcasting over radio channels and should target distinct layouts and demographics. Both live reads and produced spots can be used simultaneously. Drive times, latter “ day parts” and weekends are recommended for broadcasts.
Script:
Louis Armstrong’s ‘ What a Wonderful World’ is this commercial’s music bed.
What do the acronyms XFR, M5, RS6 and E63 portray? …well, they are neither clandestine intelligence agencies of worldwide governments or alphanumeric codes representing chemical compounds. They are sports luxury saloons. If you do know about these life-changing products, you have already heard of the path-breaking Jaguar XJ.
The epitome of British luxury, the all-new Jaguar XJ, exudes automotive magnificence (CarsUK. net, 2009, p1). It is sophisticated, sleek and sporting. It offers unparalleled comfort along with a mix of awesome performance, outstanding design and uncompromised engineering (CarsUK. net, 2009, p1).
If you wish to test drive a Jaguar, do give us a call or book online vide our website: https://jaguarukforms. aplicor. net/testdrive. aspx. Our telephone numbers are: ……………………….. . We promise you an unparalleled experience at Jaguar.