Ch. 15- Marketing Communications

                The overall goal for BMW is to be the world’s leading provider for quality vehicles while maintaining their luxurious and unique features, BMW has executed their goals by enforcing both AIDA and the promotional mix

ATTENTION

                BMW gets its attention behind the tremendous beauty of the car itself, with its overall design everything from the wheel base to the door handle each part of the car is perfectly aligned with the other and its dynamic trim is pure beauty to the eye, in fact BMW is known for having the perfect harmony between technology and aesthetics.

INTEREST

                BMW intrigues their target audience constantly with the technological features of the car, for example BMW is the only car company that has H.U.D (Head up Display) which is an anti-distracting navigation projection on your wind shield, also it hand gesture control was rated number one best technological feature. Other intriguing features is the outstanding levels of being comfortable while driving and be driven in one, the engine power and handling of the vehicle

DESIRE

                Over the years BMW has built this luxurious brand status and associated itself with an upper scale social class, therefore people may desire the car because of its features and capabilities, but they desire the title that comes with is by using BMW vehicles as a statement to display high income or being financially well off because the typical person who has a BMW is one of the two if not both.

Action

After being impressed with the features, capabilities and the social platform of BMW vehicles 9 out of 10 consumers take action to purchase a BMW or to prepare for purchasing a BMW even if they cannot afford one

Social Media

                BMW has a tremendous amount of following on Facebook, at 13.4 million followers which they provide with daily pictures, updates and videos of their cars and receiving feedback, allows BMW to stay relevant in the industry and to their target market.

Personal Selling

Most of the selling is done through the ideal image BMW has presented in advertising and brand recognition, therefore the only personal selling that has to be done is letting the consumer touch and test drive the car to experience what the hype is about.

Ch.10 Product Concepts

Product concept is an important factor for BMW because cars are not one of the necessities in life especially if you live in a major city with 24hour transportation, even if you don’t live in a city with 24hour transportation a BMW is still not a necessity because essentially the purpose of cars is to get a person from point a to point b, all of its features is just extra.  However BMW has mastered their product concept because they have persuaded people to believe BMW is like no other. BMW has a tremendous effect on consumers purchasing decision with their tangible and intangible features.

One of the most favored tangible features is the engine, before BMW made cars they were a manufacturing company for aircrafts, so just imagine the power of a car engine that was based off an air craft, in fact the M5 model can kick out a stunning 600 horsepower from a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine, and go from 0-60 mph in a mind-blowing 3.7 seconds, now that’s power. Other tangible features such as the style, color and features of a BMW vary to almost every liking and constantly update which is a good practice of planned obsolescence that will keep consumers on their toes for the next big thing. However I am intrigued by the primary intangible feature of its social class, social class has a major impact in the world today, so much that people would do almost anything to “prove their status”. Such as taking loans from the bank with high interest rates just to get the new beamer.

Ch. 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

                Personal selling and sales management is a major factor for BMW because buying a car isn’t like buying toothpaste, with cars a person has to analyze all aspects to be sure this car is for them and being this will be a large purchase they will most likely be keeping their car for a long period of time. However on the other hand when a person buys toothpaste they just grab whichever one seems the best because it’s cheap and will be replaced soon. BMW focuses more on the selling process than sales management, why have a person trying to persuade their customer about BMW cars when the car itself can show the customer why they should buy. Over the years BMW has improved their brand name to a point where constant advertising isn’t necessary, for example not often you will see a BMW commercial, especially compared to how often you see other car company commercials. BMW created that luxury social class therefore when it comes to prospecting BMW will just post some information on their social media site or website and the word would spread from there. Secondly BMW has a strong concern for their customer wants and needs that is why they are constantly upgrading the technological system and body structure of their cars to obtain maximum comfort and easy driving so the driver and passengers can feel the “BMW lifestyle”, also a customer can go to BMW and click “My BMW” and choose all the features BMW provides for its cars and modify them in the order that fits them the best. I commend BMW for increasing their brand status to where it is and having that luxury social class, it also benefits them because when it comes to sales there is no negotiating its either you have the money/credit to buy or you don’t.