Porsche Case Analysis
The intent of this case analysis is to evaluate the buyer decision process the typical Porsche customer undertakes when searching for a new high-performance sports car. The Porsche sports car enthusiasts’ decision process is significantly different than that of the Cayenne and Panamera customers, and these differences will be discussed. The factors that contributed to Porsche selling significantly more lower-priced models in the 1970s and 1980s is also analyzed. An explanation of the positive and negative attitudes towards brands like Porsche is provided, in addition to the role the Porsche brand plays in the self-concept of buyers.
Analyzing the Decision Process of the Porsche Customer
The core customer base of Porsche has a self-concept of being exceptional in every area of their lives, from their ability to set and surpass very challenging objectives, to their ability to earn above-average incomes and have exceptional lifestyles as a result. This self-concept revolves around their automobile being a symbol of their level of achievement (Rosecky, King, 1996, pp, 223, 224). The reliance on the auto as the primary means of communicating one’s achievements and status in the world become more prevalent the higher the competitive intensity of industries customers are part of (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009). Not only is the Porsche a symbol of achievement, it is also one of overcoming challenging in competitive, turbulent industries (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009, pp. 369-372). The decision process for the traditional Porsche buyer puts the attributes of high performance, exceptional agility, strength and affluence at the center of their decision making process. The selection of a Porsche is predicated on these values, combined with the opportunity customize the vehicle to their unique requirements (Cooper, Inoue, 1996, p. 294).
Contrasting Decision Making Processes with Cayenne and Panamera Customers
Where the traditional Porsche buyer is more concerned with the engineering excellence of their vehicle (Petroff, Petroff,1987, p. 44) and what it says about them from an achievement standpoint (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009, pp. 358, 359), the Cayenne and Panamera customers are looking for the Porsche qualities in a more practical vehicle. From a marketing segmentation and psychographic standpoint, these latter buyers want the Porsche experience yet need the extra room to accommodate where they are in their lifecycles as consumers (Ulrich, 2010, pp. 31, 32). What has made the Cayenne and Panamera so successful is the emphasis both vehicle designs place on the experience of owning a Porsche without the sacrifice of space (Gilmore, Pine, 2002, p. 7).
The decision making processes of the Cayenne and Panamera customers are significantly different than those of the traditional customer base. The focus on speed, agility and engineering excellence are still evident in their decision making criteria, yet they are balanced with the practical needs of families primarily, and second, with those who use their cars to entertain and transport larger groups of people (Ulrich, 2010, pp. 31). The original concept of the Porsche SUV was in fact defined through the customization business the company originally created nearly a decade before the first mass-produced SUV was ever sold (Murphy, 1999). While Porsche has a level of engineering excellence that few car companies do (Petroff, Petroff,1987, pp. 43, 44) their approach to selling SUVs was one of “no comprise” meaning customers could get the same experience and still meet their needs for practicality in a vehicle (Ulrich, 2010, p. 7). Sharing the value of engineering excellence in the vehicles they purchases, both the traditional Porsche customer and new SUV customer varied significantly on the type of experience they wanted. For the latter, the experience was one of luxury, comfort and freedom that more room in a vehicle provides (Ulrich, 2010, pp. 5, 6). Porsche was successful with this strategy because they stayed true to their values of engineering excellence and precision engineering, all contained within a luxurious experience.
Why Porsche Was Successful with Lower-Priced Models during the 1970s and 80s
The aspirational attributes of the Porsche brand are very strong, and led many of the original customer base to purchase one of their vehicles, even if they could not initially afford it. The strength of the Porsche brand is in their reputation for extreme engineering excellence and accuracy (Petroff, Petroff, 1987, 44) which are values many high performance luxury car buyers seek in their vehicles (Lesser, Hughes, 1986, 19). The lower price models did not do well because of their low price; they excelled in spite of that pricing strategy. A low price connotes lower quality in many markets, and in the luxury auto market, the price itself is an aspiration factor that potential customers also like to indirectly communicate via purchase they can afford (Rosecky, King, 1996, p. 224). In other words, a higher price acts as an incentive in brand-aspirational segments, where potential new customers want the distinction of being seen as able to afford the more expensive brand (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009, pp. 238-239). Due to all of these factors, Porsche succeeded with the lower-priced models because aspirational customers who could not afford the higher-end more exclusive models could still own a Porsche and enjoy the referent value of being seen as affluent enough to afford the brand. In reality, Porsche could have kept the prices ten percent or more higher and still accomplished its objective, earning more profit in the process.
Analyzing the Positive and Negative Consumer Attitudes Towards Porsche
For any highly affluent brand, there will be strong emotions, both positive and negative. The aspirational value and the brand and its implications for buyers of its vehicles is a strong positive, as within that perception are the values of engineering excellence, agility, speed and luxury, all contained in a single product. What is also a strong positive factor is the experience of driving a Porsche itself, which for many of the traditional customers, is the most valued attribute of the vehicle. The most loyal customers to a brand are more loyal to the experience and how the product or service makes them feel, not so much to just the product itself (Gilmore, Pine, 2002, pp. 4, 5). The experience and control over a very powerful, well-engineered vehicle and the ability to consistently define ones’ uniqueness is also part of the Porsche brand from a positive standpoint. From a negative perspective, Porsche has often been associated with arrogance, avarice, and given off an impression of its owners being above or thinking themselves better than everyone else. They do for the most part. This is a challenge for Porsche marketing to overcome. Porsche has in the past been plagued with confusion over their product strategies (Gumpert, 1986, p. 98) and willingness to attempt to be all things to all people in the luxury segment (Rosecky, King, 1996, p. 228). As a result, the Porsche brand has been significantly diluted in the minds of luxury car buyers (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009, p. 342). Fortunately for Porsche, the experience of driving one of their vehicles is so unique; the shortcomings of their brand are often overcome by the engineering excellence of the product itself (Gilmore, Pine, 2002, p. 10). This is why Porsche invites its customers to visit their manufacturing facilities in Germany and drive their newly-purchased vehicles through Europe before having them shipped home (German Business Review, 2008, p. 8). Porsche has found that this program gives their customer greater trust in their brand sand reinforces their purchasing decision.
The Role Porsche Plays in the Self-Concept of it Buyers
The Porsche brand has become synonymous with engineering excellence and precision, two of the core attributes of German auto engineering (Thanasuta, Patoomsuwan, Chaimahawong, Chiaravutthi, 2009, p. 362). It has also become synonymous with high performance luxury, connoting the customer can afford a premium, very high end vehicle (Rosecky, King, 1996, p. 225). The Porsche brand therefore acts as a reinforcement of the self-concept of high achievers who are able to set challenging objectives and surpass them. For these individuals who also happen to have a high net worth, they are seeking a vehicle that immediately communicates their achievement, status and financial gains in the world.
References
Cooper, Lee G, & Inoue, Akihiro. (1996). Building market structures from consumer preferences. JMR, Journal of Marketing Research, 33(3), 293.
U.S. Car Buyers In Germany Enjoy Personal Touch and Speedy Highways. (2008). German Business Review,3,8.
James H. Gilmore, & B. Joseph Pine Ii. (2002). Customer experience places: The new offering frontier. Strategy & Leadership, 30(4), 4-11.
Gumpert, David E.. (1986, March). Porsche on Nichemanship. Harvard Business Review, 64(2), 98.
Lesser, J., & Hughes, M.. (1986). The Generalizability of Psychographic Market Segments across Geographic Locations. Journal of Marketing, 50(1), 18-27.
Morgan Murphy. (1999, March). The chop shop in Stuttgart. Forbes, 163(6), 172.
Petroff, Jim, & Petroff, Marie. (1987, September). “Porsche Quality” in Application Design. Systems 3X World, 15(9), 42.
Rosecky, Richard B, & King, Algin B. (1996). Perceptual differences among owners of luxury cars: Strategic marketing implications. The Mid – Atlantic Journal of Business, 32(3), 221-240
Kandapa Thanasuta, Thanyawee Patoomsuwan, Vanvisa Chaimahawong, & Yingyot Chiaravutthi. (2009). Brand and country of origin valuations of automobiles. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 21(3), 355-375.
Ulrich, L.. (2010). Porsche Panamera. IEEE Spectrum, 47(4), 30.
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
