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We all have dreamt of owning a luxury car at least once. When we see one while traveling, this thought crosses our minds. Often out of curiosity, we check on the internet prices of these cars, features, and specifications too. We daydream about a good long drive with our friends or spouse while experiencing the utmost luxury while being in the lap of nature. A sheer surreal experience is what we envision. Being a kid did you ever stop by a showroom of a luxury car brand like Mercedes? To get a glance at the cars on display? Who hasn’t? All of us do that!
Mercedes is a perfect blend of top-notch engineering, excellent technology, and luxury at its peak. A feature-loaded car with lightning-fast speed and features built by the Germans. Car lovers cannot agree more on the luxury and finesse the brand carries. With a variety of models at our dispense, it is the most loved luxury car brand in the world. Via this article, we’ll take you on the most luxurious and smooth ride. Fasten your seat belts, folks!
History: Worth Taking a Note
In 1901, the first Benz Patent Motorwagen was created by Karl Benz. It was the first gasoline car that was launched under Daimler Motors Corporation. In 1902, an Austrian automobile entrepreneur, Emil Jellinek, obtained the trademark of the name Mercedes, after his daughter Mercedes Jellinek. Later, Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler combined each of their companies forming Mercedes-Benz in 1926. The logo of it was registered in 1909, in honor of Mr. Gottlieb Daimler. He used the star sign as a symbol. Mr. Gottlieb’s sons, Paul and Adolf, registered both a 3-star and 4-star symbol as trademarks. The brand slogan is “the best or nothing”.
We Hear You Ask the Top Competitors
Competition is the word we all love, especially when it’s about luxury cars. Several brands exist in this elite cars segment which ignite the fire within car enthusiasts. Automobile brands locking horns with each other via advertising, social media posts, or print ads is a common sight. Without competition in this segment, there’s no thrill, is it? We bring you the top 5 brands that are competitors:
- Audi
- BMW
- Porsche
- Jaguar
- Aston Martin
These are the brand names that cannot be said to not be in the loop. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are brands that are always neck-to-neck in competition. These 3 brands are undoubtedly in competition with each other at all times.
4 Popular Marketing Campaigns of Mercedes:
Marketing campaigns are an effort by any brand to stand out. Brands strive to get into the limelight or get noticed. Television advertisements are the best mediums as consumers remember what they see. It made sure while making the ad they were using emotions, convincing the potential customer, and getting noticed by their customer base. These are 4 popular television commercials:
1. Unlock with Mercedes Benz:
A very thoughtful campaign launched by Mercedes during the festive season of 2021. The brand strategized to launch this campaign in September 2021 and continue it till the festival season ends. The reason behind this launch was an introduction to an unlocking with the Corona phase. The brand wanted to resurrect the sentiments of humans by availing them of the option of unlocking their dreams. It included easy EMI options on the selected models. A variety of insurance policies were also made available.
2. Merc From Home:
A wonderful ad campaign launched in 2020. This campaign was implemented to bring ease in the whole buying process of the product from the comfort of one’s home. It provides an easy and clear method of purchasing a luxury car via the ease of home and especially through the digital process. It is a crystal clear process. From preparing the car to making the payment through a digital platform, everything is kept simple and hassle-free.
3. Are You AMG-Ready:
Mercedes planned the AMG-Ready campaign to make a shift from only being a brand, to being a performance-based luxury brand. The brand wanted to introduce the AMG subsidiary brand to depict the promising capabilities and newness of its product. The loyal customers were the main target. A 1-minute video ad was made to demonstrate the different AMG models to increase awareness. The intent of the brand via the campaign was to perform and be combined in the luxury of tomorrow while strengthening the bond between AMG and its customer base.
4. Life Gets Big:
This campaign was a special one to highlight the features of the new T class. A van with sliding doors and an improved space within the car that accommodates one family was the theme. A rear window where 3 kids can enjoy the ride or even your beloved pet. This was an introductory campaign to bring to notice the extra space feature of this van. Sliding doors, extra space, and rear window space are the key takeaways in this model T class.
Problems Faced by the Brand:
1. Rust issues:
Surprisingly enough some customers have complained that the doors, fenders, hinges, and hoods start to rust sometime post purchasing the car. A loyal customer would not like the car to develop rust and make noise.
2. Deaths due to Systemic issues:
Post the death of Tata Sons Chairman, Cyrus Mistry, people raised eyebrows on how safe the Mercedes-Benz was. However, the Indian MD of Mercedes and the CEO of the brand together state that the car collided due to poor road infrastructure and traffic rules. They suggest improvements in these aspects to reduce the death rate due to accidents which is approximately 1.5 lakhs from 2021 to September 2022.
3. Display of error lights on the dashboard:
Some error lights are displayed in the model CLA 250 according to customers. Adding to that customers have said the company also takes ages to solve the issue as the display of error lights puts them in a fix too.
Competitive Advantage:
Mercedes focuses on adapting a differentiation strategy. Quite a noticeable number of features are offered by it, unlike its competitors. Some added features like:
- Blind Spot Monitor
- 8-way power seats with 4-way power lumbar support
- Hand gesture controls
- Hands-free device controls
These are some peculiar features of the 2023 Benz GLC SUV. It allows the driver more comfort and enhanced driving experience. These detailed and minute features of the SUV add to the list of features making the car stand out from the competition. If you take notice these are very thoughtful features installed into the SUV leaving no room for any complaints from the customer.
The Social Media Game:
Mercedes has millions of followers on social media which makes them an overachiever in its digital game. The brand utilizes social media to post finely curated content across all its online platforms. They especially take care of crafting user-friendly content wherein people can interact.
1. Campaigns to drive traffic:
Attractive feature-highlighting videos, shorts, reels, and user-generated content are also implemented to increase its brand engagement. The brand started a user-generated strategy on Instagram wherein it developed a hashtag named #MBPhotoPass. Through this strategy it allowed social influencers, journalists, team members, and even existing customers to curate organic short videos of its cars. About other social media platforms like Facebook, the visuals are very appealing to the human eye.
2. Diverse Ways:
The content the brand shares on its social media is visually driven and personal stories of existing customers. A very well-planned strategy of posting 2 to 3 times a day is followed diligently by the brand. Its images and short videos are visually driven as they keep it fresh and engaging. Along with videos and images the brand shares a variety of information, car-related news, high-resolution images of the brand’s cars at work, upcoming models information, and images.
3. Influencer Marketing:
Fitness freaks often head out to the mountains with their beasts to test the car’s ability. Fitness influencers make the effort to record a video and post it on their social media feeds. It helps them to reinforce the message when the influencer and the brand are featured and tagged in each other’s feeds. Some car racing drivers like Nico Rosberg, Jan Seyffarth, and Lewis Hamilton are famous influencers who often collaborate with the brand to spread reach and engagement.
Shift to EVs:
Mercedes plans to offer battery electric vehicles (BEV) in all its segments. From 2025 onwards, all newly launched electric vehicles will be electric only. Meaning, that from 2025, all customers will be able to enjoy the privilege of choosing an all-electric alternative for every Benz model. The previous plan of developing battery electric and internal combustion engines (ICE) on the same platform has seen a shift. The plan for developing BEVs has been finalized and is in full action.
The strategies formulated to make the shift possible are as follows:
1. EV Critical moment:
As the brand shifted its focus from “electric-first” to “electric-only”, Mercedes-Benz believes it can accelerate and make a more progressive EV portfolio plan. Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management at Mercedes Group AG says, “The tipping point is getting closer, and we will be ready as markets switch to electric-only by the end of this decade.” The change that is undergoing has made Mercedes revise their capital allocations as it requires huge amounts of research and scrutiny.
2. New Gigafactories:
Newer EV platforms will be established by greater integration into the manufacturing sector. The extensive technology plan consists of 2 new electric vehicle platforms. The first is MB.EA for medium and small-sized passenger cars. The other is AMG.EA, is a dedicated performance electric vehicle platform, for lighter commercial vans. Simultaneously, Mercedes will be focusing on the giant expansion of its battery manufacturing capability. As per plans, it is going to establish eight new battery cell gigafactories by working with partners in Europe and elsewhere.
3. Increased charging stations:
In collaboration with Shell’s Recharge network, Mercedes will add up to 30,000 more charging stations by 2025. The new charging points will be across Europe, China, and North America. In Australia and New Zealand, EQ drivers will have access to rapidly expanding public charging networks that offer a combination of standard AC, and ultra-rapid fast chargers. The experimental electric car of the brand, the Vision EQXX is the technology pillar. With a capacity of more than 1,000 kilometers, the vehicle is said as a highly advanced drive-terrain and light-weight bionic design.
Conclusion:
The brand Mercedes has a reputation for class, excellence, luxury, and innovation. A rich history spanning over a century, it has been consistent in delivering the latest, and most competitive technology. The company navigates the ever-evolving landscape of the automobile industry. As said by the brand, soon it will be embracing electric and autonomous technologies by tying up with other automobile factories for battery manufacturing. It is the brand’s main focus until 2025. Doing this will fulfill the environmentally conscious digitally connected world. In the beacon of elegance and luxury, it is a synonym for automotive greatness and will undoubtedly continue to set the standards for years to come.
