Case Bmw Z3

BMW Z3 is the 1st BMW car which is being manufactured in North America which has not been a very big market, which has contributed only 16% to BMW's revenues because of the inability of the American customer to associate with a foreign brand. Here lies the challenge for BMW and the marketing behind the Z3 campaign are aimed at changing this perception of the American customer and ingrain BMW's brand image in the hearts of Americans. Therefore the sales and marketing approach of Z3 will lay the foundations of the future of BMW brand in America.

Concept tests of Z3 revealed high interest across number of demographics from teenagers yesteryear. In short, Z3 revealed interest across life stage segments  image conscious Gen X, aspirational car for men and women in 40's and nostalgia for late baby boomers. As it says in the article the common theme was "lover of life" mindset and unique expressions indicating a target market defined in psychographic versus demographic terms. Advertising is an important element in marketing which helps in broad reach and targeting potential. The kind of marketing (traditional v/s non-traditional) we pick depends on the objectives and what we want the output to be. In this case, the main objective of the introductory marketing plan was rejuvenation of the BMW brand by positioning the Z3 squarely in American culture and establishing it as a cultural icon. The intent was get people to talk about the roadster in the course of normal daily events and create a "buzz". Non-traditional marketing works best when the new product requires exposure/visibility, buzz, word of mouth (virtuous circle) and infatuation (missionary advocacy for the brand). This was exactly the objective of marketing team at BMW wanted to achieve for Z3 roadster. Another important element in nontraditional marketing is the target market itself. It is meant for non-discriminatory, broad reach and intended audiences will self-select, in short psychographic target segment where traditional marketing will be tough to reach with such a wide variety. To summarize nontraditional marketing is fit to weave the car into the fabric of the American experience, also to get the car on people's conversational agenda and then to leverage that buzz to promote the bran and finally for psychographic segmentation, it is the more cost effective.