Ch. 10 – Product Concept

A product as you know it is defined as everything, both favorable and unfavorable, that a person receives on exchange. In the world of business, the product can vary from an idea to a service and most commonly, a tangible good.  Most companies who are truly successful market a blend of all three, whether they know it or not.

Porsche products are considered shopping products because “consumers usually buy only after comparing several brands or stores on style, practicality, price and lifestyle compatibility”. While shopping products are clearly defined, Porsche can be further associated with one of the two types of shopping products, heterogeneous and homogeneous. When products, such as cars, are the product it’s assumed to be heterogeneous because the “prices, quality and features [of cars] vary so much”.

 Porsche also falls into the specialty product category. These are products that consumers will search for expansively and aren’t willing to settle for substitutes. Specialty products, especially Porsche, frequently use advertising that is a blend of more than just marketing a product but an idea or service. These status-conscious advertisements are aimed to maintain a product’s exclusive image. Porsche’s high price, premium quality and rich history all have the aspects of service, product and idea. Once a consumer becomes an owner of a Porsche it’s out the question to own a car from a different brand. What’s more, which is very interesting, is Porsche seems to be the advocate of advertising is a way that is truly unique. Porsche is feeds into the status-conscious marketing that evokes feelings and emotions associated with the company which is why Porsche still serves as one of the only car manufacturers that make ads and don’t touch on how great the specs are but instead touch on the history and sensation of owning one. 

*A great example of Porsche using status- conscious advertisements

Superb Sporting

Ch. 18 – Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

As we learned last chapter, advertising offers the consumer a reason to buy; but sales promotion offers an incentive to buy. The marketing managers use sales promotion to increase the effectiveness of their promotional efforts. Sadly, Porsche isn’t frequent in regards to offering a bunch of promotions but they have been doing well without them. (Previous Post On Sales)

Sales promotion is usually targeted towards two distinctly different markets. Consumer sales promotion or trade sales promotion. Consumer sales promotion is targeted to the ultimate consumer market and trade sales promotion, is directed to members of the marketing channel such as wholesalers and retailers. Porsche targets the wholesalers and retailers market, for the fact that majority of their products are sold through authorized dealers. With that said, it’s actually up to the authorized dealers to understand their type of consumers and how to implement certain sales promotions.

Porsche enthusiasts, who are part of the larger group of car enthusiast, are in two types of buyer groups, loyal customers and competitor’s customers. These loyal customers experience sales promotion offers like maintenance plan and reduced Porsche parts promotions from their dealers. Offers like the “maintenance plan” and "reduced Porsche parts" from London and Saskatchewan Porsche dealers are examples of how the company is reinforcing the loyalty behavior with promotions. What's more, is that all these promotions that differ between each dealer, can all be found on the official Porsche website.These promotions, despite being few, are great ways to entice Porsche owners and future Porsche owners in beginning or strengthening their loyalty with the company.

The Porsche personal can’t go unmentioned. The Porsche salesmen aren't the typical pompous sales personnel who think the car can sell itself in their 80's demeanor.  The sales team is very knowledgeable and helpful. They never try to push you on a car that is more than what you want, and will do all they can to make the deal work. The service at most Porsche dealers are like no other, they will always spend time with you even if you just to be educated.  

Classic Porsche x Pepsi Promotion

Pepsi Porsche 911 Carrera azul (blue)

Pepsi Porsche Boxster vermelho (red)

Pepsi Porsche 911B amarelo (yellow)

Pepsi Porsche 911 Turbo vermelho (red)

Pepsi Porsche 356 B (black)

Pepsi Porsche 911 Carrera Cabrio azul (blue)

Made In Brazil For Brazil In 1997

Iconic Porsche Commercials

Carerra 911

60 Years

                                                                 Everyday. Magic

Ch. 17- Advertising and Public Relations

Porsche’s presence has seemed almost ancestral to the car culture, which make some assume they don’t need advertising outside of telling us when the new model will be released. Porsche’s longevity isn’t caused by a whim of rapid recognition that causes their cars to sell themselves. Despite the fact that Porsche produces some of the best performing and luxurious cars, they still need great advertising campaigns and public relations to remain on top. (Especially, with their price tag) Porsche has always advertised modestly as well as with limits, always refraining from flooding the media with ads. This approach doesn’t go to say that Porsche doesn't  strategize and invest time and money into the ads they produce.

Porsche is known as the world’s best luxury sports car and is instantaneously associated with top tier design. This comparison is equally associated with the company’s limited but iconic ads. A great example is the 06 Porsche Carrera 911 commercial or even the “60 Years” Porsche Panamera ad, which can’t be mentioned without the ad made to abolish the “it’s not an everyday car” stigma which I’ve also posted earlier this semester. 

Porsche has always remained detailed and creative so the company can to do more visually with less. Just like any company from Apple to Nike, Porsche understands how influential displaying how and where the products are used and by whom. This is the greatest possible way for product placement which Porsche has managed to do it without much actual work. Porsche has been in hundreds of movies and TV shows-and I literally mean hundreds! Their cars have been spotted in movies from Fast Five, 2012, Mean Girls 2, Dumb and Dumber, Redline, Alvin and the Chipmunks and TV shows from Entourage, CSI Miami, Law and Order, The Mentalist……. Its cliché but, the list seriously goes on. 

                 Here's the link to look for yourself  Porsche On The Big & Little Screen

Porsche in Bad Boys

The Blood Lines Are Unmistakable