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Communication plays an important role in the formation of congruent perceptions (Gilly and Woolfinbarger, 1998). Communication fulfils a vital role in surfacing perceptions and that effective communication will enable incongruent perceptions to be identified and resolved (Harris et al 2001).
VW voice their heritage and personality through their communications with their consumers. With many of their advertisement they come across as simple but effective. Brand personality is communicated to customers by means of advertising and is the core part of a brand image; it is a way to express their value and sense of worth, by personifying the brand to bring it to life.
VW’s brand team needs to ensure that all forms of brand communications present a coherent brand identity. In one of their advertisements it expresses the way they had the skill to turn seeming faults into benefits. VW knew how to develop the emotional aspects of a brand and augment the personal meaning of a brand to its consumers. However, if we applied Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory (which could be found in Marketing comms model blog) with all the car brands VW owns, VW Golf would be for safety needs, whereas Audi could be categorised to satisfy a consumer’s social needs and the Porsche is suitable to pursue esteem needs or self-actualisation. Thus, each car brand VW owns may suit a specific target market that has a unique personality and heritage that is perceived through its communications.
VW conducted a research project to identify both technical reliability and sensitivity in both the capture and analysis of data, for this reason a qualitative phase was defined to annually follow new changes in the market and a quantitative phase was designed to monitor the image of VW and its competitors and the changes as well as trends in consumer purchasing behaviour (ESOMAR 2000). The base year research shows that VW has two strong competitors that occupied different and well defined image territories: one was the most prestigious brand in the marketplace and the other the one with the most dynamism and sales competitiveness. VW concluded that in order to expand its image, the brand needed to evolve in terms of dynamism and prestige. Emotional benefits had to be added to rational benefits like quality, economy etc. that has always led consumers to choose VW cars. To accomplish this, it was clear that VW needed to invade its competitor’s territory. Taking this into consideration, VW had several launches that contributed greatly to enhance its image. In response to this VW advertising assumed a more emotional, humanised language, allowing the brand to have a more intimate approach to consumers and their expectations of personal appreciation. Simultaneously, the brand’s advertising campaign strengthened the technological and modernity aspects, bringing awareness of VW German technology to consumers (ESOMAR 2000).
In addition, VW’s strong use of Emotional Selling Proposition (ESP) for itself by staying true to its humble “for the people” origins that most consumers will relate with. It maintained its core values and respect to its consumers, by living up to its claims, from its trusted quality to its economic value. Its driving experience emphasises on all its cars’ overall handling, allowing consumers to have ever most control on their vehicle, which therefore is found emotionally appealing to consumers as it is something that can be found relevant in the process of purchasing a vehicle.
As a result, building positive brand image has helped VW to create a distinctive brand personality that enables its brand to associate emotionally with its target audience. This is important as corporate identity is interpreted as an organisation’s ethos, aims and values that create a sense of individuality which differentiates a brand (Harris, F et al 2001). With its prestige reputation it has succeeded in producing an iconic brand across the seven continents in the world. According to a survey conducted by BrandTalk, 96% of consumers agree that VW has a positive brand image and has maintained a consistent brand image throughout the years (2011).
Here is a good example of an advertising campaign VW created in order to remind consumers about road safety.