BMW: The Power of ImageTo most consumers BMW is simply, a vehicle manufacturer. Is this company another faceless corporation whose only priority is to make its millions? Or have BMW spent the ninety years of their existence building a solid reputation based on quality? This dissertation will aim to investigate these questions by exploring the different and maybe in some cases, unknown elements of BMW.
I will be touching upon the history of the company and how it has shaped the organisation through its design, architecture, advertising and most importantly the essence of the BMW brand. For consumers, brands can be one of the deciding factors during a purchase. This importance placed on the visual image of the company is an element BMW have always taken for the utmost importance and is an element at the core of this dissertation. The study then goes on to discuss BMW’s target market, their advertising methods and the results of these luxury vehicle media campaigns.
This dissertation may provide an insight into the visual image of BMW assisting in the global success and variation of the car manufacturer. Acknowledgements. I would like to thank my tutor Heather Coleman for taking this Dissertation step by step with me and answering any question I have thrown her way. A special mention must go to my partner Michael Tymms, for accompanying me on my research trip to Munich and my Mother Tracy Bagg, for many days of proof reading.
BMW Dealerships (Snows of Portsmouth). BMW Dealerships (Snows of Portsmouth). BMW Dealerships (Snows of Portsmouth). BMW Dealerships (Snows of Portsmouth). BMW Dealerships (Snows of Portsmouth). The large coffee table in the lounge of my cluttered student house is scattered with reference books, folders, and numerous sheets of paper scribbled with information. It’s an idle Sunday night and the whole household is sluggishly watching a film on ‘Film 4’. I look up as one of my flat mates (who happens to be paying attention) points out that BMW are the ‘Film 4’ sponsors.
I laugh at how I have programmed everyone around me to notice anything BMW. As the film ends and the interval begins, the first advert to be shown is again, ironically, BMW. They are showing their latest creation, showing the new ‘Efficient Dynamics’ model range. I sit back and habitually take notes of some observations and think about how BMW overwhelm the world with the image of their successful brand. I wonder what effect it has on their market? Questioning if the BMW drivers of the future are watching the advertisement, thinking of one day owning one of their luxurious, exclusive vehicles?
Of all the world’s car producers it may be that BMW is the most image conscious. Everything BMW does seems to project a BMW idea. Its head offices and museum in Munich, its advertising, its dealer showrooms, its catalogues and manuals are all sleek, prosperous, clean cut and in good trim (Ollins, 1989, p. 90). When thinking of BMW, one contemplates images of the elite and luxurious. This is a reputation BMW have worked to establish since the company’s creation and is one of the key factors to its international success. The BMW brand is the fundamental symbol representing the company and its products, internationally.
As with all companies there is great importance placed on the consumers interpretation of the brand and its communication to the public, it could be argued that, for BMW this is one of the aspects that drives the company’s success each annum. The BMW brand sells consumers the idea of a lifestyle, of ‘independence, status and personal success’ (Edwards, 2000, p. 77). During this dissertation, I will be investigating the power of BMW’s brand image and the brands’ effect on the consumer. I will be asking questions such as: How is the brand message successfully communicated to the consumer?
Who are BMW’s target market? Another aspect I will be examining is the keen interest this global car manufacturer takes in architecture and design. This can be seen within their 1 Headquarters and museum, designed by the architect Karl Schwanzer, BMW Welt (Event and Delivery Centre), planned by Professor Wolf D. Prix and the Vienesse Architects, Coop Himmelb(l)au and the BMW Central Building created by Zaha Hadid Architects. The care and consideration taken to extend the quality of the company to its buildings, helps to raise awareness of the company’s corporate identity.
BMW’s strong brand image and detailed design portfolio would not instantly equate success alone, if it were not for the company spending millions on advertising each year. This powers customer awareness of the brand and generates a sense of desire on the consumer’s behalf. BMW, like any other multinational company have always attempted to be on the cusp of advertising since the company began, taking advantage of print, television, internet and media campaigns. With the collection of these three main components: Architecture and Design, Advertising and
Branding, BMW are able to draw in their consumers. These aspects all work collectively to increase the popularity, awareness and success of the BMW brand. Within this dissertation I will be exploring all of these aspects individually, breaking them down to show the interlinking connections. This study will most importantly be researching the question: How important is the visual image? 2 BMW are a company that are very proud of their manufacturing past. It was the initiation of the company in 1916 that established BMW’s obsession with brand quality (Paquin, 2008, p. 8) Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works) was founded as a result of the First World War, mass producing aircraft engines for the German military. Due to this being the company’s sole purpose at the time, the production plant was built adjacent to Munich’s Military airfield. The necessity for these engines enabled the company to experience rapid growth and BMW eventually ‘went Public’ in 1918 and converted to a stock corporation, with their share capital instantly valued at 12 million Reichmarks’ (BMW Group official website 2008).
The Munich based businessman, Franz Josef Popp became the majority shareholder and elected the BMW Managing Director. In 1922 BMW sold their aircraft engine facility in Munich and relocated to Berlin (Paquin, 2008, p. 120). Fig. 1 Here they continued their ambitions of industrial growth and combined their production facilities with another aircraft engine manufacturer: Siemens Apparate und Maschinenbau. (BMW Group official website 2008). Here this now substantial company continued to construct aircooled aircraft engines but in contrast also began manufacturing Motorcycles, the first being the BMW R32.
The bikes were known for their reliability, quality and sporty look (Paquin, A, 2008, p. 123). In 1932 BMW took their next step with their engineering and manufacturing and developed automobile production. It was decided the cars market would be luxury, sporty and targeting the middle class. In 1945 BMW’s most successful production piece would put the company on the edge of bankruptcy: During the Second World War the BMW production plant, producing aircraft engines, was seen as a threat and suffered devastating damage 3 in multiple air raids. This halted production and saw the company haemorrhaging money every day.
The German government saw to oversee that one of the countries major production assets did not bankrupt, so special permission was granted for BMW to carry out repairs on American army vehicles, providing BMW with the emergency funds needed for the business to survive. This action however, did not work in the favour of BMW as first hoped. In 1945 the American government issued orders that the BMW plants were to be dismantled, all production of aircraft engines and automobiles to be discontinued and the company’s assets were removed from its control (Paquin, A, 2008, p. 20). Thankfully, a shareholder at the time Herbert Quandt, increased his shares (becoming Managing Director) and the American government allowed the business to continue trading on the agreement that: under his control the company would be restructured and was granted permission to manufacture spare automobile parts, bicycles, agricultural equipment and motorbikes (www. bmwgroup. com). Following this restructuring and many discussions between the board of directors, the company decided to produce Motorcycles permanently.
Fig. 2 This decision made the BMW brand successful once more and in 1951 the company’s assets were returned and in 1952 BMW were able to resume their production of automobiles. 1967 saw the company desperately needing a substantially larger space to accommodate the expansion of production. The production of BMW motorcycles remained in Berlin with the extension of the 4 company returning to Munich to pursue evolving markets in the automobile sector (www. bmwgroup. com).
In 1970, The BMW Supervisory Board took on Eberhard Kuenheim as the new Chairman of the Board of Management. With his leadership, BMW was able to develop into ‘an international brand of global standing’. In 1972 (www. bmwgroup. com), BMW faced another milestone in their history: the BMW importer in South Africa was facing bankruptcy. So as not to lose this large market the BMW Board of Management decided to open a production plant in South Africa, making it the first plant outside Germany.
Over the coming years the company strove to overcome the politics and racial segregation of the time and worked to appropriately mix staff (Paquin, 2008, p. 119). With this financial ability BMW wanted to cement themselves within the automobile industry as a serious brand. One way they decided to achieve this was to enter into the world of Motor Sport. In 1972, BMW established their success within the industry with the M1 Model. The race engines were incredibly successful and won many events within Formula 2 (Henry, 1998, p. ) BMW also regularly took part in the annual Le Mans 24 hour race in France, introducing the birth of the BMW Art Cars. These were cars entered into the 24 hour race, driven by BMW’s professional drivers and designed by successful artists, the first being Alexander Calder and included artists such as David Hockney, Erwin Wurm and Andy Warhol. Fig. 3 Fig. 4 5 The Art cars all made different artistic statements due to the varied artists commissioned to design the cars, all artistically interpreting the cars differently.
The Art Car Collection has been acknowledged by many museums and galleries throughout the world: The Louvre in Paris, The Palazzo Grassi in Venice, The Powerhouse in Sydney and The Guggenheim in New York and Bilbao to name but a few (Paquin, 2008, p. 122). In 1973 BMW made the decision to commission a new headquarters building with an additional museum exhibiting the achievements and variety of the company. This was designed by the architect Karl Schwanzer and was christened the ‘Four Cylinder Building’ Fig. 5 Fig. 6 For BMW this symbolised prosperity and technical perfection, the perfect ‘shrine’ for the internationally acclaimed brand.
The next milestone also came in the form of a building: BMW invited the Head of State, President Walter Scheel, to lay the first foundation stone of the company’s new factory in Berlin, in 1984. Within those factory walls a year later, BMW created ‘Thinktank’ specifically with the purpose of bringing together the company’s best designers, engineers and technicians in sharing and creating ideas and concepts for the BMW vehicles of the future (www. bmwgroup. com). The still growing success of the company saw two more plants being built in 1987 and 1992, one based in Regensburg and the other in South Carolina, USA.
This American production plant was created especially for the manufacture of the BMW Z3 Roadster, to be shipped 6 internationally due to the vehicles ongoing popularity. With growing concerns of general vehicle safety in the late 1980’s BMW announced the opening of a Research and Innovation Centre in Munich, which combined the company’s sophisticated designs with experimental construction and safety testing facilities. In 1994, at the height of the company’s success and desiring to extend rapidly once more and dominate new markets, BMW purchased Rover, the British car manufacturing company.
Alongside Rover, this also included the brands of Land Rover, Mini and MG. as well as wanting to modernise the plant, the company also placed emphasis on rejuvenating the product lines. Unfortunately, in 2000, the costs of restructuring the Rover Group had risen sharply and the prospects were weak. The company had over estimated the development potential of the brands (Paquin, 2008, p. 123) and after a much publicised failure, BMW sold Rover for a mere Ten Pounds (Griffiths, 2004), with Land Rover being sold shortly after. BMW decided to retain Mini, seeing the potential in the popular classic, making it into the successful brand it is today.
The Rolls-Royce brand also became part of the BMW Group in 2003, adding to the company’s exclusive, opulent brand reputation (www. bmwgroup. com). The desire for expansion came once again to the company in 2005 when yet another production plant was built. This time the location was Leipzig, in East Germany. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects the building featured on the shortlist for the Stirling Prize in 2005. Fig. 7 Always adding to positively expose the success and variety of the BMW brand a building was commissioned to stand adjacent to the headquarters and museum. BMW Welt was completed in 2006 and designed by Professor Wolf D.
Prix and 7 the Vienesse Architects Coop Himmelb(l)au. The building acts as a collection site for customers purchasing a new vehicle, providing them with a ‘complete brand experience’ (Riewoldt, 2002, p. 32). Fig. 8 2007 saw BMW manufacture 1. 3 million units of its three successful brands (BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce) at 23 locations throughout the world. Throughout the history of BMW there have been two main dominant factors driving the company forward: Success and Brand Quality. From the company’s roots it has been recognised how important these elements were in order for the company to build its luxury reputation.
From its desire for rapid growth to its lust for foreign markets, the company’s brand has been at the forefront of movement. 8 BMW are an internationally branded company obsessed with their public image. Although they are primarily a car manufacturer they have an astonishing concentration in Art, Design and Architecture. This of course all coincides with their fascination with public image, ‘splashing’ the BMW logo all over a host of different activities. This act of course, is a justifiable means of self promotion that will make the public more familiar with the brand.
By sponsoring carefully selected events the company hope the brand will be refreshingly associated with delicate art and design projects, rather than the unsavoury act of pollution that BMW’s products can usually be associated with. The company will count on all of these aspects working positively towards their corporate identity, to influence the consumer to an even higher degree. These acts of sponsorship, involvement and interest in their corporate architecture, are elements that will give BMW a competitive edge in the luxury car market.
The high standard of corporate architecture that BMW have commissioned also reflects their core brand image of high quality manufacturing and market superiority. When writing in ‘Brands and Branding’, Shaun Smith describes BMW as having one of the world’s most immaculate and consistently powerful visual identities (Clifton, R & Simmons, J et al, 2003, pg 111). Consumers observe the sleek, modern and expensive spaces that are not only staff headquarters but also where the BMW vehicles are being created and are reassured that the quality they are seeing does in fact run throughout the company and is not just a tool used to sell their products.
They are partnering their customer profile with the variety of events to which they lend their brand, for example their involvement in Opera and affluent art galleries. The image of these expensive, luxurious musical events and the clean cut, exclusive impressions of sleek art galleries can easily be combined with the figure of a wealthy, image conscious owner of a luxury BMW. This idea of exclusivity is even filtered down into the smallest elements of BMW: the textiles and accessories range are also manufactured and priced with the same factors in mind.
For example men’s rain jackets are priced from ? 80, women’s leather handbags are priced from ? 130, a business travel case priced from ? 150, a silver and leather key ring at ? 95 and mugs priced at ? 8. 95. These products are available to those with or without a BMW vehicle allowing the average driver to have a piece of the BMW brand without having to actually own such an expensive luxury vehicle. Arvidson states, these products provide a brand experience for non-owners who derive ways of relating to BMW without owning the car. (Arvidson, 2006, p. 78).
BMW’s involvement in these events, have been carefully considered and all equate to strengthen and clarify the customer profile. According to Tony Allen and John Simmons (when writing for ‘Brands and Branding’) BMW uses the visual design and styling of its cars, key-rings, graphics, showrooms and communications to express its now powerful and easily recognised global brand identity. BMW’s visual expression is clear, attractive, distinctive and noticeably consistent wherever you see it. (Clifton & Simmons et al, 2003, pg 114. ) The BMW consumer is image conscious, wealthy, has an appreciation for manufacturing quality and elegance.
They are professionals, with full time jobs providing them with the security of expensive purchases such as cars. From their careers they have a high income, 11 allowing the consumer to be able to afford the BMW and everything that owning a luxury car entails. They can be all age groups: BMW once had the image of only appealing to ‘yuppies’, young professionals who had a throw away culture with money. Male: The majority of the BMW’s angular and large car designs are regularly described as ‘masculine’ and BMW play on this element through their advertising and focus on ‘German manufacturing quality’ and technology within their vehicles.
And of course, the BMW consumer is image conscious. BMWs are luxury automobiles that carry the image of superiority, wealth and class. People can be seen to purchase these luxury cars to extend this image as their own. 12 BMW WELT. Fig. 11 This transparent and structurally complex BMW building was designed by Architect Professor Wolf D. Prix and the Viennese architect firm of Coop Himmelb(l)au. One of the firm’s main objectives was to make sure that special priority was to be placed on free sight lines and visual interaction with the surrounding environment. BMW Welt’ also known as ‘The Event and Delivery Centre’ is located directly opposite the BMW headquarters (often referred to as the ‘Four Cylinder Building’) near Munich’s Olympic village. The building took two years to finalise and was completed in 2006. The core purpose of this building is to create a complete brand experience for the customer. Adam Arvidson, when writing a study of brands states: BMW have created an intertextual space that spans across media culture into real life- in which the essence of the brand, the quality of experience that it stands for can manifest. Arvidson, 2006, p. 78) This ‘intertextuality’ can be explained with the use of ‘exhibit’ style layout of much of the public access areas within Welt. There is heavy use of technology and media within the space, encouraging interactive link with the visitor and the information. BMW also wish to achieve a continued emotional bond between the world of BMW and the consumers/general public and to reflect the companies corporate identity. When writing for The Guardian, Jonathan Glancey describes BMW 13
Welt as a cathedral to public relations, a shrine blazing with the company’s slogan: Freude am Fahren (joy in driving), (Glancey, 2007. ) This centre is where BMW shares its philosophy, employees and products to the general public. The German organisation were clear when outlining the core values for the Event and Delivery Centre within the brief, according to a study undertaken by Otto Riewoldt these core values are stated as: ‘Persuasive power’, ‘motion’ and ‘individuality’ all the while focusing on the key emotion of ‘joy’ (Riewoldt, 2002, p. 0). The competition brief stated to its entrees they were ‘to produce and architectural structure of distinctive design and outstanding operational qualities that at the same time symbolises the world of the BMW brand. The competition’s central task is to devise a solution that assures the harmonious integration of the new building and its open air facilities into the context of the distinctive, high quality structures of the Olympic Park and the present BMW complex’ (Rievoldt, 2002, p. 32). The Event and Delivery Centre (see Fig. 2) continues the ongoing BMW quality of an atmosphere of exclusivity. This element of high class can be felt when entering each section of the space. The building is divided up into four distinct areas that purposefully intersect each other: BMW World, The Hall, BMW Premiere and The Forum. Figure 12. BMW World (see Fig. 13) is designated to the many different components of the BMW brand. This is where all of the BMW products and services are displayed. BMW describe this area as ‘the all pervading pivotal element of the BMW Event and Delivery Centre. This is where the reception desk is located. ‘BMW World is intended to deepen joy’ (Rievoldt, 2002, p. 35). 14 Figure 13. The Hall is the public space full of shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes. As is intended the hall connects and merges fluidly with BMW World. ‘The hall is intended to multiply joy’. (Rievoldt, 2002, p. 35). BMW Premiere (see Fig. 14) is the area representing the purpose for the Event and Delivery Centre: the vehicle delivery division. Customers are invited to personally collect their new BMW vehicles and completely immerse themselves in the exclusivity of the action.
According to an article written for the Guardian Newspaper by Jonathan Glancey, this communion between buyer and car is the holiest part of this 21st-century shrine. Here, consumerism is raised to a kind of sacred ritual (Glancey, 2007. ) The memory of this experience is what BMW believe will create an emotional bond. This service is targeted at those customers who are financially blessed enough to collect their new BMW at its ‘birthplace’, experiencing the technology, products and atmosphere.
The general public are able to observe this area but access is only granted to collecting customers and special guests of BMW, again adding to the tangible air of elitism surrounding Premiere. ‘The Premiere is intended to arouse joy’ (Rievoldt, 2002, p. 35). 15 Figure 14. The Forum space is a large venue where many internal and also public events are held. A large scale screen creates a constantly visual focal point while the space itself can hold a capacity of up to 600 seats. When events are not happening in the forum it is still in everyday use, while the large screen plays pictures and films from the world of BMW. This unique building, is one of the first examples of a new generation of communications buildings for the 21st century. ’ (Glancey, 2007. ) ‘The Forum is intended to propagate joy’ (Rievoldt, 2002, p. 35). Experiencing BMW Welt is informative, interactive and the ultimate brand experience. As you progress through the space BMW envelop you in the world of luxury lifestyles and fast automobiles. A section of BMW World is designed as an exhibition with technologically interactive displays, entertaining for all ages.
These exhibits may be entertaining games to some but to BMW they maintain the overall public perception of the brand. The materials are sleek, polished and modern, the lighting is atmospheric and specific to location and many of the displays are sculptural, heightening the luxury of the space. 16 BMWCENTRAL BUILDING. Fig. 15. The BMW Central Building was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects after BMW held a competition for two years, which the firm won in March 2002. The plant is located just outside Leipzig in East Germany.
This building was also included on the ‘Stirling Prize’ shortlist in 2005. BMW specified ‘the organisation of a series of connections to orient various flows of people, of space, of automobiles within a large, deep space. To clarify the complexities that are inherent within the project. ’ (Gannon, T & Hadid, Z, 2006, p. 19) One of the most important aspects of the project was the complicated necessity for up to 650 cars having to cross the site daily. Not only would this cause problems acoustically, there were also concerns for the levels of dust in the air, possibly affecting the cars bodies.
A scheme of specialised conveyor belts were the seamless answer to this challenge. BMW and Zaha Hadid Architects worked together to create a new interpretation of space through the elimination of columns which they believed could have a strong effect on the spatial experience for users. Zaha Hadid Architects embraced this theory and took ideas one step further by proposing to: ‘minimise the amount of corners, have elements cross between levels as often as possible to produce a layered space, celebrating the multiplicity of layered trajectories, resulting in ideas of movement and velocity.
All of the structure in the building has been orientated to trace the lines of movement through the building, to emphasise the linear trajectories’ (Gannon, T & Hadid, Z, 2006, p. 21). 17 Because of these collective factors the area has become a continuous fluid space of movement, rather than the autonomous, enclosed and static spaces often linked with conventional office spaces. The Central Building has been described as a ‘communication hub’ opening up spaces and again, going against the typical and unpopular sectioned office spaces which goes hand in hand with the sometimes negative faceless corporate culture and employee environment. A typically striking linear arrangement that gives equivalence to workers, executives and half built cars’ (Zaha Hadid’s Key Projects, 2007). The blue collar workers and the white collar workers are encouraged to come together socially within the layout of the building, with no enclosed office spaces and a sense of shared environment with no limits on where employees can access. There are many social spaces within the building, the main area being the large open plan canteen area where employees come together as a collective body. 18 BMW HEADQUARTERS AND MUSEUM. Fig. 16
Fig. 17 In time for the 1972 Olympic Games, BMW commissioned an office building to be built opposite the Olympic site. A museum was also included for the planning of the site, to be a shrine dedicated to the brand of the luxury car company. The architect Karl Schwanzer’s design was selected. The main decisive action for this being the design Shwanzer had created: the structure corresponded to the extremely short construction period (of only twenty six months) through its innovative permission of simultaneous construction inside and outside the building. (Manhardt, 2005, p. 2) The headquarters were conceived as a corridor free high rise building embracing the concept of teamwork and the formation of unfettered groupings in an open-plan office environment (Manhardt, 2005, p. 32). The open plan element of the design enabled maximum flexibility for the office’s freed spatial layout. The building was to be eighteen storeys high, open plan arrangement and designed to maximise natural light. Schwanzer had never undertaken a project on this scale before, yet the BMW centre was a rare largescale composition of complementary major forms.
The vertical lines of the high rise building work in harmony with the horizontal lines of the two-storey building below (Manhardt, 2005, p. 34). To embrace the building’s uses and original purpose, Schwanzer included the automotive material of cast aluminium 19 for thin walled cladding on the external surfaces. This enabled the building’s ‘sculptural’ form. The building’s four vertically aligned cylinders were envisaged as a vehicles cylinder engine part, with the museum adjacent as the cylinder’s head (another engine part).
The BMW museum’s purpose in the BMW complex, was as a brand museum, eminating the fascination of the BMW trademark and products, acting as a shrine to the company’s success (Paquin, 2008, p. 8). Schwanzer’s concept for the museum was the continuation of the ‘road’ as a functional space for motor vehicles in a traffic specific structure, encased in a shell (Manhardt, 2005, p. 63). The museum is a bowl shaped structure composed of pre-stressed lightweight concrete, resting on six column supports. These supports pass through the bowl at varying heights, each of them supporting a different circular deck within the bowl. Manhardt, 2005, p. 34) Fig. 18 Column supports within the ‘bowl’. In 2004, BMW commissioned exhibition designers Atelier Bruckner with the radical restoration of the museum. BMW specified the ‘new’ museum must bring the BMW brand to life and present innovation, dynamism, aesthetics and exclusiveness within the exhibitions architecture (Paquin, 2008, p. 14). In view of the company’s importance as a global player and the extensive range of its products, the new conception provided for a considerable enlargement of the museum (Paquin, 2008, p. ). This extension added a substantial 4,000 square metres to the exhibition areas. 20 Your experience within the museum is a subconsciously guided one. The six main areas of the museum are enormous light boxes, powered by 1. 3 million LED lights layered behind the opaque glass facades. (See fig. 19) The floor to ceiling length glowing walls also display graphics and text relating to the company. These displays are overwhelming, enveloping you in a giant light show, rendering you tiny in the large space. (See fig. 20)
Fig. 19 Fig. 20 The space is scattered with men for the majority, but there is also the occasional family and couple, all of them BMW enthusiasts to some degree. There are no coach parties of school children in this museum. The main areas of the museum are segmented as: House of Motorcycles, House of the Company, House of Design, Visions, House of Technology, House of Motor Sport and House of Brand. The grand finale of the experience of this brand museum is a spiralling journey around the circular form of the ‘bowl’.
As you travel the length of the winding ramp, inspirational phrases introduce the angular element of text within the curves of the ramp. 21 Fig. 21 Fig. 22 Atelier Bruckner architects wanted to stay faithful to Schwanzer’s original concept of the ‘road’ for the museum, keeping many of the original aspects of the design as a tribute to the architect (Paquin, 2008, p. 8). This is especially embraced on the top deck of the museum, where panoramic images are projected onto the curved shell wall, immediately creating the illusion of a moving car.
This projection screen is 125 metres long and 6 metres high and encompasses the whole 360? circular surface (Paquin, 2008, p. 106). 22 Car advertising took off through technological advances and productive expansion in the 1920’s and 1930’s to turn vehicle production into a significant factor in the post-war construction of consumer society in the 1950’s and 1960’s (Edwards, 2000, p. 76). ‘From the very beginning, the image of the BMW brand has been reflected in its advertising and communication with the public’ (Paquin, 2008, p. 58).
Before Television advertising, BMW focused on making their printed advertising as elegant and dynamic as their vehicles. BMW have always endeavoured to create innovative advertising and media campaigns. Fig. 23 BMW’s most challenging advertising campaign came with their previously largest market: the ‘yuppies’ (young professionals). Yuppies were fast moving individuals with substantial disposable incomes and busy social lives. BMW’s expensive television advertising repeatedly went unnoticed by a large percentage of their target market.
To combat this problem, BMW took an unprecedented step backwards with their advertising. The company turned back to print advertising in the business pages and the glossy men’s magazines that were then being consumed by ‘yuppies’ (Tungate, 2008, p. 96). In 2000, recognising changing opportunities for advertising, BMW chose a new agency: Fallon. Research had shown that consumers under the age of fifty were spending more time online than watching television and as many as eighty five per cent of potential consumers used the internet to research their purchases (Tungate, 2008, p. 6). BMW and Fallon also knew that these web advertisements would be appealing to these technologically aware consumer target group. BMW also released a series of short films in cinemas and on the internet. Fallon and BMW hired Hollywood’s top actors and directors. These short film advertisements were promoted like mainstream cinema releases with posters and previews. In nine 23 months the films online had been viewed by ten million people (Tungate, 2008, p. 97). Fallon embarked on follow up research to monitor the effectiveness of the campaign.
It emerged that viewers not only had raised perceptions of the performance and handling of a BMW but also expressed unexpected traits like value for money and safety. The films had enhanced the overall image of BMW. (Tungate, 2008, p. 97). Television and internet advertising have proved highly successful for BMW. During an interview between Mark Tungate and Uwe Ellinghaus (the BMW UK Marketing Director) Tungate asks why the company spends millions of pounds a year on television advertising when half the people will never be able to afford a BMW or work for a company that might give them the keys to one (Tungate, 2008, p. 02). Ellinghaus replies: “I rely on traditional media activity to create desirability around the brand. It’s the “I wish I could afford one” factor. This appeals to some BMW drivers who get a quiet kick out of making the entire neighbourhood envious when they arrive home in their new car” (Uwe Ellinghaus speaking in, Tungate, 2008, p. 102). Television and Web advertising will also work hard to reach potential BMW consumers, the now young adults and ‘twenty somethings’ who aspire to one day be the owner of a luxury vehicle: BMW’s future market.
The ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ was a term born in 1974, created by advertising agency Ammirati and Puris. The campaign was designed to communicate the idea that BMW was a luxury car that provided an exhilarating driving experience (Ind, 1997, p. 74). Mark Tungate points out that this phrase has been more than a slogan, it has become a mission statement that has informed everything that the company does (Tungate, 2008, p. 103). Car advertising acts to cause consumers to see their vehicles as extensions to their personalities.
This, for some, includes extending the ego with a sporty luxurious vehicle. Edwards explains this as ‘acting like another layer of clothing, where that fast little French car feels like a little French dress and the executive’s BMW merely adds to the Armani suit’ (Edwards, 2000, p. 74). 24 BMW can constantly be seen exploiting this aspect where the consumer is concerned with the element of exclusivity, status and personal success that surrounds the brand and therefore the company’s advertising. But exactly how much of a company’s brand loyalty is actually influenced by advertising and media?
Many theorists have sought to question the extent to which branding or marketing truly influence the consciousness of the modern consumer (Edwards, 2000 p. 77). It can be argued that the consumer is not the ‘victim’ of advertising and marketing ploys but ‘a fellow conspirer in the world of advertising, sniggering one minute and taking it all too seriously the next’ (Edwards, 2000 p. 76). Most advertisers have changed their approach to campaigning, coming to the realisation that consumer thinking has changed and so corporate thinking must also evolve.
Part of this factor could be the escalating cost of actually running a luxury car. Today’s consumer will often think of the cost of running a vehicle above all other aspects; such as aesthetics and reliability. Studies into customer responses, (including reactions to the advertising itself and consumer attitudes towards the brand) repeatedly show the positive influences of advertising working harder for the company’s image than its (on occasion) transparent marketing techniques could ever do to hinder it.
A study undertaken in Brands and Branding show that ‘in around 45-50% of cases, exposure to even one advertisement in a short period before buying, measurably increases the probability of buying the advertised brand’ (Clifton, R & Simmons, J et al, 2003, p. 130). Even among these negative connotations towards car advertising BMW are still finding new ways to entertain and influence consumers world wide with their successful marketing campaigns. An element that may have allowed BMW to succeed with their advertising, is humour.
It allows the adverts to be enjoyed by all, at the same time as being directly marketed to potential and current BMW consumers. BMW are one of the few car manufacturing companies to take this route within their marketing. This can be most clearly seen in BMW’s annual ‘April Fool’s Day’ adverts. 25 This advert, (see fig. 24) shown on billboards and newspapers around Britain on April Fool’s Day in 2002, is a humorous play on the potential consumer love of the BMW brand on their much loved BMW vehicle. It plays on the pride a BMW owner has for the luxury they have paid for.
If you were a cynical observer of car luxury advertising, you may have a slight belief that BMW would attempt an addition of a ‘marque wiper’. Fig. 24 BMW have played on the knowledge of their male market majority and know how this use of humour will appeal. This also links to the theorised links between the male sexuality and cars. ‘Fast driving is routinely equated with sexuality, particularly male sexuality. (Edwards, 2000, p. 74). This advertisement from 2007 (see fig. 25) can be seen to equalise the love and/or attraction to a human being with the same love and/or attraction a man would have for his car.
It can also be understood from the female’s point of view: in competition for attention from their male counterparts against the male’s obsession with his vehicle. Fig. 25 26 Fig. 26 In 2006, we can see BMW making a situation that the company take very seriously, humorous. There are serious connotations within this advert, as this will be seen by Audi (a rival car manufacturer) as anything but humorous. It is another way for BMW to assert its authority within the car manufacturing market: a jest at confirming that Audi may have ‘won the battle’ but BMW have ‘won the war’.
This variety of niche advertisement will only be humorous to a proud BMW consumer or an uninterested, impartial viewer. To other drivers it could seem obnoxious, arrogant and pointless. 27 Fig. 27 to Fig. 31 28 As we have all seen, conventional television advertisements for cars feature an automobile, traditionally filmed from above driving at speed along a straight or winding road, playing upon a typical luxury car drivers’ haven of the ‘open road’, inspiring the image of driving freedom. We mostly do not see the driver, but the suggestion of power and forward momentum create a masculine tone (Tungate, 2008, p. 00) As we can see in these stills (see figs27 to 31) (taken from an official BMW advertisement for the Z4 in 2003) the advert begins with a long stretch of road, with the BMW as the main focus of the scene. Appropriately, the music of Dusty Springfield’s ‘The Look of Love’ is the soundtrack of choice for this advert. BMW know this will bring a smile to the faces of viewers, this being a love song, but are playing on the fact that the ‘lucky’ people who will purchase this car may in fact fall in love with it. The dark and thunderous sky could make this dvert too temperamental and brooding to attract female consumers, making this an easily recognisable masculine advertisement. The use of black and white instead of Technicolor evokes contradicting thoughts of the surrounding environment actually being of no significance, with the only impact for the driver being the sheer driving pleasure of the BMW Z4. The finale of the advert shows the sky bursting with lightning, the climax of the excitement in seeing the vehicle on the open road. The parting shot in the last seconds of the advert is of course the BMW brand and the company’s tagline: ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine. 29 The BMW symbol dates back to 1917, when it was officially registered. The symbol was said to represent the company’s roots in aviation: a white propeller against a German blue sky (See Fig. 32). In actual fact this interpretation of the brand was recognised three years after its creation, in 1920. The original design of the brand only took into consideration the inclusion of the sky blue and white from the Bavarian coat of arms. (Paquin, 2008, p. 59) Fig. 32 In 1993, BMW was the largest producer of cars in the world (Jorgensen, 1994 p. 1) and with the company going from strength to strength ever since, ‘BMW brand cars have become synonymous with engineering excellence, performance, reliability and automotive design and technology’ (Jorgensen, 1994, p. 40). BMW also have their national reputation (which the company have helped promote) of ‘German Efficiency’. According to a thorough study taken from Wally Ollins’ On Brand, when asked the question “What does ‘made in Germany’ mean”? 89% of people asked answered ‘Durable Technology’, 100% noted ‘Technical Prowess’ and 50% recognised Germany as being a nation solely of ‘automotive production’ (Ollins, 2003 p. 44). BMW testify that Performance, Dynamism and Agility are to name but a few of the brand’s core values and communications. The BMW brand is amongst some of the most recognisable brands in the world. According to the ‘Global 500 Brands’ (CNN’s annually reported league table), the BMW brand outranked all other luxury cars in marketing performance in 2008 (CNN Money, official website www. money. cnn. com). Over the last thirty years, BMW has worked tirelessly to reinvent and manage its powerful brand. As Shaun Smith rightly writes, the main focus of BMW has been to ‘communicate the 0 brand in a distinctive way, and to manage customers’ expectations’ (Clifton & Simmons et al. 2003, p. 98). The distinctive manner of BMW branding can also be noted in the company’s Product Placement. Within advertising this translates as a company paying a fee in order for their products to be placed in a film, television show or other media assembly. In this case the BMW product was the Z8, Z3 car models (see fig. 33) and the BMW R1200 motorbike (see fig. 34) as James Bond’s vehicles of choice. This was the first time a German car had been chosen in the blockbusting films.
BMW models were the ‘Bond car’s’ for three consecutive productions: ‘Golden Eye’, ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ and ‘The World is Not Enough’. This revealed BMW’s new models to a practically infinite market, knowing the huge popularity of the famous spy films. The two internationally known brands (BMW and James Bond, 007) worked together during these films to simultaneously promote and advertise both products. For example, BMW R1200 Motorbikes were placed on a promotional backdrop within dealerships around the country and the BMW Z8 could be seen on James Bond promotional posters and of course television advertising.
Fig. 33 Fig. 34 In the 1980’s BMW drivers were described as ‘yuppies’, young professionals who lived and worked in the city, with luxurious life styles and considerable disposable incomes. Yuppie’s were a throw away society and often regarded by the world as irresponsible and arrogant. The company embraced this market in the beginning due to the fact that BMW’s were deemed the ultimate yuppie vehicle, the perfect accessory to express their new found wealth (Tungate, 2008, 31 p. 95). As BMW matured (as a successful brand), so did their target market.
From the late 1980’s to present day, BMW have laboured to provide the brand with the sophisticated, exclusive, wealthy image it now holds. When there were increased consumer concerns about motor vehicle safety in the 1980’s, BMW addressed the concern by using its performance engineering background to communicate the idea of active safety. They publicised their range of wind tests and technical innovations such as anti-lock brakes and suspension systems, that could all be used to avoid accidents (Ind, 1997, p. 75). This reassured the public and the market for the new, improved safety conscious BMW, began to evolve.
Families, now aware of the BMW’s safety merits became another of its main target groups. As David Kiley states in Driven: Inside BMW, The Most Admired Car Company in the World, in 2001 two thirds of BMW customers were male; the average BMW customer was 46 years old; median income was ? 75,000; the majority were well educated, married and had no children. (Kiley, 2004, pg. 46). According to Shaun Smith writing in Brands and Branding, there are three fundamental rules to comply with, when communicating a brand with the consumer society: Trust, commitment and alignment and mutuality.
Trust involves the fundamentals of the consumer believing that the brand will deliver its promise, respect them as customers and be open and honest with them. (Clifton & Simmons et al, 2003, p. 99. ) Commitment involves the consumer feeling longer term emotional attachment to their relationship with the brand. (Clifton & Simmons et al, 2003, p. 99. ) Alignment and mutuality engage a two way affinity between consumers and the brand; with mutual respect, shared values and expectations met which results in a continually rewarding experience. (Clifton & Simmons et al, 2003, p. 99. For companies, these are the corporate rules to marketing to consumers. For their consumers, these rules could be described as a ‘marketing fantasy world’, ‘dumbing down’ the consumer with full belief that everything the company markets will be ‘swallowed’ by their target market. 32 These three points are completely absorbed within the BMW brand. The company understands that customer spend, retention and their willingness to recommend the brand to others are all influenced by the strength of the relationship between consumer and brand (Clifton & Simmons et al, 2003, p99).
BMW’s brand management stresses: the importance of moving beyond the conception of the brand as simply a makers mark or a sign of quality, to establish a relationship with consumers. Ideally the brand should be conceived as a ‘personality’ with emotional or even ethical dimensions (Arvidson, 2006, p. 67). As previously discussed, in 2001 the average BMW driver was a 46 year old male. BMW, always evolving, have now embraced another successful target market. Be it a stereotype, but cars are continuously associated with masculinity.
This is an aspect that the majority of car manufacturers have now chosen to reflect through their advertising (unless specifically aiming products at a female market). As Mark Tungate writes (Tungate, 2008, p. 103) women are rarely targeted by advertising campaigns and car advertiser’s cringe at the mere thought of a car model being deemed a ‘chick’s car’. Tungate states (Tungate, 2008, p. 103) that men love machines because they reflect and flatter two aspects of the masculine mystique: performance and independence.
This introduces the idea of the male being able to escape from everyday life and be truly male on the open road in his ‘Ultimate Driving Machine. ’ Tungate goes on to say ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ speaks directly to everything men love about driving: ‘Control, Power and the surging thrill they feel in the pit of their stomachs as they apply pressure to the accelerator’ (Tungate, 2008, p. 103). To a man this image of the fast luxury car is and will most likely always be a metaphor for power, control and masculinity.
BMW advertisers have acknowledged this masculinity within their advertising and believe that: The classic ideal of masculinity relies on four stereotypes that men feel obliged to comply with: the requirement to neutralise the feminine side of their emotions, the demand to be successful, 33 admired and powerful, the necessity to be independent and finally to be strong and fearless (Tungate, 2008, p. 90). As previously stated ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ has been more than a slogan, it has become a mission statement that has informed everything that the company does (Tungate, 2008, p. 03). This means BMW carrying the quality of the brand’s reputation through to the smallest aspects. ‘If an organisation wants to be seen as modern and customer orientated, then its outlets, service, pricing, products and communications all need to work together’ (Ind, 1997, p. 79). In my experience this brand quality and detail can even be seen in the visitor guide books handed out at the company’s Museum and BMW Welt. For my part this only helped to heighten my experience of the buildings, having a piece of BMW that I could take home.
These brochures, catalogues and visitors guides were all created with the same air of exclusivity that the BMW brand suggests. The literature placed around BMW’s public access spaces is free of charge and extensive in information, passing knowledge of the BMW brand to anyone who reads them. With brand management, comes brand loyalty, the extent to which their consumers buy the BMW brand in preference to other luxury car brands. In the company’s ‘Sustainable Value Report’ from 2007/2008, BMW state: ‘We are constantly working to fulfil the premium demands of the customer at every contact with the company.
The goal: to achieve the greatest customer satisfaction in the premium segment’ (BMW Sustainable Value Report 2007/2008). The company offer its customers a premium support programme, available worldwide, after sales follow up care departments and numerous awards for exemplary customer service. BMW believe the key to their success with customer retention is listening to their customers and collating complex and thorough customer research to continuously improve services (BMW Sustainable Value Report 2007/2008).
The Ultimate Driving Machine has been more than a slogan, it has become a mission statement that has informed everything that the company does (Tungate, 2008, p. 103). BMW have a powerful image to uphold. This can be seen in their architecture, advertising and corporate identity. One of the most important areas for BMW’s brand to be strongest is the vehicles/dealerships. Here the consumer sees the products first hand so the scene in which the vehicles are set must be appropriate. The same sense of luxury must be obviously present for passers by to witness, so the dealerships are treated with great care.
This includes the use of materials, the 34 nature in which the products are displayed and the maintenance of the Dealership and the surrounding area. Through advertising, public image and decades of brand awareness and brand management, BMW have built a corporate and vehicle image. This image can be seen in their dealerships around the world. This stage for BMW is one of the most important: the purchase of the BMW vehicle. Therefore this ‘image’ promoted by the company needs to be sustained in the overall appearance of the dealerships. Fig. 35 Fig. 36
The glass exterior provides continuous framing for the central BMW vehicle to show the clear concise product display. The BMW rested upon a display platform raising it slightly off floor level combined with the specific display lighting acts to ‘frame’ the vehicle. The use of glass in the entirety of the exterior gives the dealership the appearance of a gallery. In effect this dealership is open to the potential BMW customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Due to the use of a glass exterior, you do not need to go in to view the range of vehicles. (See Fig. 6) As this is the first part of the dealership any visiting customers come across, it houses the newest and most prestigious BMW models. The glass exterior serves a more simple purpose in terms of ergonomics here: two salesmen in this space are able to see and approach potential customers. The use of materials creates more of an emphasis on the green tinted, sleek, glass facade. (See Fig. 2). 35 Fig. 37 Fig. 38 The smooth, sleek, circular connections and the extensive use of glass make the interior vehicles blend with the exterior parked vehicles.
Using the glass as a simple screening method to the space outdoors shows a continuation of the viewer’s line of perspective. Interior lighting follows the theme of reflection and highlights the glossy nature of the car’s finish, making the vehicle look pristine and fresh. (See Fig. 37). As this is the latter part of the dealership (as seen from the main road passing alongside) the exterior surrounding the dealership is kept attractive in keeping with the superior image of BMW. One vehicle is chosen as the main display as a show of content.
Smooth, clear and clean materials reflect light and guide the eye around to the rest of the dealership. (See Fig. 38). 36 Fig. 39 Fig. 40 This sign shows clear display of the brand from the main road running alongside the dealership. Sleek and modern materials, kept clean and clear are in keeping with the BMW brand message/image. The simple branded sign is uncluttered and unmistakable. The white unambiguous background provides a straightforward backdrop for the recognisable and defined brands advertised. (See Fig. 39). The simple brand message and brand itself are displayed in the dealership window.
The introduction of glass acts as a reflective surface for its surroundings. The use of the reflective nature of the glass confuses the eye with the blurring of the exterior environment and the interior display and can appear that the BMW’s are in fact outside of their glass display and in the natural setting for a car: Outside. This also helps show a continuation of the viewer’s line of perspective. (See Fig. 40). 37 Fig. 41 ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ (BMW’s main slogan) is displayed on the front window of the dealership with a simple branded sign, uncluttered and unmistakable.
The materials used to make the brand display are clear cut, reflective and polished, emanating the refined and professional image of BMW. White unambiguous background provides a straightforward backdrop for the recognisable and defined brands advertised. 38 Approaching the BMW headquarters, I can see the BMW museum at its feet and BMW Welt placed further back on the left of the towering, strangely shaped office block. It’s dark and the museum has closed so we make our way over to BMW Welt, fully lit and still scattered with groups of visitors, BMW fans and businessmen.
We enter through the glazed double cone into the first exhibition. This is a small space full of interactive and informative media making a sleek, polished impact. Walking towards the main doors I get a feeling of excitement when catching a glimpse of the main body of the building. Entering the large, open space makes you feel so small. Walking around the interactive and sometimes sculptural BMW related exhibits, you are overwhelmed by the amount of information surrounding you. ‘The Brand experience’…I realise what this means while walking around the space. I am being targeted everywhere I look by the BMW brand.
From the exhibits showing me each colour the interior of my BMW could be, down to the BMW branded pens in the gift shop. The visitors wandering the space can clearly see the restricted areas meant only for the elite collecting their new BMW vehicles. You think of nothing else in this space, there are no thoughts of the outside world, current events or what you will be eating later that evening, only thoughts of your overwhelming surroundings. This ‘brand experience’ is just one channel of communication BMW use to mesmerize potential consumers, another way to enhance the company’s visual identity through a consistency of quality throughout.
By making this experience informative, engaging, and interactive BMW are creating a hub of fascination surrounding the brand. This may not be persuading each and every person who enjoys the space to purchase a BMW but it will introduce new and exciting ways for consumers to recognise and interpret the internationally famed brand and in turn, the company’s corporate identity. In my experience of the BMW Museum, Headquarters and BMW Welt my impression of BMW’s corporate experience has changed.
I was able to
