Saturn

10 Pages 2397 Words

Introduction

How did Saturn become a strong brand in only a few years? What were the key decisions, policies, and programs? Below is a description of some areas of strategy that were potential contributors. The goal is not only to describe what was done but also to suggest the logic behind the strategies, why they were pursued, and how they were intended to contribute to the brand. Although certainly some elements of the Saturn strategy may have been critical, it was the union of the total program rather than the power of any single element that led to its success.

THE MISSION: A WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT
From the beginning, the driving concept behind Saturn was to create a world-class compact car that could match or exceed such Japanese imports as the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla in quality. The car needed to have the reliability, safety, feel, appearance, and overall excellence that people expected in the top imports while remaining competitive in price. This quality was one of the defining dimensions of Saturn's corporate culture and brand identity.
Too often there is an illusion that brands can be created by advertising without a product or service that really delivers quality and value. In reality, the product drives the image. The Edsel of the 1950s would have been a symbol of quality today if it had been an excellent product in that key first year; some very good Edsel advertising and marketing was wasted because of a shoddy product. The Volkswagen Beetle phenomenon of the 1960s very likely could have been transferred to the Rabbit in the mid-1970s if it were not for the initial mechanical problems that plagued the Rabbit during its early years. These problems doomed the effort to use advertising and the rabbit symbolism to transform the Beetle equity to the Rabbit.
Saturn did not make the mistake of the Edsel or the Rabbit; its product was good from the outset. Reviews in car magazines provided objective judgments th...