media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to James Wilson, WE Communications South Africa general manager, about what the Brands in Motion study revealed about car brands, and the opportunities that are available for them.

Do you believe automotive brands have taken South African consumers for granted due to South Africa’s high intent to purchase cars?

Each market is different and has its own set of complexities and unique challenges. Our research found that 63% of South Africans believe that automotive companies are innovative – second only to the United Kingdom at 64%, and considerably higher than China at 47%.

Perhaps local brands are just really good at showcasing innovation or tapping into our emotional need for technology, which makes our lives simpler, easier, and better – and that’s difficult for any of us to resist. Also, we South Africans love our cars, and the pressure is on the motoring sector to continue innovating at a rapid rate. Technological advances and shifts in consumer behaviour make the motoring sector ripe for disruption, even as it continues to innovate.

Affordable, fun, sexy – that’s what South Africans care about, and that’s where car brands should be innovating.

Some South Africans (51%) say they have no need for motor vehicles. How can automotive brands fit in with a society where ownership of a car is becoming less important?

Although ‘Uberisation’ does challenge the industry, Uber still needs cars to provide its service. Smart car brands should be rethinking their business strategies and how they can either partner with the likes of Uber, or how they themselves can embrace an already successful business model and pivot their strategies to better position themselves for success in a changing industry. What better way to market a new vehicle than to let consumers experience it themselves when they just need a ride to the airport?

There will always be people who want to own their cars. This means that car brands are speaking to two very different audiences: Potential buyers and those who prefer to move around in the sharing economy.

Both audiences have very different needs and while the latter won’t necessarily be spending their money on a new car, they’re still experiencing it and speaking to friends and family who are in the market for one. This is a very powerful market segment that car brands should be forming relationships with.

If automotive brands don’t change how they are positioned, what can we expect to see in the next few years?

Our research positioned automakers in the ‘Survivor’ quadrant of our Motion Matrix, which suggests that things are merely ticking over. They’ve already successfully tapped into our emotions, now they need to appeal to our rational sides.

South Africans need to be assured that we can afford our cars – not just the car payments but the maintenance and running costs. Other markets may not face this challenge. I don’t see a lot of car brands educating the consumer on that.

I want to form a relationship with a car brand that’s not only interested in selling to me, but that is more interested in helping me make the best purchasing decision for my lifestyle and my budget – even if that means losing my business. This way, brands are not only appealing to my rational self but are also aligning with my values.

Those are the brands that will rise to the top in the next five to 10 years, not the brands that have selling cars at the centre of their business strategies.

How can car brands provide stability in challenging economic times?

Car brands need to demonstrate their confidence and commitment to the local industry – by creating jobs, by assembling their vehicles in the country, by innovating in terms of fuel economy, providing flexible payment options, etc.

The current economy could mean that we’ll see a drop in new car sales, but car brands should not lose touch with their audiences. They need to understand how their needs are changing, what they value, and align with that.

When the market recovers and consumers start showing an interest in buying cars again, they’ll remember the brands that took a stand against the elements that are souring the economy and that did something about it.

For more information, visit www.we-worldwide.com.

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WE Communications released the Brands in Motion study in June. It is a comprehensive assessment of how brands are not static in today’s marketplace. Read more in our article, WE Communications reveals its Brands in Motion study.