Automotive Industry Ranks Second in Brand Intimacy Report

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Auto Industry

Automotive Industry Ranks Second in Brand Intimacy Report

MBLM, a New York City-based marketing agency, defines brand intimacy as “the emotional bonds between a person and a brand.”

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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The auto industry no longer is the king of brand intimacy.

In MBLM’s “Brand Intimacy 2018 Report,” the auto industry ranks second behind media and entertainment, “highlighting the trend toward escapism, relaxation and distraction,” according to MBLM.

MBLM, a New York City-based marketing agency, defines brand intimacy as “the emotional bonds between a person and a brand.”

Within the auto industry, BMW ranked first, followed by the Jeep brand and Toyota.

The Top 10 in the automotive industry was rounded out by Honda, Harley-Davidson, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercedes, Chrysler and GMC.

“While slipping slightly, the automotive industry still performed strongly due to the bonds it creates with consumers,” said Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. “The Jeep brand has risen in our 2018 Brand Intimacy Report. We just released an analysis of Jeep and found that its recent marketing efforts have been focusing on powerful emotional themes at the core of its brand, leveraging nostalgia well and utilizing today’s marketing channels to build dialogue and strong bonds.”

Other notable automotive findings in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2018 Report include:

  • The Jeep brand ranked first among women.
  • BMW ranked first among men.
  • The industry had a Brand Intimacy Quotient score of 44.9, which is higher than the average of 27.1.
  • Two automotive brands were in the top 10 overall; BMW ranked third and the Jeep brand ranked fourth.
  • Harley-Davidson made the biggest drop, falling from the fourth overall brand in 2017 to 18th and from first in the automotive industry to fifth in 2018.
  • The Jeep brand moved up from 15th overall in 2017 to fourth in 2018.

“We are very pleased with the Jeep brand’s improved performance in the 2018 Brand Intimacy Study,” said Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer for Fiat Chrysler U.S. “I am most proud of what we were able to do on behalf of all of our brands last year. We continued to focus on our brands’ unique identities, what differentiates them from other brands. Storytelling is a critical part of marketing and being successful hinges on the ability to make it resonate emotionally outside the walls of your company.”

This year’s report analyzes the responses of 6,000 consumers and 54,000 brand evaluations across 15 industries in the United States, Mexico and the UAE. MBLM’s reports and interactive Brand Ranking Tool showcase the performance of almost 400 brands, revealing the characteristics and intensity of the consumer bonds.

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Auto Industry

Customer Service: How It’s Done

Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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