For a hundred years, General Motors was defined
by its brands: Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, GMC, Cadillac; Saturn,
Saab, and Hummer later joined the portfolio.
But the lead-up to the financial crisis and the
Great Recession, driving GM into bankruptcy, saw Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and
Saturn vanish, while Hummer and Saab faded away.
This was actually a plus for GM, as supporting
all those brands had become a drag on the business. Since coming out of
bankruptcy, however, GM has discovered that it can develop new brands without
having to promote them and market them as such.
On Friday, the automaker's Buick division
announced that it had created a new sub-brand, "Avenir." That's the
French world for "future," and it takes it cue from a concept car
that Buick unveiled in 2015.
"Through the first half of 2016, Buick has
been the industry's fastest-growing major international brand, and Avenir is
key to future growth and delivering on the high expectations of new customers
coming to our showrooms," Duncan Aldred, Buick's boss, said in a
statement.
"Avenir will be Buick's signature. The
highest expression of the luxury experiences we're delivering now and in the
future."
The carmaker says Avenir vehicles "will
add distinct touches to Buick's timeless, sculpted designs, including a
three-dimensional mesh grille, large-diameter wheels, and unique trim
finishes." Interiors will also be upgraded.
The inspiration for this brand-within-a-brand
idea at Buick has come from its stablemate GMC. Dealers often sell both brands,
and the Denali designation for GMC vehicles has become a de facto premium
nameplate, with sales prices approaching those traditionally captured by
better-known luxury brands such as Range Rover.
Creating Avenir as a sub-brand also avoids GM's
perpetual problem of brand management. The automaker has always struggled with
a business model that required brands to capture customers in different market
segments, but that also eventually sees the lines between those brands blur.
It's probably better to think of Avenir as a
sort of super-trim-level, with premium pricing attached. The move also proves
decisively that Buick is back. GM considered killing the brand — the original
GM marque — as the Great Recession loomed. GM's China business depended on
Buick, however, so the brand had to be fixed at home. The arrival of a new
crossover SUV, Enclave, rescued sales at an opportune moment.
The creation of Avenir is a good indication
that Buick will be around a lot longer.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Share your experience with us, make a review or let us know what you think by leaving a comment here...