The Art of Shielding Luxury Brands: Defensive Strategies for Success

Sammanfattning: Abstract Title: The Art of Shielding Luxury Brands: Defensive Strategies for Success Seminar date: 2023-06-01 Course: FEKH29, Degree Project Undergraduate level, Business Administration, Undergraduate level, 15 University Credits Points (UPC) Authors: Arvid Vesterberg, Oscar Frithiof and Stefan Karlsson Advisor: Jon Bertilsson Key words: Brand image, luxury brands, automotive industry, defensive, symbolism Research question: What methods and strategies do companies with luxury brands in the automotive industry use to protect their brand image? Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine more deeply how companies in the automotive industry with luxury brands work to protect their brand image. Furthermore, the survey also aims to examine how these companies deal with potential threats to the brand image, as well as to increase awareness of the importance of protecting the brand image. Methodology: We used a qualitative method with an inductive approach, where the empirical evidence was collected through semi-structured interviews, unstructured observations and document analysis. Theoretical perspectives: In this study, we have employed a theoretical framework from Kapferer, Porter, Belk, and Douglas to highlight relevant aspects of luxury brands. Result: We have found that companies in the automotive industry with luxury brands protect their image by attracting new customers, prioritizing which customers to provide the best service to and which customers they need to favor in order to build a long-term customer relationship. Conclusions: The study has contributed to increasing knowledge about the strategies and methods used by companies with luxury brands in the automotive industry to protect their brand image and manage threats to it. This knowledge can help companies with luxury brands in the automotive industry understand the importance of protecting their brand image.