Automation Brand Perception

[Happyhungryhippo]

Someone finally had to do this, right?

I was asking myself who my competitors are, and in many discussions with @Knugcab we tried to figure out how the brands would compete with each other, sometimes even challenge-related.

For what is this usable? Well you can check with which brands and their creators you will propably compete. Of course this is subjective from my side, but I scrutineered a lot of brands to have at least an educated guess how the brand image could be. That means, some are very likely for cross-shopping.

The buyer of a Martinet might also go to dealerships of Régal and Billancourt.

The conservative buyer with a bit money would be pleased by a Hinode, but might also like the offerings of Primus, Eroberung and ABG Products (yes, the cars are so conservative and generic that I hope I got all brands and wrote them right - but the cars are solidly engineered and not ugly…

On the other hand, a Rhania buyer would propably never go for a RAUK as this is the polar opposite, but at least in terms of brand image, they might be close. Some quirky Swedish sports cars vs some overpowered luxury SUVs.

Also, despite the discontinued Rigel brand, there is nothing really cheap and exciting. Maybe an inspiration for your new projects?.. Znopresk also seems inactive now, but it has been prominent for years, so it should be mentioned here.

Have a look at it:

I am curious what your opinion on this is. Also let me know if you think your brand got the totally wrong image in my perception.

Brands mentioned from:
@AndiD, @Skygel14, @Knugcab, @Edsel, @shibusu, @Ch_Flash, @karhgath, @NormanVauxhall, @mart1n2005, @azkaalfafa, @Ludvig, @DoesStuff, @Holts, @donutsnail, @GassTiresandOil, @Texaslav, @abg7, @moroza, @S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T, @Riley, @lotto77 and @Danicoptero.

[Riley]

It’s interesting! I like where Zephorus is placed, but I don’t know too much about the companies around it, I am aware of the majority though which is cool. Nice chart.

[Knugcab]

I guess you got my brands somewhat right from what I can see. Then since, for example, the different IP models are positioned more or less like Toyotas/Nissans, there are both a Micra/Starlet competitor as well as a President/Century or a Z-car/Supra equivalent and of course they will be more all over the scale than some small brand that sticks to one type of cars (Lotus the first one that springs to the mind as an IRL example). But yess, feels right overall, and I know it is about overall brand perception so.

[Happyhungryhippo]

From my perspective, an IP, even the large ones, are never seen as “fancy”. It is a solid brand fitting for the taste of most, and when they tried something daring, it sometimes went wrong.

So, it is really the perception, not the actual car - a base Primus is the same as the base IP, or at least was it at some point before Primus killed such cheap models.
Also, Zephorus had affordable models like a 305, but with getting that, the buyer does this in order to be able to wave with a Zephorus key at the bar to impress, although an IP for the same money might be a better allround car.

[moroza]

This is excellent. It doesn’t take into account diversity, which means that a brand’s point on the chart could be either an average of some sort, or simply what it’s best known for (DCMW’s trucks and vans are a footnote; the various Supremacy-grade luxury cars are intended to be halo models representing the best the brand anyone has to offer). I’d also wonder about additional dimensions, perhaps performance vs. comfort, though 3d maps get tricky fast.

I personally perceive my brands as slightly more emotional than that, but I’d have no trouble conceding a rational argument for where they are. Unironically. As for exclusivity, they’re happy where they are, though depending on how things are scaled, I might need to release a couple of bumps further to the right. Surely you glanced at the price tag on Saad’s car?

[Knugcab]

Interesting with the lack of “Cheap and emotional”, BTW? What would we find there IRL? Something like SEAT, where VAG tried to add some latino flair and still sell them a bit cheaper than VWs (but still built on very rational VW platforms)? Mini or Smart (but they aren’t really “cheap” compared to what you get, but on the other hand will never get into sports or luxury car territory, and there are really much more useful small cars on the market)? Or something totally different?

I guess that back in the days you could have found some cheaper British sports car brands there but they are all gone now…

[Happyhungryhippo]

The problem is that I can´t take in to account what I do not know, hardly anyone presented the whole model range over the decades, not even me, because its awful work.

For example, the top models of Cavaliere Nobile are as exclusive as those of Authié et Dallier, but the overall image got watered down by cooperating with Yamaguchi to offer lower-range models, so an A&D will be definitely be the better head-turner irl.

@Knugcab

Something like SEAT

Yes, but that brand now has been killed for Cupra, in order to ask for higher price to make use of the performance image. I had that as example at a lecture I recently held at a customer.

@Knugcab

I guess that back in the days you could have found some cheaper British sports car brands there but they are all gone now…

MG, for example, yes. An MGB was a cool car, after all. Also Autobianchi or NSU, maybe.

[Edsel]

Definitely a fun comparison. Bazard seems right where I’d intended, except surprisingly further from “rational” than I’d have expected a budget/commercial brand to be.

I bet it’d be really cool to do this on a wider scale; like have creators rank their own brands, and then have everyone else rank everyone else’s, and see how it compares? (that would be a lot of effort to run though, but a fun thought).

[AndiD]

Mara moment. nuff said

[Happyhungryhippo]

But that position is not neccecarily bad.

A Dacia has some fans that still see the brand as a good one in value for money, and also a Skoda is accepted as a very rational and clever purchase.

[AndiD]

I haven’t said I am unhappy - far from it.

Edit: Maybe I haven’t used that phrase recently enough - but if you use the search function, there are a few other places where the phrase ‘Mara moment’ has been used for good effect by others than me.

[Hshan]

Cool idea. Reminds me that I should publish my stuff more… meaning at all in most cases PZS is like 2 cars in the recent ~3 years I think, Famal is 2,5, Aquila is I think 2, Orion is another 1, Zavir hasn’t been seen around here in ages I think… (and yes, for anyone who for any reason remembers that brand - it exists)

[shibusu]

Surprised at how spot on these are for my brands.(although one on second thought)

ACR in my eyes could get quite nice - One that I did show off, the Lanea Cross (?) I believe was the most comfortable vehicle in one competition, and the slightly ill-fated Seawolf 500S for JOC3. Regardless, I’ve never seen it with any kind of prestige, and most would probably settle for a Lanea diesel as seen in the diesel sports car competition. Only gimmick being a six-pot and RWD, but not much else. Most ACRs can be seen as traffic filler.

Ilaris is kind of special, it being a giant conglomerate lore-wise. The average worker would do fine with an Iscal ESi, someone upmarket might want an Imperial. Not particularly luxurious - quite cramped and not particularly quick to compensate - but nothing too bad.

There’s also Ilaris of Araga which is basically the complete opposite of regular Ilaris. Instead of usually FF it’s almost always RR. It targets the premium and luxury segments, and you don’t buy it for any kind of practicality.
So the middle position is really quite spot on.

Now Saberin I initially disagreed with. It just happens that I modeled it after what I want in a car and held a lot more value to it than a customer. In truth, I wouldn’t want to be seen dead in a Solsti 1200E. That’s where most of the sales would be from, from the affordable, practical and somewhat peppy hatchback (last depending on trim), which (combined with some marketing the Solsti for the younger buyers) would muddy the waters a bit for the Atarin line and the buyers of that.
Regardless, I agree with the placing very high up the emotional scale. A Saberin you do not buy because its the best in what it needs to do, but more the rather quirky design and engineering combined in an interesting but useful vehicle, whether it’d be loading groceries in both ends or looking incredibly menacing on the highway.

[GassTiresandOil]

I’m pretty honored that Durendal ends up dead-nuts center. Most of my submissions end up as all-rounders anyways lol.

[xsneakyxsimx]

Makes me wonder where mine would end up? Ascot Automotive in my eye is my own amalgamation of Ford/GM/Chrysler, and Hemsley is akin to Porcshe in the sense of being focused on rear engined cars but more mass market. Nisemono is like Ascot but for the major Japanese makes (Toyota/Nissan mostly so far).

[happyfireballman]

If a Z-axis was to be added, what would that entail @Happyhungryhippo?

[lotto77]

Gonna copy everyone else here and say it’s a really fun idea, but personally I’ve always seen Planar as somewhere between Holden and Jaguar, not too cheap (and something you buy more on an emotional basis of “Well it’s comfy and fun, even if the engine likes to explode!” lol), but also not exclusively high luxury, while Halvson is the Skoda to Planar’s VW.

[Holts]

I kinda agree where Holts is, I was surprised it was more in the exclusive and emotional spot, Although Not really affordable but in the middle since it’s not the most expensive out there which means you get a good bang for your Buck compared to some competitors which is what we aim for. But not the cheapest either out of other luxury car brands.

[abg7]

Placing my brands on the “rational, yet exclusive” part of the chart made perfect sense, given that for all three of those, in addition to being focused on the higher end of the market, I tend to make logical engineering and design decisions most of the time - and more often than not, they pay off.

[icrafter]

How did those brands get on there?