Mercedes Benz voted 'highest quality' brand by world's affluent, according to study from Synovate
3 April 2003
NEW YORK — AFFLUENT respondents in nine out of 11 global markets chose Mercedes Benz as the highest quality automotive brand, according to findings from the Global Prestige Study just released by Synovate, a leading global research firm with offices throughout the US.
Synovate polled more than 1200 affluent consumers across Brazil, Canada, the US, China, Japan, Singapore, Germany, France, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom, reaching at least 100 in each country. The study assessed brand ownership, prestige and other brand characteristics in four categories: cars, watches, hotels and liquor. Respondents were screened for a combination of income, occupation and ownership of luxury goods and services.
The independent study is being presented at Synovate's April 10th seminar during the Advertising Research Foundation's 2003 Annual Convention and Research Infoplex at the New York Hilton.
Mercedes Benz was perceived to be of the highest quality among the industry's premium brands in nine markets. In Spain and the U.K., it ran a close second to Rolls Royce.
"This is quite impressive considering that Mercedes Benz was compared to brands such as Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and Ferrari that do not offer vehicles under US$100,000 in most markets," observes Scott Miller, senior vice president and global automotive research director for Synovate Motoresearch in Detroit, MI.
The study further showed that American car brands failed to make it into the top five quality brands in all markets but China, in which Cadillac ranked fourth.
"By the nature of their mass marketing focus, U.S. brands tend to have diluted images in many of the markets they enter," says Miller. "This is quite evident in this particular study which asked the affluent to identify the market leaders in each of four characteristics" prestige, quality, sophistication, and youth appeal. U.S. brands did not receive the highest ranking in any of these categories in any market -- including the U.S."
Synovate generates insights to help clients drive competitive brand, product and customer experience strategies. Now part of Ipsos, with offices in over 80 countries, our approach combines best in class global research capabilities with personalised service, local knowledge and the flexibility to create teams and processes that meet clients' specific requirements. At Synovate, our clients sit at the top of our organisational chart, driving us to continually develop more innovative research solutions that predict actual business outcomes.
For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.