Organising for EVENT MARKETING in Order to Change Brand Image and Increase Sales

Abstract

“A product is something that is made in a factory; a brand is something that is bought by a customer. A product can be copied by a competitor; a brand is unique. A product can be quickly outdated; a successful brand is timeless.” Stephen King WPP Group, London Although there is a discussion of the new economy, growing and transforming rapidly, still most global industries today are part of matured marketplaces, in which the actors have set positions. There are changes in these industries through mergers and acquisitions, however the majority of the mergers and acquisitions, will not affect the brand positioning but only the ownership. Most of the traditional global firms that are acting in the market places have well-known brands that carry a certain value from a customer’s perspective. However, the brand might have different interpretations in different countries. Still, core values exist and it is these core values that define what the brand stands for. In some occasions, the core values have created the brand identity and this brand identity could have been there for very long time. How can a company change the brand image and still keep the core values? One example is Volvo Car Corporation. Their heritage is: “Cars are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo, therefore, is and must remain – safety”. Gustaf Larson and Assar Gabrielsson (The founders of Volvo) A heritage that has characterised Volvo brand identity to become what it stands for today. In some countries today, Volvo cars are interpreted as safe square boxes that go on and on like a tractor. However, Volvo Car Corporation has decided to change brand image and take a step from the overall car industry to become a premium brand world wide and at the same time increase their sold car volume by 50%. Is this a goal that can be achieved?