Brand advantage is the most valuable advantage in enterprise competition. Domestic lubricating oil brands have deficiencies in innovation, positioning and technical support, and lack of market research and scientific planning. To carry out lubricant brand planning, we should start from the following aspects:
A. The competitiveness of the brand is divided and discounted, including its market recognition, price system and network services.
B. Conduct brand positioning analysis, including brand audit and evaluation, market research, brand positioning method research. The brand positioning emphasizes individuation, and the relationship with the affiliated oil company should be strengthened. In the case of the coexistence of multiple brands, the main brand should be promoted, and the characteristic differentiation between different brands should be formed and maintained.
C. Quality assurance, in line with the national standards on the premise of the main set of more strict internal quality control indicators.
D. Good customer service for brand products; This is the core of brand value. Gas stations, auto parts shops, auto repair shops and quick oil change and: are the main models of lubricating oil market promotion.
We are in the era of brands. Brand image is playing an increasingly important role in the competition of modern enterprises. However, only enterprises with certain strength, competitive products in domestic and foreign markets, abundant funds and international trade experience can expand market share through brand. It can be said that brand advantage is the most valuable advantage in enterprise competition.
I. Defects and deficiencies of domestic lubricating oil brands
1. Lack of innovation
Innovation is a powerful weapon for brands to compete for market and expand their living space. Any product, no matter how long it has a history, how prominent the past, no matter how famous it is, how abundant capital, if it is indifferent to market changes and customers, will fail sooner or later. Innovation can not only stay at the level of product launch, but must achieve brand launch and configuration. Relatively speaking, domestic lubricating oil brands lack innovation, mainly manifested in; Product system for many years, bring forth the new little, similar products lack of differentiation; Old packaging style, lack of change; Brand connotation and creativity are vague, publicity is lack of new ideas; The way of brand promotion is monotonous.
2. Inaccurate brand positioning and image molding
Brand positioning is easy to walk into the "create a famous brand to be positioned in high-grade" or "insufficient positioning" and other misunderstandings, only fully grasp and use the positioning theory properly, brand will play a powerful role in the competition.
Brand image is an important symbol for consumers to identify products. The brand image is not clear, will lead to product features and consumer focus is inconsistent. With the successful shaping of image impact force and radiation force, the brand will be vividly presented in front of people, and consumers will feel the existence of the brand in numerous information. Domestic lubricant brand positioning is too vague. For example, positioning propaganda such as "care for the driver" and "love your car" are not distinctive enough, because these characteristics are almost the common features pursued by all lubricating oil brands and will not have a strong impact on consumers.
3. Lack of strong technical and service support
In terms of scientific and technological development, the unified planning and coordination of state-owned lubricating oil enterprises is not enough, the advantages of research and development are not obvious, there is a gap between additives, formulas and other key technologies and foreign advanced technologies, and the power of lubricating oil technical services is relatively weak. The market development and scientific and technological development of high-grade lubricating oil are not enough, and the quality upgrade is slow, and there is a big gap with foreign brands. The proportion of high-grade oil above SE and CD grade in China's total lubricating oil is low, especially the proportion of high-grade oil above SG and CF-4 is even lower, so it can not form competitive strength in the high-grade oil market.
In the brand competition, domestic lubricating oil enterprises often rely on advertising and price reduction to participate in the market competition. Most enterprises have not entered a higher level of service and image competition category, the service han positioning in maintenance services, the lack of pre-sale, sale, after-sales perfect supporting system services. Due to lack of research on market and consumers, it is difficult for consumers to have a sense of identity; Too dependent on advertising investment, think that brand is advertising, and do not pay attention to product quality, service and other aspects of investment.
Ii. Lubricant brand planning
1. Brand competitiveness analysis
(1) Market awareness
China petroleum, China petrochemical two groups a number of regional brands, formed by the historical heritage has its own traditional markets and brands in their respective traditional area generally have higher recognition, has certain market share, especially industrial oils such as higher market share, but across the country enjoys high reputation and is widely cognitive brand is not much. Although domestic lubricating oil enterprises launched high-grade products, but did not form a real competitive brand.
The lubricating oil market in China is one of the earliest opened markets in China. At present, all the major lubricating oil brands in the world have entered China and occupied a very favorable position, including Metrel, Castrol, Esso, Shell, Caltex and so on. Most of these brands have already invested in manufacturing plants in mainland China. At present, the total sales volume of international brand lubricants in China is about 500,000 ~ 600,000 tons, mainly concentrated in high-grade oil. Almost all the multinational oil companies entering the Chinese market regard lubricating oil as their main products with the most brand effect. They make full use of their advantages in technology, brand and other aspects as well as their mature marketing experience over the years, and have been recognized by consumers in the domestic market, especially in the developed coastal areas. High market share in lubricating oil high-end cloth field.
The strength of local lubricating oil enterprises is relatively weak, and most of the brands do not have much influence, but there are a few prominent brands. Relying on years of unremitting efforts and successful operation, they have successfully established popularity in the lubricating oil field and attracted the attention of consumers.
(2) the price
Generally speaking, the price positioning of the products of well-known brands of multinational oil companies is higher. They make full use of their brand image to take high price strategy to obtain brand premium profit. Multinational oil companies are also expanding into the middle market. On the whole, the price of state-owned lubricating oil brand products is slightly lower than that of multinational oil companies, and the price of products of different grades and different brands is also different. Local brand lubricants mostly adopt low price entry and expansion strategy, the price is in the middle and low end, but with the development of enterprises, the price is gradually penetrating into the middle and high end.
Multinational oil companies strictly manage the sales price of their authorized dealers and maintain the price system strictly. In comparison, there are defects in the setting and maintenance of lubricating oil price system in domestic enterprises, which often lead to the phenomenon of price undercutting and shifting goods among dealers, and damage to product price and brand image.
(3) Network and services
Users are very concerned about whether the supply can be timely, especially in the peak sales season. If the supply can't keep up or even the oil products are out of stock, in addition to affecting sales, the brand image will be damaged. In order to enhance the influence of the brand and market competitiveness, it is necessary to timely supply for users and minimize the intermediate link of lubricating oil sales. Change the current operation means of large circulation, and gradually refine customer management and maintenance.
At present, the sales network of "Mobil", "Esso" and other foreign brands is relatively perfect, and its sales network management of authorized dealers is very strict, and its operation mode protects the interests of authorized dealers to a great extent. However, many lubricating oil brands in China are not strict enough in channel standardization and management, price system formulation and other aspects, and there are often problems of one kind or another, and the interests of dealers can not be effectively guaranteed.
2. Brand positioning and expansion
(1) Brand audit and evaluation
In brand positioning and image building, it is necessary to make clear:
To understand the value and evolution of each brand based on market and product category differences;
Brand decisions, whether to focus on increasing sales or sales, or both;
The driving force behind the brand; The influence of brand input on brand effect and brand value; Awareness of brand evaluation methods throughout the organization.
(2) Market research
"Know yourself and know your enemy, you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat", detailed and complete market research is the basis of correct brand positioning. The main contents of market research shall include:
Total local lubricating oil market demand;
The local market share of the company's brand;
Price, sales volume, marketing strategy and channel of other brands in local market;
Visit dealers to understand their market sales situation, opinions and suggestions;
Understand consumers' opinions and suggestions, and understand the brand recognition, brand image and cognitive value among consumers.
(3) Brand positioning method
Third, the consistency of positioning methods
Brand positioning refers to the process of establishing or re-shaping a brand image related to the target market. The target market is usually defined by a successful positioning strategy. Brand advantage positioning should be structured in the place that consumers can feel, and must be continuously communicated to consumers. It is a common feature of successful excellent brands to connect the function of the brand with the psychological needs of consumers in a consistent form and clearly transmit the brand positioning information to consumers.
1. Consumer division
Lubricating oil customers are more representative of automotive lubricating oil consumers (industrial oil is different). After analyzing this part of customer base, it is found that only about 20% are rational consumers, and the rest are mostly emotional consumers. Automotive lubricating oil consumers can generally be divided into the following types:
Passion type: have a special liking for cars, have strong brand awareness and identity awareness, usually use fixed brands, not sensitive to price, relatively stable oil, pay attention to the final performance, mostly high-end car users.
Expert type (such as professional driver) : have special ability to carry out maintenance, pay attention to quality and price, use packaging oil with certain brand awareness, and the majority of mid-range car users.
Responsible type (such as transportation service users) : have certain maintenance knowledge, know how to use oil, will buy trusted brands, but mainly pay attention to the performance price, do not pay special attention to the brand.
Diligent type: likes to maintain oneself, regards the vehicle as important investment, is not sensitive to the price.
Seeking comfort type: mainly private car owners and high-end car oil users, without much maintenance experience and knowledge, rely on the commitment of mechanics/shops/brands, oil tends to dry to auto repair auto parts and other auto service units to complete; They are willing to buy brands and are greatly influenced by the opinions and suggestions of terminal sellers.
Minimum maintenance: neither attach importance to car maintenance nor are willing to spend money on it.
Of course, all consumers divide the type of boundary is not absolute, in fact there are a lot of crossover phenomenon.
2. Brand differences
Brand difference is the individuation of the brand, emphasizing the differences between multiple brands to avoid the same. If the difference between two brands is only the name of the difference without other obvious differences, it is difficult to deal with the market segmentation problem. Not only will the enterprise itself be confused about its own products, it is difficult to determine the development ideas of different brands, and users will not identify with the enterprise's propaganda.
The difference of brand is first reflected in the difference of product itself, including basic oil resources, additive formula, technological process, packaging materials, packaging design and appearance, etc. Secondly, it is reflected in the differences of consumer segmentation and market positioning, product connotation, publicity methods, sales channels, etc., with different emphases.
3. Brand status
Lubricating oil has the most brand effect in petrochemical products, which is usually the best carrier for big oil companies to show their corporate image. Company visibility is closely related to lubricating oil brand. Most foreign oil companies use the company name directly as the name of their lubricating oil brand. Most domestic consumers know these oil companies by their lubricant brands. Therefore, the lubricant brands of the two groups, CNPC and SINOPEC, should strengthen the subordination relationship with "CNPC" and "SINOPEC" in the publicity, with the company name to show the origin of the products and the company, and with the brand name to show the product characteristics. This approach can not only make full use of the valuable intangible assets of international fame and high reputation, reflect the status characteristics of enterprises and form a strong support for the brand, but also on the basis of distinguishing brand differences, save publicity costs and get twice the result with half the effort.
Iv. Integration and extension of lubricating oil brands
1. The necessity of multi-brand coexistence
Petrochina has brands such as Kunlun, Feitian, Seven Star and Daqing, while Sinopec has brands such as Great Wall, Hai Pai and Nanhai. The coexistence of multiple brands and the promotion of main brands can enable enterprises to occupy different market segments due to more brands, retain the growth opportunities of different brands, increase market coverage, and make up for market gaps. Now the fusion of different brands and processing, foreign companies have a more mature approach. Domestic brand integration has entered a misunderstanding, a brand covers "high", "medium", "low" various grades, nominally catch all, but to consumers is the concept of fuzzy, unable to distinguish the brand. Better is: the main brand should be promoted in the main nationwide, product variety series should be comprehensive, coverage should be relatively broad; The sub-brand plays an auxiliary and complementary role to the main brand on the basis of stabilizing the traditional region and traditional customer base. Even if the segmentation and differentiation between brand products are not large, they can attract their own customer groups in the traditional region and maintain the retention rate of customers and customers of the old brand. Although multiple brands have the disadvantages of dispersing the strength of enterprises and increasing the difficulty of publicity and maintenance, it is difficult to completely cover the customer groups, levels and market segments of original brands due to the restriction of product market positioning and price system design, and it is likely to lose the original market share of other brands.
2. Brand differentiation
The key to the coexistence and common growth of multiple brands is to form and maintain the characteristic differentiation between brands, so as to subdivide and occupy different markets, complement each other, and eventually form a resultant force to increase the overall market share, rather than squeezing each other's market and competing for a unified type of customer base. If the latter situation is formed, it is a major failure of enterprise brand strategy.
Taking a famous international petroleum company in the process of m&a in the domestic market as an example, this paper briefly explains the positioning and integration of its two brands.
Brand A: Technical leadership, passion and excitement, win
Brand B: Environmental protection pioneer, creative thinking, innovation leader
From the above brand positioning, it can be seen that the differences between the two brands are obvious. Before the integration, brand A has already achieved A leading market advantage in the Chinese market. Therefore, after the integration, brand A continues to play its characteristic advantages in technology leadership, passion, winning and excellent performance, emphasizing leading, passion and winning. Brand B directly uses the name of the company, and after integration, it implements differentiation strategy positioning different from brand A: environmental protection, innovation and change, etc., emphasizing environmental protection, change and creativity. The two brands have their own focus, parallel hair morning, received a better integration effect.
3. Brand main production and technical guarantee
In order to cultivate lubricating oil brands that can withstand the long-term test of the market and consumers, the concept of "quality is life" must be firmly established, as always in practice.
First of all, the quality of base oil of all products should be absolutely reliable, and good quality base oil resources should be used. To ensure technological advantages, speed up technological innovation, close to the market, make scientific research really serve to reduce costs and improve product quality, ensure the pertinence of scientific research and close combination with production, and strengthen the transformation capacity of technological innovation. We should concentrate our efforts and strive to form a truly competitive core technology to enhance the brand image. Closely follow the development direction of lubricating oil science and technology, improve the grade of products, in order to adapt to the fierce competition in lubricating oil industry, to adapt to the formula technology update requirements and environmental pressure on the challenge of traditional single-agent technology. Gasoline oil should be developed in the direction of improving high temperature cleanliness and low temperature dispersion performance, anti-oxygen and anti-wear, more environmental protection and energy saving, and extending the oil change period; Diesel engine oil should be developed in the direction of favorable dry control emissions, improving energy saving effect and prolonging service life. Vehicle gear oil should be developed towards improving anticorrosion, thermal oxidation stability, sealing adaptability and anti-wear durability, to adapt to a wider range of regions and temperature changes and various vehicle operating conditions.
In the use of additives and formula selection, we should not only consider the scientific and advanced formula, but also pay attention to the adaptability and sensitivity of different properties of base oil. Product packaging design should be novel and fashionable, in line with consumer habits, reflect humanization; You can't be stuck in a rut, you have to be tailored. Strict requirements for product quality standards, in accordance with the premise of national standards can be set up more stringent internal control quality indicators. The rate of product quality passing the factory must reach 100%, and unqualified products must not leave the factory.
In production, the same brand should strive to achieve centralized production, relatively independent, in order to reflect the difference with other products. The same brand should not be spread and divided, on the one hand, it is convenient for enterprise management, strict quality control; On the other hand, it can also avoid the difference or change of product quality caused by production dispersion.
4. Brand product service and guarantee
Doing a good job in customer service and guarantee of brand products, establishing and developing a good relationship with customers, and improving customers' satisfaction with enterprises are the core issues in marketing work. Customer as the center, customer first must be regarded as the core values of the enterprise. Internal organizational structures and processes should be customer-centric, as professional and flat as possible. Providing customers with thoughtful and satisfactory service is the core of brand value.
To maintain and improve the brand image, we must: establish technical service institutions, do well in oil knowledge training, technical consultation and service, and random event handling, provide tracking services; Set up packaging oil distribution logistics system, with efficient and thoughtful service to establish good relationship with customers; Establish customer management information, be responsible for by special person, dynamic management; Visit customers regularly and listen to their opinions; Form customer feedback system, including their feelings on product performance, quality, price, packaging and image, as well as suggestions for service improvement; There are special customer complaints processing system, customer complaints have special management system and personnel to be responsible for handling, no matter what the original difficulties, within 24 hours should be given a reply, and timely and successful to solve, so as to make customers satisfied; To provide customers with necessary product promotional materials, 24 hours automatic telephone inquiry, provide a full range of product information services.
