Building Brand Architecture – Nissan Vs Audi

Introduction

This report focuses on examining the Brand Architecture of two famous automobile rivals - Nissan and
Audi. Nissan and Audi have been in this rivalry for a long time now. These famous automobile brands
have been chosen because they operate in a similar industry and the significant profits for their company
from selling and manufacturing automobiles. Still, the pricing of their products has a considerable
difference, irrespective of the style. Nissan and Audi are amongst the most known brand in the consumer
market, and their companies logo is easily recognizable by any person when compared to Lamborghini or
Porsche or Ferrari. This report will help in highlighting all the significant differences in the brand
architectures of these two brands. The goal of making this report here is to observe how a consumer
forms an entirely different perception and relationship with very identical products due to differences in
brand architecture.

Brand Architecture:

The first step is to develop and examine the brand architectures of the two brands.

 Brand Architecture of Audi:

Brand Core/Essence: Elegance

Brand Personality: Early 30s, Male, Well

Groomed Personality and Business Person

Emotional Benefits: Sheer Driving Pleasure and

Exclusivity

Product Benefits: Comfort and Quick Transportation

Product Attributes: Quality, Performance and Fast

  Brand Architecture of Nissan:

Brand Core/Essence: Top Segment Features at

cheaper price

Brand Personality: Around 25 year old, Male/Female,

Been in job for more than 3 years

Emotional Benefits: Driving Pleasure, Can go

places

Product Benefits: Comfortable Driving ans Safety

Product Attributes: Performance, Technology,

Features and Reliable

Brand Comparison:
As we can see, there is not much difference in the offerings by both the brands. They operate in similar
Markets. However, they cater to the needs of people belonging to different classes, and that is visible
with the different Brand Architecture and Brand Positioning, they have created their Brand Personalities
that appeal diverse Target Audience and Customer Class in the Market.

Audi gives the feeling to the owners that they are driving a very luxurious car and gives them a sense
of pride. Audi targets those customers who are not very price-sensitive. Although, sometimes when a
person thinks of Audi Sedan, they think of their cheapest offering, which is A3. However, still, the
material and the buying experience that Audi gives is incredible.

On the other hand, Nissan, as a brand represents how much a brand can offer a customer for the price that
they are paying. They try giving value-for-money products to their customers. It provides quality, reliability
and durability and also stands as a symbol to inspire people around the world to go to the places and do
the things they’ve always dreamt of. It serves the consumers who want affordable and reliable cars that
take them to places. Nissan targets customers of Middle/Middle-upper Class. Nissan has taken a ‘Hybrid
Brand’ approach and launched various models in that segment to cater to the needs of different audience
and market.
Brand Value:
Interbrand ranked Nissan as the 25th Most Valuable Brand in it’s 2019 overall Brand rankings and Number
six in Automotive Industry Brand. The Brand Value is USD 11502 Million. As per Interbrand, the top three
performing factors of Toyota Brand are ‘Relevance’, ‘Authenticity’ and ‘Presence’.

Forbes ranked Nissan as 81st Most Valuable Brand in it’s 2019 Overall Brand rankings with Brand Value of
USD 33.6 Billion.

On the other hand, Interbrand ranked Audi as the 42 nd Most Valuable Brand in it’s 2019 overall Brand
rankings and Number Two in Automotive Industry Brand. The Brand Value is USD 12689 Million.

Forbes ranked Audi as 41st Most Valuable Brand in it’s 2019 Overall Brand rankings with Brand Value
of USD 14.2 Billion.

Sources Consulted:
As mentioned in the Foot notes.

https://www.interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2019/ranking/nissan/ as accessed on 9th

May 2020.

https://www.interbrand.com/best-brands/best-global-brands/2019/ranking/audi/ as accessed
on 9th May 2020.

https://www.forbes.com/powerful-brands/list/#tab:rank as accessed on 9th May 2020.