Brand positioning of automotive lubricants of PSUs for four wheeler segment

Abstract

The demand of automotive lubricant in India is third largest in the world after U.S.A. and China. Indian automotive lubricant markets were dominated by PSU’s till the liberalization policy. After liberalization too many private automotive lubricant manufacturers enter into the Indian market. Later on Indian Government dismantled the administered pricing mechanism and free pricing policy allowed in the Indian automotive lubricant market. The deregulation policy of Indian government encouraged so many foreign automotive lubricant manufacturers to expand their business in India. Entry of multinationals companies imposed too much competitors between PSU’s and Private brands which benefitted the end consumers. With the helped of literature review researcher found that very limited research have been done to identify the factors of brand positioning of lubricant in other countries but in Indian context it has not been found. By literature review researcher also determined the variables of brand positioning which were based on consumer perception. These variables are brand image, worthiness, novelty, performance, superiority, reliability, advertising, purchasing location, experience, extra benefits, durability and quality. Researcher also identified the variables of brand positioning of automotive lubricants based on the perception of mechanics. These variables are profit margin, price, product training, purchasing location, availability, timely delivery, purchase experience, packet size, communication,extra benefit, order commitment, quality and brand performance. After this two sets of questionnaire have been prepared, one set for four wheeler segment consumers and second set for four wheeler segment mechanics. Thereafter the researcher collects the responses of the consumers and mechanics. The survey has been carried out in Delhi and New Delhi region which has more number of vehicular populations than the population of three metros namely, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai put together (Delhi Government Environment Survey, 2913). Primary data has been collected from two strata four wheeler segment consumers and four wheeler segment mechanics. After collecting data from the consumers and mechanics researcher fitted the raw data into SPSS 20. Researcher applied the factor analysis to determine the important factors based on the perception of consumers and mechanics. Researcher identified the factors Trustworthiness, Quality & Reliability, Promotional Tools, Accessibility and Past Purchase Experience on the basis of consumer’s perception. Further researcher identified the factors based on mechanics perception. These factors are Incentives, Accessibility, Channel Relationship and Brand Competitiveness. Reliability test has been done by calculating the Cron Bach’s Alpha of the factors. On the basis of identified factors perceptual mapping have been done to determined the differences between brand positioning of PSU’s and private automotive lubricant brands. On the basis of consumers perception researcher find that PSU’s are lagging behind the private brands on the factors Trustworthiness, Quality & Reliability, Promotional Tools and Past Purchase Experience. Similarly, on the basis of mechanics perception researcher determined that PSU’s are lagging behind the private brands on the factors Incentives, Channel Relationship, and Brand Competitiveness. Further researcher validated the identified result by applying z- test (Hypothesis Testing). At last the identified result has been fitted into the Kevin Lane Keller model of brand positioning. This model represents the factors based on consumers and mechanics perception on which PSU’s are lagging behind the private brands for four wheeler segment mechanics. The developed model is the conceptual framework for brand positioning of PSU’s automotive lubricants for four wheeler segment.