MARKETING STRATEGY USING MOBILE APPS TO INCREASE BRAND ADVOCACY FOR DFSK INDONESIA

• Main Author: Wibisono, Lucky
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/49231
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

DFSK is one of two car manufacturers from China that enter the Indonesia market since Q4 2017 in the middle of the domination of Japanese car manufacturers in the automotive industry. DFSK enter commercial and passenger car segment with different promotion marketing strategy. For commercial car, DFSK focus on car sales as the main channel for promotion without utilizing advertising. For passenger car DFSK utilizing Agnes Monica as Brand Ambassador in every advertising and brochure printed and published. DFSK only focusing on SUV categories for passenger car segment offering lower price with more features compared to competitors. Looking at DFSK sales performance that far from the target and trends of decreasing sales, indicate that there are some elements from the current marketing strategy that incorrect. This research purposes are to analyze the effectiveness of current marketing strategy, propose marketing strategies for current products and future products, and marketing strategies to increase DFSK brand perception and image. Based on the internal and external analysis, combined with the result of the questionnaire from respondents, showing that DFSK brand is not received well because DFSK brand is less known, customers negative perception for Chinese car, ineffective of Brand Ambassador utilization, improperly positioning its product in the market, rely too much on to public relations effort and neglecting advertising effort for online and offline media, and increased competition from other car manufacturers in the car segment that entered by DFSK. After looking at the analysis result and current condition of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, that launching a new marketing campaign will not give the desired significant impact, authors propose DFSK to utilize the mobile apps to increase brand advocacy for current DFSK car owners. The main purpose of this mobile app is to ease DFSK car owner that to interact with other DFSK car owner and will assist them to interact and gather and finally will be established solidarity and strong community that will give positive effect for DFSK brand to be more known by people and potential customers.