Vauxhall seeks brand partners

NEWS

Vauxhall Motors is preparing to create “strategic partnerships” with other brand owners to make its promotional spend more efficient.

The move comes as car manufacturers search for fresh ways to market vehicles and rein in costs that have spiralled over the past three years. Vauxhall spent 83m on promotional activity last year, but profits were down 44 per cent.

The idea of sharing the load has been advocated by new marketing director Wolfgang Schubert who joined the UK arm of General Motors last month.

No brand owners have been approached but Schubert is planning a series of internal meetings to develop the scheme across the Vauxhall range and find partners for specific marques.

“There are many blue-chip companies in the UK where co-operation could be very successful,” says Schubert. “If you combine resources you can get more for your pound to help build the brand.”

The company’s credit card, GM Card from Vauxhall, has built relation ships with other companies to add value to the card.

But Schubert’s plan is a more significant departure.

The details of how any promotional tie-ups will work have yet to be agreed. But Schubert wants the Vauxhall marketing department to draw up shortlists of potential partners.

No deals will be struck before the replacement Cavalier, Vectra, is launched in the autumn.