Venus 2014 LAB Report - Automotive

The Attitudes of Australian Women Towards Automotive Brandshelloimvenus.com/#venuslab

ABOUT THE SURVEY 3

PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR SUMMARY 4

RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCHINg PURCHASE 7

FINAL PURCHASE DECISION-MAKER 9

AUTOMOTIVE BRAND DESIRABILITY 11

HOW AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISINg IS RATINg 15

PUMP SERVICE 17

CONTENTS

Hello I’m Venus commissioned a survey of women to determine their perceptions and buying behaviours towards automotive brands in Australia.

The survey was conducted online during January 2014, using the Pureprofile consumer research panel.

A total of 410 women between the ages of thirty and sixty years participated in the survey. There was an even representation of age segments in this study.

The majority of respondents were in New South Wales and Victoria (58%) and a total of 78% of respondents were located in the eastern states. Ten percent of respondents were located in Western Australia, seven percent in South Australia and the residual five percent were located in the territories and Tasmania.

In addition to these segmentation parameters, respondents were also required to be in the market for a car either retrospectively and/or in the near future.

AbOuT

ThE SurvEy

helloimvenus.com/#venuslab

30–34 yrs17%

35–39 yrs18%

40–44 yrs17%

45–49 yrs16%

50–54 yrs16%

55–60 yrs16%

NT 1%

ACT 2%

NSW 33%

VIC 25%

QLD 20%

SA 7%

WA 10%

TAS 2%

n=410

3

4

OF WOMEN CONDUCT equal or more CAR RESEARCH THAN THEIR PARTNER

75%

90% OF WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN THE FINAL PURCHASE DECISION

The current survey confirms the popular view that women are active in the decision making process when making major family acquisitions.

When undertaking a thorough analysis of which car to purchase for the family, three-out-of-four females actively conduct thorough research when making a purchase decision.

Women in New South Wales and Victoria hold the majority share of engagement throughout the decision-making processes (from analysis to purchase), while women in Queensland are the most collaborative and South Australian women are the least likely to singularly control the process.

With only 9% of men responsible for making the final purchase decision — the active role of women in deciding which family car to purchase is significant.


Purchase behaviour summary

5

OF WOMEN FEEL neutral TOWARDS THE SUCCESS OF CAR ADVERTISINg

IN UNDERSTANDINg THEM

53%

JUST ONE-IN-tEN WOMEN BELIEVE CAR ADVERTISINg UNDERSTANDS THEM


As for how effective car advertising is in the engagement of women, this survey confirms that car brands continue to under-deliver in terms of connecting. Given the overwhelming participation of women in the research and final purchasing stages, this is a massive opportunity loss for car brands.

Attitudes are divided as to whether the automotive industry is successfully portraying their understanding of women’s needs. 53% of women felt neutral towards the success of car advertising in understanding them and only one-in-ten women feel that car advertising understands them — a proportion that is largely consistent across all segmentations and geographies. Women from the eastern states feel more strongly that they are misunderstood.


6

TOYOTA IS LISTED AS THE TOP BRAND OF CHOICE

OF WOMEN ALSO LISTED TOYOTA AS THEIR LEAST FAVOURITE CAR

1

14

#

%


From the most favourable to the least, car brands have done little to differentiate themselves to women. Toyota, Holden, Mazda and Ford are represented in the top five spots from the most to least favourable brands of choice for Australian women. While Toyota is a stand-out favourite (with one-in-five women listing it as their top car brand of choice), this is neutralised with 14% listing it as their least favourable brand.

As part of the survey, participants were asked if they would pay extra/drive further to have a service attendant pump their gas. 80% answered ‘no’ with the least likely being women aged 55 – 60 years.


Responsibility for

researching purchase

In seventy five percent of cases, women believe they conduct more thorough research than their partner when considering purchasing a family car. 35% consider themselves solely responsible, while 40% report it is conducted equally between them and their partner.

Women between 45– 54 years are the most likely to independently conduct thorough research when looking to purchase a family vehicle, while women in Queensland and South Australia are the least likely to individually conduct thorough research to inform their purchase decision.

n=410 Question – When choosing a family car, who does more thorough research?

Equal 40%

Female 35%

Partner/Husband 25%

7

AGE LOCATION

Total 30– 34 years

35–39 years

40–44 years

45–49 years

50–54 years

55–60 years NSW VIC QLD ACT NT WA SA TAS

Sample 410 70 73 72 66 65 64 125 104 80 8 2 42 30 9

Me/Female 35% 36% 36% 32% 36% 37% 33% 37% 38% 25% 38% 100% 38% 27% 56%

Partner/Husband 25% 23% 25% 28% 20% 28% 28% 21% 23% 33% 25% 0% 29% 33% 11%

Equal 40% 41% 40% 40% 44% 35% 39% 42% 39% 43% 38% 0% 33% 40% 33%

Responsibility for researching purchase


When choosing a family car, who does more thorough research?

8

Equally 70%

n=410 Question – Who is responsible for the final choice when choosing a family car?

Female/Me 20%

Partner/ Husband

10%

9

Final purchase

decision-maker

When it comes to making the decision to purchase a car, an overwhelming majority of decisions are made collaboratively. It is of note, women in the periods that are commonly known as the ‘transitional years’, 30 – 35 years (beginning a family) and 50– 54 years (empty nesters), are most likely to have the final say when purchasing a new vehicle.


AGE LOCATION


35–39 years

40–44 years

45–49 years

50–54 years


Sample 410 70 73 72 66 65 64 125 104 80 8 2 42 30 9

Me/Female 20% 26% 25% 25% 24% 26% 20% 29% 24% 21% 13% 50% 20% 17% 44%

Partner/Husband 10% 11% 10% 7% 5% 9% 9% 11% 9% 8% 13% 0% 5% 7% 0%

Equal 70% 63% 66% 68% 71% 65% 70% 60% 67% 71% 75% 50% 80% 77% 56%

Who is responsible for the final choice in choosing a family car?

10

Couples in Western Australia are most likely to collaboratively make the purchase decision with their partner, while women in South Australia are least likely to singularly have the final say.

Final purchase decision-maker


Women were asked to list three car brands in order of favourability. The top five brands listed as the most desirable brand of choice in order were Toyota, Mazda, Holden, Hyundai and Ford. Of these, Toyota, Mazda, Holden and Ford also rated in the top five for secondary brand of choice and least favourable brand.

Toyota was a notable standout in favourability amongst women with one-in-five women listing Toyota as their #1 brand of choice. However, one-in-six women listed Toyota as their least favourite brand of car.

‘Prestige’ car brands failed to rank highly. The highest of which, Volkwagen, was nominated by just one-in-sixteen women as their brand of choice.

3 1 16Automotive brand desirability

11


Favourite Car Brand

n=410 List your favourite 3 car brands in order (1 – most favourite, 3 – least favourite)

Primary brand of choiceTo

yota

20%

BM

W5%

Ford

9%

Aud

i2%

Hol

den

11%

Nis

san

3%

Hon

da6%

Mer

cede

s B

enz

2%

Maz

da12

%

Peu

geot

3%

Sub

aru

6%

Kia

2%

Hyu

ndai

9%

Mits

ubis

hi3%

Volk

swag

en6%

Suz

uki

1%

Automotive brand desirability

1One-in-five women listed Toyota as their #1 brand of choice.

12



Secondary brand of choice


2For secondary brand of choice Mazda, Holden, Toyota, Ford and Hyundai rated in the top 5.

Maz

da17

%

Volk

swag

en3%

Hyu

ndai

5%

Lexu

s2%

Toyo

ta16

%

Aud

i2%

Nis

san

4%

Mer

cede

s B

enz

1%

Hol

den

17%

Sub

aru

3%

Mits

ubis

hi4%

Jeep

1%

Ford

11%

Kia

2%

BM

W4%

Suz

uki

Peu

geot

1% 1%

SeCondary Brand oF ChoiCe

13



Third brand of choice


3 LeaSt Favourite Brand oF ChoiCe

Toyo

ta14

%

Aud

i4%

Hon

da7%

BM

W

Jeep

3%

2%

Maz

da10

%

Mits

ubis

hi3%

Nis

san

6%

Volv

o1%

Hol

den

10%

Kia

4%

Sub

aru

7%

Lexu

s2%

Ford

9%

Volk

swag

en3%

Hyu

ndai

6%

Land

Rov

er NA

Suz

uki

Peu

geot

1% 1% 1% 1%

Women were asked to rate their third (least) favourite brand of choice, with Toyota selected by one-in-six women.

14


15

How automotive advertising

is rating

Attitudes are divided as to whether the automotive industry understands women and is able to portray this through their car advertising campaigns. Only one-in-ten women believe automotive advertising understands them and their buying decisions — a proportion that is largely consistent across all age groups and geographies.

Yes 13%

No 34%

Neutral 53%

helloimvenus.com/#venuslab“CAR ADVERTISINg UNDERSTANDS WOMEN”

AGE LOCATION


35–39 years

40–44 years

45–49 years

50–54 years


Sample 410 70 73 72 66 65 64 125 104 80 8 2 42 30 9

1 – Strongly disagree 8.54% 1.43% 4.11% 6.94% 15.15% 12.31% 12.50% 8.89% 11.54% 6.25% 0.00% 0.00% 7.14% 10.00% 0.00%

2 – Disagree 25.85% 32.86% 24.66% 25.00% 19.70% 33.85% 18.75% 30.37% 25.00% 26.25% 37.50% 50.00% 19.05% 16.67% 11.11%

3 – Neutral 52.20% 54.29% 58.90% 54.17% 50.00% 43.08% 51.56% 48.89% 47.12% 53.75% 62.50% 50.00% 59.52% 63.33% 66.67%

4 – Agree 10.49% 5.71% 9.59% 13.89% 10.61% 9.23% 14.06% 8.15% 13.46% 12.50% 0.00% 0.00% 9.52% 10.00% 11.11%

5 – Strongly agree 2.93% 5.71% 2.74% 0.00% 4.55% 1.54% 3.13% 3.70% 2.88% 1.25% 0.00% 0.00% 4.76% 0.00% 11.11%

How much do you agree with this statement: Car advertising understands women

16

How automotive advertising is rating

A significant portion of just over half women (53%) feel neutral towards the success of car advertising in understanding them. These women are most likely to be 35– 39 years and from South Australia or Western Australia. Meanwhile, women in New South Wales and Victoria mostly feel more negative than positive towards how well automotive advertising understands them — with one-in-three women in these two states feeling misunderstood.


When respondents were asked if they would go out of their way or pay for pump service attendance, the vast majority (80%) said they would not. The least likely to access this service were women aged 55– 60 years and those from South Australia.

Those that were most likely to seek this assistance were women aged 35 – 39 years and those from New South Wales or Victoria.

Pump service

80%

17


helloimvenus.com/#venuslab© This research study remains the intellectual property

of Hello I’m Venus and Pureprofile.

Data & Analytics

Venus 2014 LAB Report - Automotive