This project is based on a marketing strategy simulation in the automotive industry, where our team managed a company over 9 simulated years, making weekly strategic decisions while competing against four other firms (A–E).

While the simulation included decisions across pricing, product, and production, our primary focus was on branding and positioning. We used branding as the foundation for decision-making aligning product features, pricing, and marketing efforts to create a consistent and differentiated brand across all segments. Each round required us to adapt to competitor actions and changing market conditions, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a clear and consistent brand strategy over time.

This project follows our team's management of Firm E over a 9-year competitive automotive simulation, where we made weekly strategic decisions while competing against four other firms, with Firm A and Firm B as our main competitors. The simulation required us to manage a full marketing strategy, including product development, pricing, advertising, and production planning in a dynamic market environment.

We positioned our company as a mid-market automotive brand focused on delivering reliable and practical vehicles across key segments. Our portfolio included Effiz (family car), Estruck (truck), and Euro (utility vehicle), later expanded with the introduction of Emin (minivan). Our core branding strategy centered on safety, reliability, and long-term value, guiding all major decisions across products and marketing.

In the early years, we focused on building brand awareness and increasing market share through strong investment in advertising, promotions, and sales training, which improved customer preference and drove sales growth, especially in the utility segment with Euro. As we progressed, we recognized the need to better align our messaging with customer expectations, particularly in the family segment leading to a strategic shift from styling to a safety-focused positioning, strengthening our brand identity and improving product-market fit.

In Year 7, we reached a strong competitive position and ranked second in total units sold, but faced a major setback due to a safety issue. This significantly impacted customer trust and damaged our brand perception, leading to a loss of customers. In response, we shifted our focus toward customer satisfaction, improving product quality and reinforcing consistency between our brand promise and customer experience.

Throughout the simulation, our decisions were strongly influenced by competitor actions. Firms A and B increased their marketing investments and began to imitate our positioning, particularly in the utility segment, which intensified competition and reduced our market share. At the same time, our high spending in advertising, sales training, and R&D increased customer preference and supported growth, but also created pressure on costs and profitability. We also identified limitations in our production capacity, which at times restricted our ability to fully capture demand.

Overall, this project demonstrated the importance of maintaining a clear and consistent brand strategy while adapting to market dynamics and competitive pressure. It also highlighted that long-term success depends on balancing customer value, operational efficiency, and strategic investment, while continuously protecting customer trust.