US automakers take a brand equity hit
Today’s article in the SF Chronicle says it up front:
Consumer Reports, the magazine some potential car buyers scrutinize for hours before making a decision, dealt a blow to the U.S. auto industry Wednesday when it said that, for the first time, all 10 vehicles on its “Top Picks” list are made by Japanese companies.
No matter that some of the vehicles are designed and built in the United States. The latest Consumer Reports list is another reminder that the U.S. auto industry, particularly the profit-challenged General Motors and Ford Motor Co., is in dire straits.
This is what happens when you transform your brand from a badge of quality into a pseudo brand and a stylized sales stimulant. The Detroit brand model has crashed and burned, like an Edsel dropped from 10,000 feet.