Strategic Marketing ActionNo toolkits many internal & external environmental factors

BMW differentiated the offer until it is of superior value to the customer (no cost leadership. BMW used a focus strategy for the MINI because they tried to meet the needs of particular segments within the market. Their segment for the Mini is people looking for small cars (specially women) and the target group is people looking for fun adventure & mobility with ease of driving.

This is why I would consider the market position of Mini as a Niche because they developed a specialized market strategy to meet the precise needs of their target.

Attack strategies (no real defence strategy)BMW used a guerrilla (unexpected) strategy for the launch of Mini: The budget for the U.S. launch was $13 million (not that much)There were unconventional stuntsThey used humour to make the buzz. For instance, one of the adverts showed a MINI watching a football match seated in a stadium just like a fan watching the game

Vision:BMW has 2 main targets: to be profitable and to enhance long-term value in times of change (as well technological, as structural and cultural aspects). This is the reason why they are making use of the Strategy Number One. They base themselves on 4 pillars, namely Growth, shaping the Future, Profitability and Access to Technologies and Customers and implement activities linked to these latters. (Launching the Mini is one of these initiatives and resulted as a successful expansion of the brands portfolio)

Table: Events and initiatives of the 4-pillar strategy from 2008 to 2010Four Pillars200820092010

GrowthService that spans a vehicles lifetimeDeveloping a growth marketFrom the first BMW 5 Series to an impressive global family

Shaping the FutureProject i: Reinventing urban mobilityCreating individual mobility of the futureA high-tech material for tomorrows mobility

ProfitabilityClean productionWinning new customers through technological leadershipStable performance in an age of global market fluctuations

Access to Technology and CustomersIntegrate safetyPreparing for the future by thinking aheadIntelligent communication for individual mobility

Source: BMW Annual Reports 2008-2010

BMW group also uses these pillars in order to reach their ultimate goal for 2020: being the worlds leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility.

Let me give you another concrete example about the strategy of BMW Mini. In 2012, for the Olympic Games in London, the automaker was the official automotive partner. For this reason, radio-controlled Minis (1/4 of the regular size, were made in Oxford, England and were only able to carry a single hammer, discus or two javelins) were cruising around during track and field and they were returning retrieved shot puts, javelins, discuses and hammers to the throwing area. They also got to have a Mini driving into the opening ceremony on the first night of the Games. So basically, BMW managed to integrate its product into a huge event and make a buzz.

Sources: Book Sites: http://www.slideshare.net/patricksgallagher/bmw-a-strategy-built-on-premium-brands + https://www.inkling.com/read/strategic-marketing-cravens-piercy-10th/chapter-3/market-driven-strategy-and + http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/SB-Blogs/Olympics/London-Olympics/2012/08/bmwmini.aspx + http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/bmw-mini-remote-controlled-cars-big-london-olympic-games-article-1.1129943http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/bmw-mini-remote-controlled-cars-big-london-olympic-games-article-1.1129943 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA-Widz-3K4