VIGNALE | Interview

Merchandising

muscle-bound Mustang, to the degree of hardness

of the strap, through to the engraving on the back

of the case. This is absolute precision work that is

only possible because we bundle the knowledge

and resources for such projects here on-site.

Can you give me a concrete example of how

the design of vehicles and brand values can

be reflected in the merchandising?

Baumgärtner:

Parallel to the new Ford high-end

Vignale model, which will be introduced in 2015

in the form of the new Mondeo, a Vignale line

for the Lifestyle Collection has been designed.

The series comprises of a weekender bag, which

was distinguished with the iF design award, a

small bag and a toiletry bag. A completely own

bag design was created for this line, which per-

fectly conveys the attributes associated with the

automobile world: design language, high quality

materials and a prestigious image. This is pure

vehicle integration.

Tsubaki:

The weekender bag is for instance

styled on the form of the radiator grill and is

made out of the same leather that is used for the

vehicle’s interior. Elements of the interior design

are also copied for the interior of the bag. We

enjoy working with such small surprise and de-

light effects. For the smaller bag, we have used

the original safety belt as the shoulder strap.

Can new lifestyle markets be penetrated

with such premium products?

Tsubaki:

Definitely, at Ford a whole PR team occu-

pies itself exclusively with non-automotive themes

– from lifestyle magazines, to architecture and liv-

ing, through to women’s magazines. For example,

we launched the prototype of a designer watch

at the furniture trade fair in Milan last year, which

features a special movement, a strap made of

vehicle leather, which was sourced directly from

the manufacturer, Bridge of Weir, and which was

handcrafted. Ford was thus the first automobile

manufacturer to present classic designer products

at the furniture and design trade fair.

In what form are the products of the Life-

style Collection integrated into marketing

measures?

Gothow:

Extremely different approaches are

taken here and ultimately the decision lies with

the dealers. Sledges were implemented in the

scope of a winter promotion campaign in Austria,

whereas a few years ago the Norwegians pre

sented every Fiesta purchaser with a Fiesta-look

furry headrest. Recently at a dealer event in Barce-

lona, Mustang cups were placed on the breakfast

table of the 350 participants as a surprise gift.

Tsubaki:

Our PR department also uses the Life-

style Collection very intensively. For example, we

have brought out a limited edition of watches,

the so-called Media Drives.

Which products are the best-sellers?

Gothow:

There are certain product groups that

sell very well including bags, watches, caps and

cups. Our absolute top-seller is the RS bag, we

have namely already produced thousands of

them. Textiles are also extremely popular. Where-

by we have to assert our powers of persuasion

here, because we produce high-quality and thus

of course expensive items.

Baumgärtner:

Whereas in the past one simply

implemented a basic T-shirt, today we have own

designs produced in Turkey. Furthermore, we

are currently switching over to certified cotton,

which can be traced back to its origin via a code.

Of course, this sort of thing drives the costs up.

At the same time though the difference in quality

is also noticeable – when the clothes are being

washed, put on, worn and ironed. The textile

theme is simply a very haptic one and fortunately

we are able to convince the most critical orderers

of this relatively fast.

Environmentally-friendly is one of the four

pillars of the brand. To what extent can the

theme be addressed with the rest of the

Lifestyle Collection beyond the textiles?

Tsubaki:

In the scope of the power of choice

strategy, Ford offers a wide range of eco-friendly

engines. The customer can select his preferred

choice from our selection ranging from a battery-

powered vehicle through to the hybrid tech

nology. Accordingly, we have strategically inte-

grated this theme into the Lifestyle Collection.

Baumgärtner:

We have developed a product

line, which is totally made out of recycled ma-

terials. Whereby this range is at present still very

small. In practice, it is often difficult to manufac-

ture a completely sustainable product. Further-

more, the quality and the haptics don’t always

meet our required quality standards. Yet, we

are of course still occupying ourselves with the

theme. To support the power of choice strategy

we have developed various items such as carrier

bags or baseball caps that are made out of PET

recycled bottles.

The Lifestyle Collections forms an integral part of the Ford trade

fair presence at all of the big European automobile shows.