Teri Ryan
MKT/421
December 21, 2010
Ellis Jones
Thorr Motorcycles: Perceptual Maps in Marketing Cruiser Thorr is a motorcycle modeled after Thor, the Norse God of Thunder. With its strong, honest and reliable product design, Thorr Motorcycles was able to embody the very ideas that their loyal customs live, which is a lifestyle of freedom, mobility. This paper will outline the Perceptual Maps in Marketing simulation by describing the situation, recommended solution and results to the simulation. In addition, a summarization of marketing components from the simulation will be included. Thorr Motorcycles seemed very successful in its marketing efforts, which promoted their higher end motorcycles. …show more content…
Creating a lifestyle within a product design will help to create a situation that customers will make purchases based on the lifestyle and image they will acquire and fulfilling what could be their psychological need for acceptance and a sense of belonging. Product design is an important way of providing an additional unique dimension of deciding to reposition the Cruiser Thorr. Added dimensions of functionality, which cover appropriate mapping attributes will provide more solid footing for making a decision to target a new market segment, the younger generation, with an exciting, affordable machine, which will reinvent a lifestyle, continued dedication to quality, featured expansion of services that will include finance options, maintaining training, club rides. This all serves to establish loyalty with customers, dealers and distributors (Apollo Group, …show more content…
The results revealed that a different segment, the younger individual, influenced more by price more than the aging demographic that has maintained Thorr Motorcycles success during the past years, is fueling the now growing motorcycle market. The younger generation seems to care less for brand and image of the Cruiser Thorr, due in part to the price being outside their preferred price range. It is for these reasons that the Cruiser Thorr is in stage four of its product life cycle, which is declining sales. The marketing plan should consider launching a new product. One that represents the corporate core value of commitment to quality, excellence, and offers a new market niche of affordability, finance option, and enhanced services. This will require a differentiation in the marketing mix. Shifting the market plan with changing differentiation attributes mix now focused on affordability, attractive financing option, and expanding services including social fraternities, it seems the new customer base will be more inclined to view the innovatively designed motorcycle as a commodity that offers superior value and quality. Realigning internal corporate processes and unifying the change in focus on a new product goal will cause other processes in the marketing mix to function toward the goal of promoting and placing the new product in a positive light. Attracting this new demographic is creating the