Bayerische motoren Werke (BmW) (www.bmw.com) is one of the leading manufacturers of premium passenger cars and motorcycles in Europe. Although car buyers are extremely familiar with the BMW brand, the brand has a much lower profile among motorcycle buyers. This is a major challenge for BMW Motorcycles, which has been producing high-end motorcycles for more than 80 years. The company's main promotional goal is to attract serious riders who are looking for an exceptional riding experience. To do this, its marketers carefully coordinate every promotional detail to convey a unified brand message positioning the BMW motorcycle as 'the ultimate riding machine', as its advertising slogan states.

Questions

1. What are the advantages of using more personal advertising copy and encouraging customers to become missionaries for BMW motorcycles?

2. Should BMW use standardization or adaptation in promoting the motorcycles outside the US and germany?

3. Why is BMW using its website as a virtual showroom rather than also selling online directly to consumers?

4. Should BMW develop and promote a new motorcycle brand to differentiate its motorcycles from competing motorcycle brands (i.e. selling to new target groups), as well as differentiating them from BMW cars?