New Marketing Plan Has Opel Eying Comeback In Europe

With General Motors having recently announced its 2016 removal of Chevrolet from the Western European market, Opel can more effectively reconstruct its image, and reestablish itself as a major player in the market.

Opel, which has begun the implementation of  what is reportedly the largest marketing campaign ever in its home country of Germany, has plenty of work to do after seeing the brand diminish and continue to lose market share for the pas 14 years. In fact, the numbers show Opel has been outsold by its compatriot Volkswagen by greater than three-to-one. Nobody’s surprise, really. VW is a titan in Europe.

GM insists there is no time like the present to right the ship, expecting to stop losing money in the European market by 2016. With over 5.2 million dollars being poured into the project through 2022, GM expects results — and fast. Involved, as outlined by the marketing campaign, is a full brand revitalization, ensuring all preconceived negativity around the Opel name is shed.

And who better to embark upon this steep uphill battle than newly-acquired Tina Mueller — a convert from the cosmetic industry who spent 20 years marketing for the likes of global powerhouses such as the conglomerate Henkel. Mueller, now the Chief Marketing Officer at Opel, understands the importance of the re-branding efforts, and, according to Automotive News Europe, she believes “many people were hiding the key in the pocket – they were not proud anymore of driving the brand.”

Mueller knows this needs to change.

Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann reveals, however, signs are already pointing in the right direction. Last year, for example, Opel saw a slight increase in market share, still with 23 redesigned or new models in the works. Included will be 13 new engines and a revamped diesel product. Newmann also spoke of Opel’s new attitude, claiming it is on the attack, leaving behind its defensive past.