When the internal competition in the Chinese market changes from a competition of products to a competition for traffic, when user needs change from being "satisfied" to being "created", and when the luxury attributes of a car are "redefined" by more and more new entrants, how should traditional luxury brands respond?
Traditional luxury brands certainly have many "active skills" to deal with the above problems, such as accelerating intelligent R&D, developing exclusive pure electric platforms, and even choosing to cooperate with leading companies in this field.
But don’t forget that the reason why luxury brands are called luxury brands is because they have “passive attributes” that newcomers do not have - brand history, exquisite craftsmanship, design aesthetics, etc.
Lincoln All Series
These unique characteristics are the long-term accumulation of traditional luxury brands and the key to differentiation from new forces. By emphasizing these core values over the years, traditional luxury brands have been able to form a deep brand impression in the minds of consumers.
This is also the brand spirit that Lincoln, the leader of American luxury, insists on - "Luxury has its own way". After a century of inheritance and innovation, Lincoln's way of luxury has also become more rich in connotation. Whether it is brand, product or service, all of them are profound interpretations of the brand spirit, and the way of greatness, the way of comfort, the way of tranquility, the way of strength and the way of nobility are the comprehensive interpretations of the brand spirit of "Luxury has its own way" in the new era. This is the accumulation of the Lincoln brand over a century, the pursuit of texture and cultivation, the sublimation of life attitude, and the unremitting pursuit of brand excellence. It brings users a confident, calm and elegant attitude towards life.
The Way of Succession: A Century of Glory
"My father built the most popular car, and I want to build a classic that will be remembered forever." That year, when the 29-year-old Edsel Ford met Lincoln, he said this "big words." Looking back now, this has become a "good story."
Edsel Ford believed that companies should try their best or have an obligation to design cars that are both beautiful and functional. Adhering to this concept, Lincoln has produced many groundbreaking cars.
For example, the 1937 Lincoln Zephyr, a legendary model, overturned the then-unchanging automotive design concept, adopted a streamlined design, and ushered in a new era of aerodynamic design. This design style, which can be seen everywhere today a hundred years later, brought automotive design to the height of "art" at the time; in 1939, Edsel went to Europe to look for inspiration, looking for an American interpretation of "European style", and then he created the legendary model, the new Lincoln Continental.
For example, the Lincoln Cosmopolitan and Capri coupes were the first to be equipped with four-way electric seat adjustment, while the Continental Mark II became the world's first car with standard electric seat adjustment, pioneering the use of electric seats in cars.
The reason why there are so many "firsts" is that compared with the design itself, Lincoln's brand philosophy emphasizes creating outstanding models that are both beautiful and user-friendly. With its excellent craftsmanship and forward-looking car-making concepts, Lincoln's products have always been favored by celebrities, nobles and even presidents.
Over the past century, Lincoln's designs have been designed with the participation of designers from European luxury brands such as Cartier, Versace and Valentino, injecting a strong luxurious gene into Lincoln's elegant beauty and expanding the dimension of understanding of luxury.
Lincoln's elegance is not only the art of driving, but also the natural demeanor and the attitude of life. In the words of Christian Lacroix, a famous designer in the Parisian haute couture industry, "Elegance is not about being low-key, but about reaching a very spiritual level of a person."
Therefore, from the very beginning, Lincoln's understanding of luxury is not just about cars, but based on the user's perspective and human feelings. From the past to the present, Lincoln's luxury has been passed down for a hundred years. In this new era of great changes in the automobile industry, it guides generations of Lincoln people to move forward calmly, and also accompanies batches of Lincoln users to find a life attitude that suits them.
The Way of Managing the World: From a Newbie to a Rich Family
"Success does not require you to please everyone, but to be loved by those who love you." This saying by Edsel Ford, the founder of the Lincoln brand, has always guided Lincoln forward.
At this year's Beijing Auto Show, the crowds were unprecedentedly surging, and Lincoln spent a lot of effort to find this group of "lovers". With the unique exhibition booth form of "Four American Luxury Living Rooms", Lincoln showed its calmness, elegance, and ease in the era of great changes, presenting Lincoln's unique "Luxury has its own way".
Dr. Jia Mingdi, President of Lincoln China
As Jia Mingdi, President of Lincoln China, said: "Auto shows are for appreciation, not for market. The Lincoln booth hopes to make everyone calm and at ease." The four living rooms fully interpret the different life realms and lifestyles of Lincoln brand users, just like every model of Lincoln, reflecting the tastes and attitudes of different stages of life through exclusive new colors and immersive luxury experience.
Different from mainstream European luxury brands that pursue craftsmanship, ultimate technology and precision workmanship, the American luxury represented by Lincoln does not focus on showy mechanical beauty, but pays more attention to luxury from the user's perspective.
How to understand "luxury from the user's perspective"? At the Lincoln brand launch conference on the first day of the auto show, Jia Mingdi further explained the different life stages and moods depicted by each of its models, allowing the outside world to have a deeper spiritual resonance with the century-old luxury and elegance of Lincoln. By accompanying users at every stage of their lives, each car owner can immerse themselves in the experience and find their own unique realm of life.
"People have different understandings of elegance and calmness at different stages of life, but you can find a Lincoln car that suits every stage." This is Jia Mingdi's interpretation of Lincoln's core of elegance and calmness.
Young and energetic, single nobles in their twenties and thirties, with their careers just beginning, they are idealists and activists, exuding a spirit of eagerness and enterprising. Lincoln Z is their "mobile living room", with five layers of soundproof glass and 24 acoustic packages throughout the car, coupled with the ANC active noise reduction system, allowing you to enjoy tranquility while moving. In Jia Mingdi's view, silence is precisely the earliest feature of American luxury cars, and he considers the comfort of the car more.
Lincoln Z
Young elites who have just become parents are forging ahead in their careers. They are confident and proactive. The Lincoln Aviator is like a "mobile safe house". The 24-way electric adjustment seats, independent left and right adjustment, can extend the leg rest, and are equipped with heating, ventilation, driver memory function and 5-mode electric massage function. The leapfrog configuration, strong power and distinguished customized service bring them a full sense of security, making them feel as if they are in the "land of elegance".
For this type of user, elegance and calmness come from the sense of security that the Adventurer brings to their entire family.
For those who have high status, great achievements and extremely high requirements for travel quality, only the Lincoln Navigator, a "mobile palace", can match them. The length of 5.66 meters and the wheelbase of over 3.3 meters create a grand aura. The "elegance" of the Lincoln Navigator is the highest reward for life achievements.
The elegance and composure of Navigator owners come from the calmness and composure achieved through a high level of awareness of the environment and society.
Lincoln Navigator
Now, when I read what Jia Mingdi said, "The American luxury represented by Lincoln is luxury based on the user's perspective. Its essence is not the car, but the person", I have a more emotional understanding.
From Z to Adventurer, from Navigator to Pilot, Lincoln has built a life cultivation path for users, and hopes that you can always move forward and reach the state of great perfection in life.
The way to change: from product evolution to circle building
The reason why Lincoln has been able to be passed down for a hundred years is certainly due to the luxury of the car itself and its "great way" of "accommodating all rivers and accommodating everything", but more importantly, it is because it has always adhered to the people-oriented luxury concept, emphasizing the continuous mutual achievement of users in the process of interaction with the brand.
In the face of the great changes of new trends, new demands and new technologies, Lincoln has maintained its elegant and calm background while also innovating and seeking change. Not only does it insist on breakthroughs in technology, but it also pays more attention to sensory pleasure and leisurely experience. Maintaining a calm and elegant mentality in the fast-paced technological changes is Lincoln's "way of comfort". This also enables Lincoln to always maintain its leading luxury position in this market full of experts.
In the Chinese market dominated by intelligent electrification, Lincoln has accurately grasped the user trend. The electric hybrid family launched at the beginning of the year has further attracted buyers who have a demand for powerful horsepower and hope to reduce fuel consumption to a certain extent with its "robust approach". It can be said that it truly meets user needs and solves user pain points, which is the best embodiment of Lincoln's "luxury from the user's perspective".
The Navigator Hybrid, which has been launched in the market, has been verified by the market and received good market feedback. Once launched, it was in short supply. The new electric hybrid Lincoln Aviator and electric hybrid Lincoln Z both use intelligent hybrid technology to upgrade American luxury, bringing a full-scenario American luxury experience that requires both power, endurance, and energy saving.
In addition to products, to make "people who understand" understand, we cannot just rely on self-admiration, but also need to create circles and strengthen ties. In this regard, Lincoln has taken the first step. Through the different positioning (realms) of each model in the Lincoln product series, different user circles are clearly depicted and given distinct labels.
The delicate, customized, and exclusive "Lincoln Way" service allows users to further experience the warmth of the brand. If customers can be turned into loyal fans to promote the brand, it will undoubtedly have a huge influence. Such circle influence is even better than advertising.
In this regard, Jia Mingdi also believes that the circle activities of different Lincoln users should be different. The purpose is: to combine brand positioning to make it clear and find the user's elegant and calm life state.
It can be said that Lincoln has been passed down for a hundred years, not only because of its long-term mission of making top-notch cars, but also because it has actively sought change in every era and constantly written a new look of the "Way of Luxury".
at last
In the automotive development revolution of "new era, new car", Lincoln has its own "change" and "unchange" - the pursuit of quality, value and service never changes, and it is always open to technological innovation, market strategy and product evolution. Behind this philosophy of inheritance and perseverance is the century-old luxury connotation of Lincoln Way, the firm determination to pursue high-quality development, and the original intention of keeping pace with the times to create an American luxury experience for users.
