Abstract:

This paper describes the role of marketing research, both at the desk and in the field, centrally and locally, in developing and marketing the new Volvo. It touches on the problems of positioning a concept that was entirely new for the company in a likewise completely unknown market segment. Part I describes the period that lies between the definition of the general specifications of the car and the moment when the Marketing department takes over the responsibility for the product. Part II concerns the pre-marketing process, from preparation to market introduction. Part III takes the form of a case study and describes the introduction of the Volvo 480 ES on the Italian market. No conclusions are given. These are left to the reader. And to the care of time.