Chery Australia says the company’s growing family of brands, including Chery, Omoda Jaecoo and soon Lepas, are designed to reach different types of buyers rather than sitting on a traditional premium ladder. And he doesn’t rule out adding more badges to the local mix in the future.
The company’s chief operating officer, Lucas Harris, said Daily Sparkz that, unlike, for example, European and Japanese automakers, which organize brands vertically based on price or prestige, Chery’s approach is horizontal, with each brand targeting a particular lifestyle or personality type, rather than a higher or lower level.
“In Western markets, the brand hierarchy is very vertical – this is entry-level, this is volume, this is premium, this is luxury,” Mr Harris said. “My observation of what we see with Chinese brands is that it is much more horizontal.”
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He explained that Chery itself is aimed at mainstream family buyers looking for something traditional and simple to live in.
“The Chery is more of a more traditional family car… you don’t want a fuss; it offers good, solid value for money,” he said.
In contrast, Jaecoo takes on a harder, urban off-road theme while maintaining its sophistication. Omoda focuses on design and fashion, targeting style-conscious customers who want something sportier and more expressive. These two brands are partners in markets such as Australia, where they are sold in the same showrooms.
Lepas, expected to be released early next year, will be the boldest of the bunch, focusing on bold shapes, bright colors and creative interiors.
“Lepas is much more distinctive and bold… very bright colors and different colored interiors, really to attract people who want to stand out,” Mr Harris said.
Mr Harris added that the overlap between brands at the edges is intentional, with each potentially acting as a gateway to the others.
“If a Lepas attracts the kind of customers who would never have looked at Chery, but then they come and say, ‘Actually, this Chery is for me’ or vice versa – okay, it worked,” he said.
While the local offering is already growing rapidly, Mr Harris has not closed the door to further additions should the Chinese headquarters decide to introduce more brands from its portfolio.
“Part of working in a global company is that there are global decisions that are sometimes not relevant, whether we fully understand them or fully agree with them,” he said. “If the factory decides tomorrow that a different brand is coming, okay – no problem, we will find a way to make it as successful as possible.”
And there are a variety of brands under the Chery umbrella, including Exeed, a premium brand; Luxeed, another such brand created in collaboration with Huawei; Jetour, which specializes in off-roaders; electric vehicle brand iCar (also known as iCaur); and commercial vehicle brands Karry and Rely.
Mr Harris says for now the focus remains on helping Australians understand the differences between brands while ensuring each has the right product, design language and retail identity to connect with its target audience.
MORE: Chery is launching its third car brand in Australia in four years
MORE: What is Omoda Jaecoo and how is this new brand different from Chery?
