“Made in Germany”: This little reference to the place of origin of a product has shaped the self -image of the German economy for a long time. Innovation and quality – the call of German goods hurried to them all over the world. A study even showed in 2017 that no “Made-in-Country” seal enjoys as high as German.
What is the seal worth today? And how can it be that it will continue to be excellent products in the future? A study by the transformation research agency Sturm und Drang and the advertising agency ServicePlan Group has now dealt with this.
“Made in Germany” moves mainly abroad
“Made in Germany” has not yet lost its radiance, especially abroad. In their representative survey, the study makers found that 39.1 percent of international respondents (China,, USA and European countries) testified that the image of German brands even changed for the positive. Only 8.9 percent said the picture worsened, while 52 percent did not notice any change.
The German study participants are completely different: they perceive 42 percent of a deterioration of the image – only 13.4 percent an improvement. 44.6 percent have not found any change.
The positive perception abroad is based on products that are concerned with both technical engineering and perfection of manual perfection, German engineering write. For example, the respondents abroad would prefer 40 percent luxury cars of German brands to the brands from their home region. The examination group shows similarly high “Made-in-Germany” preferences in terms of high-quality tools, household appliances and audio electronics.
One of the makers of the study warns: “Made in Germany solely on the positive values of reliability, durability and precision of German engineering will not be enough for the upcoming consumer claims of the 21st century,” says Stefan Baumann, transformation psychologist at Sturm und Drang . “We have a lead and an image as those who have engineering qualities, but for the haptic, real and not the digital world.” The survey showed that “Made in Germany” in the categories “Digital- have future-oriented ”and“ human-emotional ”. It is precisely these attributes that would have a decisive contribution to the future. “We have to understand what international consumer markets want, namely these transforming solutions and relationship -rich living environments,” says Baumann.
“A future that puts people and machines together”
Stefanie Kuhnen, Chief Strategy Officer at ServicePlan and also a co-creator of the study, illustrates what could be meant by this, using the example of the auto industry. “In the future it should be the case that you buy a German car because the company not only shines with technology and innovation, but also pays attention to data protection and takes care of the employees.” A product “Made in Germany “should no longer only stand for themselves and be of good quality, but improve the habitat for the people who have to do with it. A new brand core of “Made in Germany” can be, says Kuhnen: “We create a future in Germany that brings people and machines together and enriches life.”
For the study, the agencies together with the market research institute Innofact interviewed more than 3000 consumers from the EU, China and the USA, according to the study makers, these were selected in such a way that they represent the individual consumer markets appropriately. In addition to the agencies, a group of companies in the study was involved with the “Master Circle”, including the camera manufacturer Leica.