Cristian Rigu, Mazda's country manager in Romania, says that after television, the most important promotion channel for the Japanese brand is the Internet.
Mazda has raised its growth target for this year by 25%, with the promotion campaign and model range renewal viewed as the main growth drivers.
"The initial target for Mazda in 2008 had been set to 2,000 units. Because of the high sales generated in the first months of this year, the target was upwardly revised to 2,500 units as in late May we went beyond the 1,000-unit mark and there are still eight months to go until yearend. With the current trend, the new target is highly realistic," stated Rigu.
In the first four months of this year, Mazda sales reached 893 units, five times above the sales derived in the same period of last year.
"The Mazda's growth driver in Romania was primarily the new model range, but also communication and promotion campaigns, together with the development of the dealership network. At the same time, the fact that Mazda was regarded as a new brand was also important for customers," Rigu explained.
At present, the best-selling model of the Japanese carmaker is Mazda3, with 315 units in the first four months, followed by Mazda2 with 282 units, which in the opinion of Mazda Romania manager will also become the best-selling model of the brand by yearend.
Mazda Romania got an additional allocation of 900 cars, which will be delivered during the July-September period.
The promotion campaign, which included both TV and Internet ads, had an important contribution to sales increase. "TV is a very important channel. Next come the Internet and printed press. We chose the Internet as there's a rising tendency to gather information online. (...) Important sums are invested in promotion in Romania, but in the wake of careful research to determine which medium is best suited for the brand," said Rigu, who chose not to specify the exact sum invested in promotion.
As regards the dealership network, it will be expanded by 25%.
At present, Romania is included in Mazda office for CEE, headquartered in Austria, after the company took over imports in September 2006, with an independent firm to be set up in Romania this year.
At present, Mazda Romania has four employees, with their number to rise to 13 by yearend.
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