The Catalans are the most unfaithful in Europe (and the Chinese know it)

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A recent study by the dating app Ashley Madison placed three Catalan cities (Girona, Manresa, and Barcelona) as the most unfaithful in Spain. To these figures, we must add the fact that Spain is one of the three most unfaithful countries in the world, accompanying the United States and Brazil in the ranking of the most unfaithful countries, and leading - by a considerable margin - the European ranking, far ahead of Italy or Denmark.In an increasingly less monogamous context and open to discovering new personal experiences, car manufacturers have also realized that Spanish car buyers, and especially Catalan ones, no longer swear eternal love to a specific brand. Studies such as the one by the consulting firm JD Power reveal that a significant portion of buyers of certain luxury brands like Porsche or Mercedes-Benz do maintain a certain commitment and loyalty to the brand, and buy several models from the same manufacturer throughout their lives, but this feeling and emotional bond is practically non-existent in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.Although it is not a sociology treatise, it is enough to observe how the consumption habits of drivers in Catalonia have changed. While it is true that most of the population has fond memories of their parents' or grandparents' vehicles, and that there is a certain sense of pride in Seat (and now Cupra), the sentimental link to a brand is not, by far, a decisive factor when buying a new car.In most European countries, there is a buyer profile very tied to a specific brand. In France or Italy, for example, there are millions of people who always buy cars of a particular brand, such as Renault or Fiat, as they have a real emotional bond with the car manufacturer. This feeling or emotional connection explains the persistence of brands like Vauxhall in the United Kingdom (with good sales figures) or the good sales figures of Opel in Germany, even though both brands are part of the Stellantis group, which has Italian-American capital.An opportunity for the Chinese When major Chinese automotive groups have decided to take the step to manufacture part of their vehicles in Europe, motivated by the European Union's tariff policy, they have sought scenarios with a good communication network, efficient distribution, the existence of a network of experienced suppliers and qualified labor, but also an open market to buy different car brands without looking at their origin as long as the price and the product fit well enough.The landing of the Chery group in Barcelona from the Zona Franca plant, where Ebro models are assembled and Omoda or Jaecoo models will soon be, is largely explained by the existence of a buyer profile that has no decisive emotional connection when changing cars, and who prioritizes the price and functionality of the car over the origin or roots of the manufacturer. In other words, the Chinese who have bet on Barcelona (and who want to do so in Almussafes, Zaragoza or other Spanish plants) are doing so, among other reasons, due to the real possibility of positioning their products without apriorisms or conditions related to the origin of the vehicle, something that in France, the United Kingdom or Italy - countries with a strong sense of belonging and brand pride - does not seem possible at the moment.The profile of a Dacia Sandero buyer (the best-selling car in Spain in recent years) does not have a special interest or emotional attachment to Dacia. The Sandero buyer is looking for a reasonable car, at an affordable price and with features and possibilities that fit their needs, and it is precisely this buyer profile that has no problem buying a vehicle of Chinese origin (MG, Jaecoo, Omoda, Ebro...) as long as it has a competitive price and fits their daily needs.However, this automotive promiscuity can also become a double-edged sword. Not long ago, Catalans never felt a special affection for the Pulsar or the Patrol, to name two models that Nissan manufactured for years and years in Barcelona before its departure and replacement by Ebro and the Chery group. In this sense, it is realistic to think that Catalan buyers will not feel any kind of sentimental attachment to products manufactured by Chery, despite Ebro's advertising efforts to strengthen its link and sense of belonging with local buyers, by recovering the commercial name Ebro (or Santana in Andalusia) and sponsoring events or even the Spanish national football team, among others.The sustained relationship, key in the loyalty process The major automotive manufacturers are aware of the particularity of the Spanish automotive market, and especially the Catalan one. The majority of Catalan buyers looking for a new vehicle do so from brands other than their current model, often motivated by after-sales service that has not generated synergies with their customers.This is why major European manufacturers, in a context of strong international competition, are seeking new systems to retain their customers, which involve a stable and sustained relationship with drivers through constant monitoring of buyers via the dealership network and official workshop checks. This is because a good reputation in the interpersonal channel (the lifelong word-of-mouth, in short) allows a brand to be commercially positioned in the collective imagination (like Toyota, for example) more than through communication campaigns in traditional media or through social media 'influencers'.