Great Wall Motor consolidates WEY and ORA into a single consumer brand

• ONE GWM strategy: Starting in 2024, GWM Europe will restructure its brand architecture and adopt a master brand approach, with GWM becoming the sole consumer brand. Former brands WEY and ORA will become product lines under the GWM master brand.

• Customer-centric Naming: A numerical naming system will make it easy to distinguish between models.
• Simplicity: GWM will establish products, services, and offers along the customer journey with the aim of making GWM ownership and use a worry-free experience.
• Efficient Rollout: Cooperation with established partners in the different markets will ensure wide market coverage and good accessibility for customers.

From 2024 on, Great Wall Motor (GWM) will introduce its “ONE GWM” strategy, transforming the former WEY and ORA brands into product lines within the single master brand GWM. The strategic shift signifies GWM’s commitment to a more cohesive and recognizable global presence, particularly in the European market.

The European market for cars with alternative drive systems is still thriving: 1,452,832 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 716,049 plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEVs ) were registered in the first three quarters of 2023 – a 51.5 % year-over-year increase for BEVs and 9.7% for PHEVs. As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic decline, we see a normalization of the global supply chains. However, reduced government incentives for electrified vehicles and an inflation-related decrease in customer confidence are new challenges, especially for the NEV sector. In addition, new competitors are constantly entering the European market.

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With its ONE GWM strategy, GWM aims to optimize its European market entry approach and maximize its brand strength. The decision to market and distribute all cars under one brand will increase the visibility of the Chinese automaker and allow GWM’s partners to apply a synergetic and efficient commercial approach from distribution down to dealer lever.

As part of its new brand strategy, GWM has implemented a reworked numerical naming system. WEY and ORA are separate product ranges. The number assigned represents the vehicle’s size, making it easier for customers to distinguish between products. What all vehicles have in common, though, are the pivotal features of all GWM products: high-end technology such as advanced driving assistants, exceptional design, outstanding interior material quality and NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness), long-lasting quality, and uncompromising safety with several 5-star ratings from Euro NCAP crash tests.

GWM Europe is addressing the “Aspiring Middle Class,” a tech-savvy and quality-focused target group seeking optimal value while not compromising on safety. Its members are curious about e-mobility yet wary of its drawbacks, and, last but not least, are open to new brands. This target group will benefit from an even stronger GWM brand in a number of ways, including a higher resale value in the future.

The advantages of the ONE GWM approach for GWM’s customers can be summed up in one word: Simplicity. Thiemo Jahnke, European Brand and Marketing Director at GWM Europe, explains: “Buying, owning, and driving a GWM car will be as straightforward, stress-free, and uncomplicated as never before. Together with our partners, we are working on a range of services, products, and offers across the entire customer journey. Starting in 2024, we aim to make our customers’ experience with GWM simple and even more enjoyable. “ONE GWM” will help us bring this promise to life, as it allows us to bundle our efforts for all our customers under one brand roof.”

Stakeholders and distribution partners will also benefit from the ONE GWM approach in significant ways. “A consistent approach in marketing, sales, IT, and aftersales, as well as streamlined structures, processes, and systems, will enhance the speed and efficiency of our joint operations, from distribution down to the dealership. In addition, “ONE GWM” will help us create a stronger consumer brand in the tough European marketplace and a faster awareness and familiarity ramp-up. A stronger brand will also be capable of generating higher natural demand and higher resale values. Ultimately, this approach will also ease further portfolio expansion in Europe”, concludes Jahnke.

How will GWM execute the new strategy in the different European markets? A crucial success factor is collaborating with experienced partners that bring local expertise and know-how, as well as established structures and networks, into the partnership. GWM has already concluded such partnerships in countries like Germany, UK, Ireland, Sweden, and Israel. In 2024, GWM aims to expand its presence in many additional markets, e.g., Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, and Bulgaria. Agreements with strong, established partners are in preparation. More details will be announced soon. GWM plans to further expand its lineup in Europe in 2024, starting with the market entry of the new GWM WEY 03 and the GWM ORA 07, followed by at least one more model in 2025.