Students analyze Škoda Austria's rebranding
- 11.03.2026
- Practical Project
A photo with Škoda Austria, from left: Prof. (FH) Dr. Kristina Kampfer, Martin Kreuzmeier, Leonhard Thurnhuber, Fabian Fobeaux, Lena Auer, Weronika Sabonski, Denise Gruber, Máté Szakács, Felicitas Högl, Thomas Diesenberger, Sarah Kupetzius, Eva Rubatscher, Tim Rechel, Prof. (FH) DDr. Mario Situm
How does rebranding change brand perception? Nine students from the Bachelor's program in Business Management at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol analyzed the effect of a brand rebranding by Škoda Austria and derived practical recommendations for action.
As part of a practical project, nine students from the Bachelor's program in Business Management, vzB.24 (now: Leadership & Business Management) worked on a market research task for Porsche Holding Salzburg. The background to this was the comprehensive rebranding of Škoda Austria in 2023: the brand image was modernized to appeal to a new target group, the Everyday Explorer. Nevertheless, it was important to ensure that existing customers were retained.
Under the supervision of Prof. (FH) Dr. Kristina Kampfer, the students worked closely with Škoda Austria, represented by Thomas Diesenberger (Head of Marketing), Sarah Kupetzius, B.A., and Eva Rubatscher, MSc, for one semester. The aim of the project was to analyze how the rebranding affected the target group structure, brand perception, and customer loyalty in order to derive concrete recommendations for marketing practice.
For Thomas Diesenberger, one thing is certain: “The project was a complete success and far exceeded our expectations. We are already looking forward to working together again in the coming semester.”
METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
In order to obtain well-founded answers to the research questions, the students developed a structured research design and combined various market research methods. To this end, the students first evaluated secondary sources and then conducted their own primary research. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, they investigated whether the new brand image actually reaches new target groups, how existing customers react to it, and how the brand has positioned itself since then. Based on these results, they developed practical recommendations for action and identified potential for optimization, which they presented to the client at the end.
The project was a complete success and far exceeded expectations.
Thomas Diesenberger
Head of Marketing, Škoda Austria
CONCLUSION AND IMPULSES FOR PRACTICE
The collaboration with Škoda was characterized by a high degree of reliability and inspiration. The practical project clearly demonstrated how crucial structured teamwork, clear organization, and good team management can be for the success of a project. The theoretical background made it clear that both qualitative and quantitative research require careful preparation. Only through this structured approach can representative and comparable data be obtained that enable a well-founded analysis. In order to be able to track developments in a valid manner, this data should be collected again at regular intervals. This gives brands a continuous overview of the composition, perception, and development of their target groups.
On this basis, concrete and strategically sound recommendations for future brand communication can be derived. This includes, in particular, a clearer strategic focus for social media activities, combined with a defined key performance indicator structure and continuous data collection. In addition, target groups should be addressed in a targeted manner through emotional appeal and relevant content in order to build long-term customer loyalty.
This created significant added value for both the company and the students. The students were able to apply their theoretical knowledge of brand building, marketing, target group analysis, scientific work, and statistics in a practical setting. At the same time, the company benefited from an external perspective, data-based recommendations, and a structured collection of key figures as a basis for future measures.
Links:
- Leadership & Business Management | ft
- Porsche Holding Salzburg | Website