German automaker, Volkswagen, has unveiled a new logo to signify its transition into a new era of mobility and digitisation. The new branding is very subtle, which is a good thing as it does not affect the car brand’s recognisability or identity. The logo does away with the old three-dimensional look. It is now much simpler and easier to see on digital screens.
The rebranding exercise is aimed at making VW seem more innovative, connected, authentic and digital. Along with the updated logo comes a whole new holistic customer experience that is modern and captivating across all channels of interaction.
“The new brand design marks the start of the new era for Volkswagen,” says Jürgen Stackmann, a member of the Volkswagen Board of Management responsible for sales, marketing and after-sales.
“In the new brand design, we have created an authentic communications platform for the emotional presentation of e-mobility. We are showing the Volkswagen of the future under the motto of ‘digital first’ and ‘no filter’,” explains Stackmann.
Rollout of new branding across the globe
The new logo, branding and customer experience will be rolled out in a phased approach around the world from the end of 2019. Around 70 000 logos will be replaced across 171 markets and over 10 000 dealerships and service partners will be upgraded over the next two years.
“The new brand design comes in light of the development of vehicles that are more connected to market needs than ever before. It is for this reason that Volkswagen invested in a comprehensive revamp of every part of the brand to reflect and connect with its people better – from internal stakeholders, customers and the industry at large; in this way, the brand remains true to always putting people first,” says Volkswagen Group South Africa sales and marketing director Mike Glendinning.
The new logo is simpler
The new logo is a two-dimensional, simpler, clearer version of the old one. VW has kept the main colours from the old logo (dark blue, light blue and white) but stripped it down to its essential shape. The result is a clear, succinct and digitally-appealing logo that lends itself to more colourful imagery and a more approachable look. By flattening and thinning the VW logo, it becomes easier to recognise when viewed on a digital screen.
“As a general principle, the aim in future will not be to show a perfect advertising world. In our presentation, we want to become more human and more lively, to adopt the customer’s perspective to a greater extent and to tell authentic stories,” says Volkswagen chief marketing officer Jochen Sengpiehl.
South Africa has already begun rollout of new branding
In South Africa, the new branding has already been launched. The new logo and look of VW South Africa was rolled out at the same time as VW’s all-new compact SUV, the T-Cross, in September 2019. Dealerships around the country have already started to change their logos and customer experiences.
“The automotive industry is one of the leaders of the fourth industrial revolution. It is one thing understanding our consumers, but we want to go even further and help move them forward into a new world,” explains Glendinning.
The company is currently undergoing the single largest transformation of its history. VW has decided to focus on electric vehicles (EVs) in the future – aiming to have a product portfolio that is 40% battery-powered by 2030. With no need for grilles and radiators on EVs, the front of these vehicles will be smooth and flat, which necessitates a new, simpler logo for greater brand recognisability in the future.
VW is one of the leading OEM customers of Formex Industries. The automotive components that we manufacture are used on various VW models made in South Africa at the company’s Uitenhage assembly plant.
Formex Industries is a metal forming and assembly company that supplies a variety of complex products to the local automotive industry and the export market. The company is based in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole, South Africa’s foremost region for automotive manufacturing and export.
Formex specialises in producing components for the catalytic converter industry, as well as metal components and assemblies for the various vehicles. Formex is positioned as one of the foremost suppliers for the South African automotive industry by 2035, aligning itself with the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) which takes effect in 2020.
Formex is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier with over 80% black ownership, of which more than 40% are black women. The company is owned by Deneb Investments Limited – a subsidiary of Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited (HCI) – one of South Africa’s biggest true B-BBEE companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
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