BMW needs a new slogan!
This year at the Consumer Electronics Show, BMW unveiled the next step in its journey to NEUE KLASSE (German for New Class) with the unveiling of the i Vision Dee. The car has a lot of interesting features to discuss but what we found more intriguing is what BMW themselves had to say about their new concept.
“Inside, digitalisation goes hand in hand with reductive use of materials, operating controls and displays to ensure nothing distracts from the digital experience and the new feeling of enhanced driving pleasure”
The excerpt above is just a small part of a larger press release that goes on to further reference driving pleasure throughout the text. This isn’t out of the ordinary since one of BMW’s oldest and most used slogans is “Sheer Driving Pleasure”. However, the link between this tried and true slogan and BMW’s proposed future vehicles is suspect at best. BMW has made it clear after multiple CES visits that they want to be seen more as a tech company than an automobile manufacture, which is directly at odds with what BMW used to represent - whether they like it or not. The 30 second clip that BMW created to showcase the futuristic technology that they created for the i Vision DEE is the perfect example of this.
Courtesy BMW Group
Even though the vehicle has a steering wheel and the traditional proportions of a BMW, the mixed reality slider overlays distracting information and graphics on your windshield. These intruding visual elements spill over to the rest of the world, prompting the driver to believe that driving is the secondary focus of this vehicle, relaxation and entertainment being the primary. With their actions going against what BMW is directly saying in their own press release, the company shows they don’t know what direction they’re heading or what audience they’re catering to. This confusion can be clearly identified in their feature length reveal video, The Dee Movie.
Catering to older fans of 80s nostalgia, Arnold Schwarzenegger takes a leading role in the commercial that additionally features a cameo by Knight Rider. These characters/pop culture icons are then used to prove the fact that new age car culture is nothing when compared to “the good ol’ days”, while simultaneously making fun of them throughout the video. As BMW tries to reshape its brand image they have a golden opportunity to evolve what has been shown to work over time. However, they seem to be satisfied with simply copying and pasting the same old things again and again.
“Sheer Driving Pleasure’ describes the essence of the brand, which is very robust, resilient and future-oriented. The pleasure a person derives from their car has nothing to do with its drive technology – or whether it’s driven autonomously or not”
While we agree that pleasure isn’t only derived from driving, they aren’t putting in the required work to adapt the existing brand to show their renewed focus. Consumers are left with no idea what BMW as a brand is focused on and it doesn’t seem like they know either, but I do know where they should start - make a new slogan and stick to it!