Auto-branding: beyond trans-portation…to trans-formation

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c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 1 Auto-branding: beyond trans-portation&to trans-formation By Yannis Kavounis Cars are so much more than just a means of transportation. In our society, they have been transformed into symbols 3both realistic and aspirational- of specific lifestyles, socio-economic backgrounds and even specific human personalities.

They play the role of a csocietal code, d which, when decoded, reveals the owner 9s lifestyle, life-stage status, employment, aspirations and dreams. As a result, it is no surprise that car brand names carry significant value, placing the industry close to luxury brands and perfumes in terms of the importance of intangible aspects of a product/ company. Was it always like this though?

In the beginning of the previous century, at a time when mass production ruled and 8branding 9 was far less sophisticated than it is today, many of the carmakers around the world were building their brands. They were developing names and brandmarks for their companies, letting the world know what their cars stood for. But, what really did their brands stand for?

From the four rings of Audi to the coined word Lexus, the mythical heroes of Ferrari and the direct communication of Jaguar, behind each logo and name there is a history ... more. less.

and a reason for its existence. A history which proves that for generations automakers have recognized the power of their products to go beyond functionality and become symbolic expressions of our society. There is a lesson to be learned here. So, let 9s take a ride in the realms of automotive history and discover how cars were imbued with aspirational and emotional branding elements, elevating the product far beyond its initial purpose of existence. Alfa Romeo 3 Could it be cAlpha d? A.L.F.A., an all-Italian venture established in 1909, stood for Anonima c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 2 Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (Automotive Maker of Lombardy SA). Coincidence or not, the name clearly communicated fist-class, strength and quality through its association with the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In 1918, the name was changed to Alfa Romeo after Nicola Romeo, a Neapolitan industrialist, took over its direction. The new name represented an interesting integration of the old name equity and the vision of the company 9s new owner. The Alfa Romeo logo has its roots in Italian history: it is inspired by the coat of arms of the Visconti Family, a powerful Milanese dynasty, which in turn supported the notion of strength and quality. BMW 3 The propeller of freedom BMW 9s logo can be subtly associated with an airplane propeller, while the blue color represents the sky. The reason behind the sky reference is the fact that BMW was manufacturing engines for military planes prior to making cars, but the end result is far from that: inspiring emotions of freedom, achievement and success are evident. The Bayerische Moteren Werke name (aka BMW) says exactly what it is: the Bavarian Automotive Production. Porsche 3 History reinvented Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche Engineering office in Stuttgart in 1931 , laying the foundation for Porsche AG. The infamous Porsche horse is the emblem of the city of Stuttgart. The stripes and horns were borrowed from the coats of arms of a powerful dynasty in Stuttgart. All elements are perfectly orchestrated to communicate endless strength and quality. Daihatsu 3 The three-wheel pioneer One of the oldest Japanese carmakers, it initially carried the name of its founder and owner: Hatsudoki Seizo Co. Ltd. It wasn 9t until 1951 that the company underwent a drastic transformation which led to the name Daihatsu Koguo Co. Ltd. (Osaka Generator Manufacturer). The c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 3 triangle shape of its logo is most likely a reminiscent of the three-wheel vehicles that the company was know for in the early 1900 9s. Ferrari 3 Strong as a prancing horse An attribute of the car or just the emblem of Italy 9s only World War I flying ace? Actually, both! According to history, it took several attempts until the Baracca family convinced the founder of the company, Enzo Ferrari, to use the family 9s crest as the company 9s logo. The Prancing Horse became official in 1932, while the yellow background was later added to honor Modena 3as yellow is the city 9s historic color. FIAT 3 Filling the spaces between the letters An acronym that stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, i.e. Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. The logo was the creation of Fiat 9s design department. The myth has it that it was inspired by the shadow you can see between the letters when exposed in dark light. Chrysler 3 The wings of inspiration For Walter Chrysler, the production of his first car in 1924 3the Chrysler Six- was a dream come true. Its logo went through several transformations throughout time but always stayed true to its essence: the silver wings along with the golden seal always have -and always will- stand for power, quality and the ground breaking engineer. Saab 3 Mythical monsters Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget was Sweden 9s national manufacturer of military aircrafts. The logo was inspired by the figure of a Swedish mythical monster to express the power and tradition of excellence of its cars. Opel 3 oh! Its logo is a silver flash inside a ring as a subtle reminder of the speed and power of the German-made cars. The ring also represents the letter cO, d the first letter of the company 9s founder, Adam Opel& coincidence? Maybe, but it is surely a clear communicator of openness, freedom and c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 4 connectivity. Nissan 3 everyday reliability The first Datsun 3the father of today 9s Nissan Motor Co.- was built in 1914. Although the logo is visually similar to Opel 9s symbol, its history is quite different; it symbolizes the ccarmaker of the rising sun. d The name translates in English as cdaily output d probably communicating the ceveryday d functionality of the Nissan cars. Volkswagen 3 people wanted& not drivers In English the name would translate into something like cPeople 9s Car. d A strategically chosen name to communicate the company 9s mission: building affordable and reliable cars for every man. AUDI 3 Listen attentively In 1932, four automakers, Audi, Horch, DKW and Wanderer partnered to create one automaker giant. The logo of the partnership -- four silver rings-- represented the unbreakable unity amongst the four companies. The origin of the name is somewhat more complicated. Horch Automobil-Werke GmbH was established in 1909, after August Horch stepped out of A. Horch & Cie Motorwagen-Werke AG 3the first Horch company. Horch lost the legal dispute with the first company, over the name. However, a solution to the problem was found: his new company was named after the Latin translation of his name (Horch = audi in Latin, which translates into 8hark 9 in English). Jaguar 3 simple and direct A creation that comes closer to today 9s branding practices. The name and logo are a true expression of the company 9s values: agility, grace, power and sophistication. Rover 3 The bold and the strong The British always had a tradition of travel and exploration and so the name and logo of the company were invented: c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 5 rover, a vehicle used in exploring the terrain of a planet, supported by the Viking 9s boat in the background, as a symbol of boldness, strength and quest. Volvo 3 re-ROLL-volution In Latin, volvo means cto roll, d most likely a strong reminder of what a car is supposed to do. Yes, a car is supposed to roll and not cnot go, d like the infamous Chevy Nova. Volvo borrowed its logo from the generally accepted symbol of steel 3 a clear statement of Sweden 9s dominance in the steel industry. Mitsubishi 3 Diamonds are forever Yataro Iwasaki started his own shipping company in 1870 under the name of Tsukumo Shokai. The logo was inspired by the propeller of a ship: a three-diamond shaped propeller. The name was changed to Mitsubishi Shokai in 1874. The company 9s emblem was the source of inspiration for this name, which means cthree diamonds. d Mercedes 3 Graceful star Mercedes was registered as a trademark on June 23, 1902, named after Emil Jellinek 9s daughter. He was an enthusiastic businessman who got early involved with car racing and promotion. Mercedes is a Spanish name meaning cgrace. d Following up to a successful trade name, the logo was born: initiated by the company founder 9s sons, the three-pointed stars represent Mercedes 9 ambition of universal motorization con land, on water and in the air. d Lexus 3 Simply luxurious Lexus, the latest and surely most luxurious child of Toyota, was established in 1983. Both name and logo were conceived with one intention: to clearly communicate luxury and superior quality. Mazda 3 Lord of light Created by Ray Yousimara, the silver wings of the logo symbolize Mazda 9s creativity, speed, flexibility and c. Interbrand 2002 www.interbrand.com 6 aesthetics. The company was named after Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastran lord of light, creator of the universe, according to the Mazdaznan faith. The name is also close to Matsuda, the founder of the company. Ya n n is Ka vou n is is Associate Director, Naming & Verbal Identity at Interbrand. You can reach him at: yannis.kavounis@interbrand.com

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