[RavenAvi]

Reeling from the worldwide "Dieselgate" scandal, Volkswagen is planning a complete image makeover, which will include a new global marketing slogan. That's right - no more "Das Auto"!

The iconic tagline associated with Volkswagen and it's cars was coined by it's erstwhile boss, Martin Winterkorn, back in 2007 and meant "The Car". It had quickly gained popularity worldwide and had powered the car brand for 8 successful years.

The new slogan will be coined keeping the company's new-found humility and a new-formed corporate culture, and will be revealed soon.

A Volkswagen spokesman would not pronounce "Das Auto" dead quite yet, but said it would no longer accompany the famous VW badge in the coming advertising campaign.

"Wherever our logo appears in future, it will be backed by the new brand slogan 'Volkswagen'," the spokesman said. "The slogan will be rolled out in stages across the world."

The new campaign, discussed last week at a closed-door meeting of 2,000 group managers, is VW's latest attempt to regain the initiative in rebuilding its reputation following a sharp drop in sales in some markets, including the United States and Britain.

According to a manager who was there, Volkswagen brand chief Herbert Diess described the Winterkorn-era slogan - which could suggest that VW alone can define the modern motor car - as absolutist.

Such an image of regal arrogance ill fits the reality of VW today: a company facing huge costs from recalling and modifying cars to meet emissions regulations, plus likely regulatory fines and a welter of lawsuits.

Volkswagen needed to show humility, the manager said, and the slogan 'Das Auto' was pretentious. The old slogan also failed to convey VW's technological ambitions in areas such as electrically-powered vehicles, the manager said, requesting anonymity.

Reuters

[The Rationalist]

It's not that easy to come out of this mess just by changing slogans! 'THE CAR' is really 'THE SCAR' now. Volkswagen has no one else to blame for not doing the stitch in time. Now most people would think twice to buy something from their stable, irrespective of brilliant slogans. Once bitten twice shy.

[avira_tk]

Good move, my friend who wasn't a car buff thought Das Auto was the nationwide dealership network for VW, Das as the name we have, nothing to do with German language or engineering.

[libranof1987]

I wonder how many people viewed VW as "an absolutist" just because of "Das Auto" but a good exercise nevertheless.

Given the proportions of the scandal, the amount of clean up necessary is immense. I think this move makes sense just from a re-branding perspective.

OT: Malaysia Airlines has been mulling a massive re-branding exercise as well, since the two disasters in '14.

[deetjohn]

Even though this change was forced due to the emission scandal, its a good move. A blessing in disguise I guess.

I don't think a vast majority outside Germany connected with 'Das Auto'. Its better to leave the emblem alone without any slogan for the time being till they steady the ship.

On a lighter note, maybe they can use 'Das Aufräumen' for the time being.

[ajitstreet]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Even though this change was forced due to the emission scandal, its a good move. A blessing in disguise I guess.

I don't think a vast majority outside Germany connected with 'Das Auto'.

Particularly, in India 'auto' has some special meaning and very few here knows what is 'Das'. They should learn from the Japanese and the Koreans and find some good slogan, in English for English knowing world.

[Joxster]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Reeling from the worldwide "Dieselgate" scandal, Volkswagen is planning a complete image makeover, which will include a new global marketing slogan. That's right - no more "Das Auto"!

The iconic tagline associated with Volkswagen and it's cars was coined by it's erstwhile boss, Martin Winterkorn, back in 2007 and meant "The Car". It had quickly gained popularity worldwide and had powered the car brand for 8 successful years.

The new slogan will be coined keeping the company's new-found humility and a new-formed corporate culture, and will be revealed soon.

I think this would be a good move on VW's part, because they definitely need to be humble about the whole scandal, and get back to their roots of the "People's Car". It would show greater commitment on the company's part, and might help improve their image a little.

On a lighter note, although this is OT, someone forwarded this photo to me on WhatsApp, and I burst out laughing, so wanted to share it on this thread since it is somewhat related