Volkswagen has been in full crisis mode since the revelation in September that it was cheating U.S. regulators on diesel emissions. Numerous executives have since departed the beleaguered German automaker, and now the brand’s famous ‘Das Auto’ motto is on the chopping block.
Amidst looming fines, loss of public trust, plummeting sales, reduced resale value, and devalued stock, it would an understatement to say that it’s dark times for Volkswagen’s public image. According to Reuters, it was announced at a recent meeting of 2,000 VW group managers that the ‘Das Auto’ slogan would be replaced with simply ‘Volkswagen.’
Although Volkswagen is saying that the ‘Das Auto’ ads, introduced in 2007, no longer reflect the company’s commitment to initiatives like electrification, there is a much more pressing impetus behind the change. Reuters reports that Volkswagen is trying to show some humility in light of its blatant wrongdoing, and a major rebranding from the snarky and self-assured ‘Das Auto’ era is necessary.
Volkswagen’s prior motto for its diesel engines illustrates just how deep in the hole the brand’s image is being buried. “Like really clean diesel,” seems in hindsight both incorrect and smugly confident, so it makes sense that the company is playing it safe with the new slogan. VW Group communications chief Hans-Gerd Bode told reporters at the meeting that VW “did not, at any point, knowing lie to you…We have always tried to give you the information which corresponded to the latest level of our own knowledge at the time.”
The simple ‘Volkswagen’ will be rolled out worldwide step-by-step. Although ‘Das Auto’ is not officially defunct, we don’t expect to encounter it again any time soon, nor do we think VW will return to ‘Unpimping’ ze auto.
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