This is the new slogan for a new Volkswagen advertising campaign which will roll all over the Middle East in the next few weeks to replace the old slogan — “Das Auto” — which was long associated with the company.
Following the emission scandal which cost the company a lot of credibility and trust, the new campaign focuses on relationships with the customers rather than new technology.
The idea is to show a family growing up through generations with a VW car always there along the way.
The campaign will start in Germany and Europe this month and then roll to other markets in coming weeks.
The campaign coincides with the biggest recall in Europe of 8.5 million diesel cars that need adjustment of its emission in order to comply with EU regulations.
The company is also embroiled in discrepancy of not giving compensation to non-US customers for their pollution-emitting cars. Its output has declined by two percent last year and it has lost its number one position in the world to Toyota.
VW is an important company to the world.
Many sovereign and pension funds are invested in the company’s shares and any upheaval in its value is likely to harm millions of innocent savers.
The company has a momentous task to regain credibility and resume growth. VW is yet to resolve EU demands to consider compensation for VW drivers in a way comparable with the scheme in the US, where the carmaker has promised a goodwill package worth $1,000 for each owner.
The uncertainty of the financial impact of compensation has sent the VW share price down by 26 percent so far.
It is hoped that the new slogan of “Then, now and always” would appeal to the emotions of the buyers so that they would cherish their memories and come back for more VW cars.
But, a lot of work is also needed in addition to the emotional appeal.
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Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.
Email: [email protected]
Then, now … always
Then, now … always
