February 26, 2010
Hummer Car, Brand Naming Finally Heading for the Scrap Heap
I'm really trying to feel nostalgic about the demise of the Hummer brand name, but I'm just not getting anywhere with it.
This is the car, after all, that had Fortune Magazine asking "What Car Would Satan Drive?"
The smug, name (a shortening of M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Hum-Vee) was irritating, as was the car's obvious target market of people who could care less about aesthetics or damage to the environment. This was, after all, the Terminator's ride of choice, or it was until even Arnie saw them as too ridiculously, lunkheadedly macho.
GM tried to dump it on the Chinese, but thank goodness they dropped the idea, the last thing China (or the world) needs is a popular Chinese gas guzzler.
This has been bad news to the 4 x 4 limo market but really, a stretch Hummer is just adding insult to injury.
Cory Doctorow put it best saying, "This car was like the high-fructose corn syrup of automobiles, something that concentrated everything bad about motoring until it underwent a phase-change and somehow became an object of desire."
Technorati Tags: Brands, Hummer, China, Going green, Names
Posted by William Lozito at 8:20 AM| Comments (0)
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February 18, 2010
Chrysler Sebring Naming to Go, Some Believe Car Should As Well
It is probably just about time for Chrysler to finally do away with the Sebring brand name.
After all, it is attached to what one reviewer believes is the "worst car in the entire world." Despite being named after a racetrack, the car has never lived up to its name, so to speak.
The Sebring has just over a decade of good sales and was once the vehicle of choice for the retired set.
Then things started to go wrong, and now it only sells about 70,000 vehicles a year, compared to Ford's Fusion (138,000) and the Honda Civic (322,000).
Now, the company has announced that it plans on "refreshing" its line up, including spiffing up the car that many in the blogosphere want to see "killed."
The new Sebring will be a "different animal" we are assured, and according to Motor Authority will possibly bear the 200 name and look something like the 200c EV Concept Car.
The new Sebring will be around until 2013 when it is finally put out of its misery.
Technorati Tags: Chrysler, Brand, Sebring, 200, Naming, Auto, Ford Fusion
Posted by William Lozito at 8:52 AM| Comments (0)
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February 12, 2010
Has Toyota Brought Humility to Naming and Branding?
I have been trying to think of an interesting way to deal with what is happening at Toyota and a blog at Touchpoint Insights really helped. The word that we will come away with this month when it comes to branding is "humility."
Toyota's CEO, Akio Toyoda, gave us what looked like a heartfelt apology and this may actually save the brand name.
This year seems to be a time when humility will be back in vogue. Given the state of the world economy, we have much to be humble about.
Humility in advertising seems to be exemplified in many ways, such as Dove's "Real Beauty" ads.
But Toyota here has given a human, apologetic face to its recent problems. And a reminder of just how seriously the Japanese take craftsmanship and how unforgiving they are of failure.
Sure, Toyota might have done this quicker. And yes, they have to offer us more than an apology, but the CEO of this company has literally bowed in contrition to the world media--a full "60 degrees" according to the New York Post . This is an image that really does wonders for me as a car owner.
I can't help but surmise that this will usher in a new "humble" mantra into naming and branding. Goodness knows it's about time.
Technorati Tags: Toyota, Apology, Humility, Bow, CEO
Posted by William Lozito at 9:30 AM| Comments (0)
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December 21, 2009
SAAB Car Naming and Branding Up in the Air
The saga around the SAAB brand name is pretty sad. It looks like the
company is history, the car is history, and perhaps only the name will
remain to be sold to the highest bidder.
The blogosphere is full of bitterness about this, with one engineer commenting 'This is as if a bad guy [GM, current owners of SAAB] watched someone die and then snatched his ID card to sell it.' Ouch.
There are tributes galore about the little car - an offshoot of the airplane industry - while a last ditch effort is made by Dutch luxury car maker Spyker to acquire the name from GM. Right now, GM is "winding down" the brand name.
But all is not lost, sort of. Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings Ltd. (BAIC) has the technology for two SAAB models and might - might -make an offer for the name.
I feel this would be a real coup. The SAAB name has so much equity that if the cars are good enough, people would be prepared to buy them from Chinese sellers. Don't believe me? Just look at Land Rover, which was owned at one point by German automaker BMW and then Ford and now Indian car giant TATA.
Land Rover is to English car making as, well SAAB is to Sweden. Yet buyers keep buying Landys, no matter who builds them.
I would hate to see the SAAB brand name die and do hope that somebody acquires it. Soon. A Chinese SAAB? Well, why not?
Technorati Tags: General Motors, SAAB, BMW, Ford, Tata, Automobile Brand Name
Posted by William Lozito at 9:09 AM| Comments (0)
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December 18, 2009
Bad Car Naming and Branding Alive and Well in 2009
Every year the worst car names are discussed across the Internet and this year has a bumper crop. Amanda Wegerzyn at Cars.com weighs in with a hilarious, brutal post that trashes not only the entire Lincoln lineup ("What's the difference between the MKZ, MKX and MKS? Gimme a second to look it up because I honestly can't remember which is which.") as well as the Toyota Yaris for being "ridiculous and nonsensical."
She also skewers the Subaru B9 Tribeca: "Here we've got a family crossover named after a fashionable neighborhood in lower Manhattan and... a World War II bomber?"
Her lowest blow is saved for the Ford Aspire: "When Ford slapped the Aspire name on the back of this car, they were basically saying: 'Yeah, even our car knows you wish you were driving something cooler.'"
Go Retro takes a longer look back in time, hammering the Dodge Diplomat ("A misguided advertising attempt to make a soccer mom feel like she's royalty or something.") as well as the utterly un-PC MG Midget ("saying that you drive a Midget just sounds weird.")
She also hammers the Ford Probe, as does nearly every other car blogger ("I don't know about you, but anything that sounds like something that would be inserted into any of my bodily orifices during a medical examination or procedure is definitely a turnoff to me.")
Bill Classman reminds us of some classic horrible names, among them the Rolls Royce Mist (in German this means, um, well, read the blog), the Opel Ascona (read the blog) and the ill fated Honda Fitta (ditto).
But the most hilarious post comes from Jalopnik, who looks at some historically awful names (the
1920s era Studebaker Dictator was a pretty bad one), as well as some current bad naming choices, most of which come from Asia.
The "Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard" is pretty awful, as is the "Toyota Estima Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy."
But the "Nissan Homy Super Long" really takes the cake.
Technorati Tags: Lincoln MKZ MKX MKS, Subaru B9 Tribeca, Ford Aspire, Dodge Diplomat, Ford Probe, Rolls Royce Mist, Opel Ascona, Honda Fitta, Studebaker Dictator, Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard, Toyota Estima Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy, Nissan Homy Super Long
Posted by William Lozito at 10:48 AM| Comments (0)
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December 3, 2009
Will Chrysler Replace the Lancia Brand Name in Europe?
So by 2011 Fiat S.p.A may be replacing their Lancia brand name with the Chrysler brand in Europe.
This is a surprise move that may signal the demise of the 103-year-old brand name. It is also further proof of just how serious Fiat is about making Chrysler a global brand name.
Most Americans are unaware of the very popular Lancia name but it has tremendous equity in Europe. However, it may end up that the Lancia name will only be used in a few markets - like in Belgium and Italy, where the brand hails from.
The other option is to sub-brand the Lancia name under Chrysler on top models, but it seems unlikely that Italian buyers will go for that.
Chas Hallet of Autocar.co.uk puts this interesting relationship nicely when he says, "Both are brands with pretensions of grandeur and both have very little impact outside of their home territories."
Still, there is tremendous equity in the Chrysler brand name and a great deal of affection for the Lancia automobiles. This move would give Chrysler an instant presence in Europe.
Interestingly, the one blog has already created photoshopped imaginary cars that migtht grow out of this union.
The final decision comes at the end of 2010, but I think this is ultimately a good move. If Lancia continues to bring out interesting cars, this could really bolster Chrysler's image.
Technorati Tags: Lancia Brand Name, Chrysler Brand Naming, Lancia Branding, Automotive Branding, Car Brand Names, Car Naming, Car Branding
Posted by William Lozito at 9:47 AM| Comments (0)
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November 30, 2009
Alfa Forced to Drop Milano Naming and Branding After Worker Protests
Alfa Romeo has decided to remove the Milano name from its new 147 model just a few days before the Bologna Motor Show.
The reason? Laid off Alfa workers in Milan feel that the company is being hypocritical by naming the car after a city they have left behind after moving to Turin.
Alfa was founded in Milan and was there for 99 years before this cost cutting move took place thanks to Alfa's parent company, Fiat. In fact, the Milano name was once incorporated into the car's badge.
The new name will probably be Giulietta.
This would be the third Alfa to carry that name and according to The Motor Report "Previous Giulietta models include a sedan and coupe built between 1954 and 1965, and a sedan built between 1977 and 1985."
This name was also one of the names that came after Fiat switched back from alphanumeric naming.
I'm thinking this is enough for them to reconsider using alpha numeric naming.
Technorati Tags: Alfa Romeo, Milano Car, Guilietta, Car Brands, Car Names, Car Brand Naming
Posted by William Lozito at 11:43 AM| Comments (0)
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