The rebirth of the Citroën DS

It's long been the norm within the car industry to design products with a strong lineage to a marques heritage. It is not unusual for brands to reinvent and adapt their unique design DNA for each new age. Over the years with ever increasing restrictions on safety, materials and environmental stipulations, the days of wildly expressive products such as the Citroën DS appear less and less likely. Nevertheless each era continues to be reflected and identified by the car design that defines it. It was no accident that le Corbusier photographed his iconic Purist villas with cars parked outside. He not only knew that they would date much quicker than his strikingly modern buildings, he counted on it.

Often dubbed retrofuturism, many car makers have re-launched cult or nostalgic marques from the past. If you're lucky enough to have some in your archives then the temptation is simply too great. VW and Beetle, BMW and Mini, Fiat and the 500, Ford and it’s ‘Living Legends’ series, which includes the Mustang, Thunderbird and GT40, are all examples of this. Symbolic nameplates have not only brought valuable and emotional baggage to a reborn product, they have enabled makers to charge a premium for it. Done right, retrofuturism can help a brand have more personality and excitement.

The news that Citroën was to re-launch its historic and extraordinary DS was met with a mix of excitement and apprehension. When Citroën revealed its original back in 1955 it was greeted with astonishment as it went all out for 'the new'. It didn't look back. It was uncompromisingly modern with a spirit and optimism that made it into that rare thing; a genuine icon of its age. This time around it’s clear that Citroën has chosen not to follow other car makers in reviving the spirit or design of an original. Instead the brand’s new range of products are simply badged with the eponymous DS marque - no longer 'The Goddess' but now the rather less exciting 'Distinctive Series'. One wonders how it's now going to refer to it's existing lineup?

Despite little or no connection to the past, the new vehicles will no doubt find their own audience. I am however left feeling that Citroën had an opportunity to do what they did back then - to only look forward, and to create something truly pioneering. The world's searching for this today – we need brands and products that will go on to define this age and it's very different set of challenges.

25 February 2009, posted by Martin Brown

Mercy Mercy Me

Created by Berry Gordy in the ‘motor town’ of Detroit, Motown Records is 50 this year. 

As economic hardship hits Detroit’s famous car manufacturing industry, its soul music legacy lives on through Motown – a shining example of a brand that has defined a moment in time and become a blueprint for entertainment businesses around the world.

Motown is not simply a distinctive sound but a unique formula for creating successful artists, defining how to dress, behave and communicate. By giving the artists the tools and the creative impetus, Motown created a style and sound defined by its place and time. Today, Motown would be seen as a house of brands, with artists appearing unique in their own right, yet at the same time having that unmistakable Motown quality.

As a result Motown went on to give birth to a style of music and a way of doing things that have defined a generation and created a host of stars. Artists like Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Lionel Ritchie, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross all came from the Motown stable, becoming individual stars while at the same time contributing to a grander vision.

Motown’s approach has been so successful that it’s evident in many forms of modern media and music brands. Although not as powerful as it once was, Motown’s influence is clear in today’s popular culture, with mass entertainment brands like American Idol being built on the principles Motown laid down in the 50s. 

Motown’s moniker Hitsville USA is testament enough to all that it has achieved.

Happy birthday.     

27 January 2009, posted by David Bruce

Five ways to beat the crunch

Recession is here. This means people are starting to act in three ways. They’re losing confidence – in banks, in big companies, in governments, in their employers, even in themselves. They’re trading down, looking for value. And they’re staying put, playing a waiting game, not venturing into new things. This all sounds like bad news.

But it also creates three huge opportunities for organisations prepared to swim against the tide. First, to be an organisation that builds people’s confidence and wins people’s trust. Second, to be different – to offer something unusual that people will pay a little more for. Third, and most important, to get people out of inertia by inventing something great and new.

All three depend on brand. A big enough brand, totally clear what it stands for, gives an organisation the commitment of its employees and customers, gives it sustainable differentiation, and gives it a platform on which to innovate.

So here are five things to ask of your brand.

1 Are you clear what you stand for? And would your customers agree? if not, now’s a great time to simplify your brand model, strip out  complexity, cut out sub-brands, and be crystal clear. A brand rationalisation could cut costs too.

2 Are you confident? And do your employees share that confidence? To keep the good ones, and keep them upbeat, involve them in building your brand. In particular, involve them in steps 3 to 5 below. Confident employees breed confident customers.

3 Do people trust you? The only way to build trust is to do what you say. Measure the gap between what you say you stand for, and what customers actually experience on the ground. And improve that experience – you’ll get a much better return than just spending on communication.

4 Are you amplifying your difference? Be absolutely clear what makes you special, and why customers will want to pay a little extra for it. By all means offer low-cost variants, but don’t abandon your high ground. Identify the one biggest thing that makes you different, and increase that difference.

5 Are you inventing your way out of recession? Drop 90% of your innovation projects, but keep the 10% that most closely deliver your brand – they’ll deliver the most value. And use your brand to inspire new services, new products, even new businesses that can stimulate demand, wake people up, get them out and spending.

28 October 2008, posted by Robert Jones and Paul Worthington