When a CMO joins a new organization, it is reported that more often than not their first initiative is a branding campaign. Just like the countless buyers featured on HGTV, these professionals often want to demonstrate expertise and establish a legacy by “putting their stamp” on the business.
Interestingly GM rolled out a new logo this month after, coincidentally, hiring a new CMO in late 2019. Persuading an established organization to make a branding change was a significant accomplishment. GM hadn’t had a logo update since 1964.
The new logo embraces a softer, rounder, duotone treatment reminiscent of today’s social media icons. (It makes me think of Twitter.) Already there have been many opinions shared about the more contemporary treatment; most of them, not surprisingly, aren’t positive. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you like it. What matters to CMO Deborah Wahl and her team is if the new logo will help them compete with the likes of Tesla and Toyota and sell more electric vehicles (EV).
The gradient blues are supposed to represent zero-emissions and if you look carefully at the underlined lower-case m, you’re supposed to see a plug. If buyers get this – either literally or subliminally – GM hopes it will make them drive into a GM dealership for their next EV purchase. I’m not sure most people will see the plug nor recognize that the blue has changed much leaving us looking forward to the broadcast campaign components of this new branding launch where hopefully Wahl and her team will have more success in conveying their new greener approach to automobiles.
This post is courtesy of MMC Principal Jennifer Koon