Joy is BMW.

[SCOTT27]

BMW Shifts Its Advertising Focus - WSJ.com

With Americans tightening their belts, BMW AG is parking "the ultimate driving machine" in the garage, at least for a while.

The auto maker for years has promoted the power and performance of its cars using that slogan, one of the longest-running and most well-known in the auto industry.

But now the company is switching gears. On Friday, it was launching an advertising campaign that focuses on the joy the company says comes from owning its vehicles and suggests BMWs are safe for mothers and children. One print ad uses the tagline "Joy is Maternal"—a departure from past promotions that touted horsepower, handling and acceleration.

In another big change, the campaign features photos of real BMW owners more than shots of its vehicles. In the past, images of BMW vehicles dominated its ads. People—and even celebrity pitchmen—were shunned to keep the focus on the car. The new "Joy" campaign "is a big departure for us," said Jack Pitney, vice president of marketing for BMW North America. "We hope to really add some humanity to our brand" and show the diversity of its buyers, he said.

JOY IS BMW

 

[klier]

BMW Shifts Its Advertising Focus - WSJ.com

JOY IS BMW

I am starting to dislike that slogan. The original is a classic!

 

[Mr Robert]

Joy was BMW.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

On Friday, it was launching an advertising campaign that focuses on the joy the company says comes from owning its vehicles and suggests BMWs are safe for mothers and children. One print ad uses the tagline "Joy is Maternal"—a departure from past promotions that touted horsepower, handling and acceleration.

I am lost for words. So BMW is turning into Volvo? Who the hell is making these decisions?

 

[EnI]

I am starting to dislike that slogan. The original is a classic!

"Joy is BMW." is just a slogan for a current campaign. Guys, get used to it - the brand slogan is not always used as a main slogan of a specific campaign. Campaigns usually do have different slogans. While the brand slogan stays intact yet it's pushed into second position. You can still see the brand slogan at the end of the every video below the BMW logo, or it's still printed in the printed ad in one of the corners -also below the logo.

 

[rollo]

Understood that it isn't aimed at those who visit this site EnI, I just can't stand the campaign though.

Hopefully they pivot back soon to their roots.

 

[klier]

On Friday, it was launching an advertising campaign that focuses on the joy the company says comes from owning its vehicles and suggests BMWs are safe for mothers and children. One print ad uses the tagline "Joy is Maternal"—a departure from past promotions that touted horsepower, handling and acceleration.

I am lost for words. So BMW is turning into Volvo? Who the hell is making these decisions?

Oh crap, I didn't think of thaqt one yet....it looks like it marketing wise at least. Horrible. People instead of cars

 

[SCOTT27]

What about this? This is part of the JOY IS BMW campaign too.
YouTube - BMW: Joy is Futureproof.

 

[EnI]

^

BMW North America

 

[martinbo]

BMW: Joy just isn't what it used to be.

Long live the E92 M3 Competition Package. The end of the line as we know it.

 

[rollo]

^

BMW North America

"Joy is why we built this Company", somebody get me a vomit bag.

 

[EnI]

Joy is what addresses larger crow. Ultimate Driving Machine does not. Simple as that. BMW want to address buyers who does not consider BMW usually ...

Aficionados are just to intolerant regarding new products & campaigns. There are still hard core cars in BMW model line - but are more a niche cars. Since the customer population for such cars is going niche. Sure decades ago that was a mainstream, today it's not.

Not all cars & not all campaigns are meant to target aficionados all the time. Don't be greedy & needy!

 

[rollo]

I am fine with BMW trying to broaden their market and appeal, but when the marketeers start claiming that joy is why they built the Company.......give me a break.

 

[EnI]

They did. Joy (Freude) of engineering, joy of making money, joy of selling product, joy of ...

Sure advertising is always surrealistic, exaggerating, manipulative, cheesy etc ... It's a part of it.

 

[Giannis]

I miss this type of ads:

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The problem is this: BMW is trying to address a much bigger target group with those advertisments. They are targeting even more potential buyers than they did in the past. That broader public, means that the product must address broader needs. Since BMW has grown so much the last years, they cannot rely only on the driving enthusiasts as potential customers. They are not enough. Therefor they target more and more people, with preferences much different and much "softer" than the average BMW customer of the past.

BMW has moved from the "ultimate driving experience" to the "joy of owning a BMW". These are two completely different things. In the not-so-distant past, all people cared for (and BMW advertised) was the joy comming from driving their products. The sporty character of the previous generation BMW cars that was what differentated them from the rest of the cars.

Now, BMW is communicating the broader character of their products. A descent drive, yet not as great as before, the priviledge of owning a car with the roundel on the hood, a cosy and nice interior, the comfortability over everyday use, the design, the after sales service, the history. So, the driving joy is not enough to sell the car.

In the past, BMW and MB had a very different clientele, now they are attacking each other. The 5er is stepping into E-Class territory with its comfort-mode, while still in the typical BMW territory with the sport + mode.

Sadly (or maybe not), BMW now targets much more people, with means different tastes and needs, that need to be satisfied with only one product in each segment. So they become what many like to call "soft".

I just said that it may not be sad that BMWs are becoming soft. For people like me, that come from boring whale-like bloaty (comfort oriented) cars, the switch to a BMW is more easy than before. Going from a Volvo to a E36 was like going from heaven to hell, but it's not the same going from a Volvo to a E90 or a F10.

On the other hand, going from a E36 to a E46 and then to the E90 could be a nightmare for people who enjoy the good old BMWs. Sad for them...



Another problem that I see with this "Joy is BMW" slogan is that it cannot be translated properly into many languages, like greek. It was fine when they translated the "Principle of Joy/ Prinzip Freude", but the Joy is BMW is still in English here. And the new crowd of potential BMW customers like my father, those that are comming from softer cars, whose needs can be addressed by the latest generation BMW cars, have a hard time getting it. The "Ultimate Driving Machine" was as clear as a slogan can get, but the "Joy is BMW" is very confusing and generic.

 

[SCOTT27]

In terms of input to sales and interest , JOY has been very effective for BMW it has also brought new customers to the BMW Brand with the X1 and 5er Gran Turismo being the main benefactors.

 

[Sunny]

I miss this type of ads:



The problem is this: BMW is trying to address a much bigger target group with those advertisments.

I think the problem is, before engineers and enthusiasts used to run the company, now bunch if metro sexual designers and marketing types run the company. Sad.

 

[SCOTT27]

I am not Metrosexual and I do not think the BMW Board of Directors are either.

JOY has always been with BMW especially in Germany and in our previous and current 1er Sporthatch , which if you pardon the pun is a joy to drive and I do not know if you read about the reliability of the 1er in the recent AutoBild long term test but that has brought customers to the 1er especially because they are in the market for a long term car thanks to the effect of the economic crisis as of course there is no indication of what is yet around the corner for certain markets thanks to the financial imcompetence of their governements.

One interesting aspect of Chris Bangle's legacy at BMW was his suggestion of the integration of design and marketing to feed off each others creativity. JOY was borne form this , BMW were looking for something similar to MINI - MINI is a stand alone brand and has it's own interpretation of JOY. BMW and it's terms "Sheer Driving Pleasure" and "The Ultimate Driving Machine" to signify what it is like to drive the car , but we have never before stated "how you feel by driving a BMW?"
And how do people feel when driving a BMW? The car could be a basic 116d effortless to drive or it could be a high performance M3 Coupe both similar as excellent driving cars but from different levels of the spectrum.

It's down to how do you feel when you get behind the wheel of your car? Do you have any form of reaction that makes you smile , feel great are you endorphins engaged? that's what JOY is about and we never really communicated that before. The usual marketing terms will continue but they will be joined by the term JOY to describe the feeling YOU get when you are behind the wheel of "The Ultimate Driving Machine".

 

[EnI]

I think the problem is, before engineers and enthusiasts used to run the company, now bunch if metro sexual designers and marketing types run the company. Sad.

And they run it better & sell more cars. How's that? Since customers are more superficial as well. Sad but true. Today people appreciate the looks, and the stories - not interested in engineering & tech behind.

Guys, times are changing. As I said many times: some of you sound like old grumpy granpas: always bitching about novelties & things that do change - constantly lusting for "good old times".

 

[Sunny]

I am not Metrosexual and I do not think the BMW Board of Directors are either.

I did not mean it as a personal attack. But a good example is head of M, before it was headed by Dr Gerhard Richter, en engineer and a very accomplished one. And now Kay Segler, some marketing dude who had his first track driving class after he took over.

One interesting aspect of Chris Bangle's legacy at BMW was his suggestion of the integration of design and marketing to feed off each others creativity. JOY was borne form this , BMW were looking for something similar to MINI - MINI is a stand alone brand and has it's own interpretation of JOY. BMW and it's terms "Sheer Driving Pleasure" and "The Ultimate Driving Machine" to signify what it is like to drive the car , but we have never before stated "how you feel by driving a BMW?"

Good if it is a good car and bad if it is a bad car. Do you really need a campaign to answer that simple question. Only some marketing dudes could come up with such a superficial message. And that is exactly what I am talking about when I say marketing guys have taken over.

And they run it better & sell more cars. How's that?

Aren't you forgetting the simple fact that the company is where it is cause of the enthusiasts who ran it before this?

Since customers are more superficial as well. Sad but true. Today people appreciate the looks, and the stories - not interested in engineering & tech behind.

I completely agree with that part.

Guys, times are changing. As I said many times: some of you sound like old grumpy granpas: always bitching about novelties & things that do change - constantly lusting for "good old times".

I am hardly that. I love change. I have no problem with new tech and have always defended it here. What I don't like is this campaign showing cars wafting down a mountain road.