BMW has used the tagline "Ultimate Driving Machine" for 31 years. During that time its sales in the U.S. have gone from 15,007 units in 1974 the year before the ad slogan began to 266,200 units in 2005. While producing outstanding automobiles during that time may have something to do with the brand's success, no doubt the tagline is considered one of the best in the automotive biz (See Poll Results: Best Tagline Ever - Battle Royale). Regardless, BMW is dropping the successful phrase and replacing it with "A Company of Ideas". We're of the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it camp, and Advertising Age has penned a nice article detailing why corporate culture often likes to change a winning slogan. AdAge also lists some of the monumental failures that have resulted. Hopefully we're wrong and BMW sales won't suffer from the new slogan, but we doubt the public will be able to think of Bimmers as anything but Ultimate Driving Machines for a very long time.
[Source: Advertising Age]
Early Look: £1million Aston Martin One-77
Andrea Pininfarina killed in motorcycle accident
BMW owner tapes black car to white
Nissan confirms G37 Sedan, G37 Convertible and G37x Coupe
2009 Honda Ridgeline introduced early to internet
First Drive: HUMMER H3T
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy![In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG [w/VIDEO]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/amg-s63-1280-11_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG [w/VIDEO]
Project Track Slut Update: Prepping for the big 
Second Drive: Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Michael Karesh @ Aug 7th 2006 9:09PM
Yet another aspect of their desire to broaden their appeal. They want to be a car for anyone who likes "ideas," not just drivers.
Idiots.
If you want to appeal to more people, time for another brand. Don't dilute the existing brand. Jaguar might be for sale...
Jay @ Aug 7th 2006 9:20PM
I think this is an absolute terrible idea. BMW is one of the few manufacturers left that seems focused on building excellent vehicles, and not just soulless appliances designed help the company's finance arm make money. "Ultimate Driving Machines" come from someplace special, someplace where people are committed to building some of the best cars on Earth and are completely unapologetic about doing so. "A Company of Ideas" sounds borne out of the same total weaksauce crap that companies trying to hide their shortcomings think up, pulled out of the same trash bin that the ever-increasing lexicon of corporate doublespeak comes from. "A Company of Ideas" doesn't make me think BMW. It's generic and wussified. Anyone from FedEx Kinko's to ExxonMobil to General Electric to Swatch could have that slogan. It's not anything special and not worthy of BMW.
Jay @ Aug 7th 2006 9:21PM
>From the article: "A company of ideas? Sounds more
>like General Electric than BMW."
Ha! I hadn't even read the article before I said in my previous post that it sound like a GE slogan. This ain't a good sign.
bgdc @ Aug 7th 2006 9:22PM
Wow, changing this ranks right up there with the now-forgotten idea of dumping the 3 series model designator for the two door coupes -this includes the M3 name - in favor of calling them 4 series cars. Thankfully, someone convinced the idiots at BMW that they had too much brand identity tied up in the 3 series name to limit it to only sedans.
t @ Aug 7th 2006 9:25PM
WHAT THE F***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
I can forgive you for the Banglefied designs but don't drop this tagline! This is the most uber-retarded decision yet for BMW!
Freddy @ Aug 7th 2006 9:31PM
Considering their one big corporate idea of late has been to add complexity (iDrive, active steering, flame surfacing), maybe they should be spitballing fewer ideas and stick to basics. Scalpels please, not sledgehammers.
SOhp101 @ Aug 7th 2006 9:31PM
Wow. That is a retarded new tagline... something that you'd hear GM use.
akatsuki @ Aug 7th 2006 9:31PM
They haven't been the ultimate driving machine for a long time as their cars continually bloat, add electronic distractions. They have definitely been graduall taking on the attributes of boat-like Lexus.
No question that Porsche should come out with a 5-series beater built on the Cayman platform. That would be a car to contend with!
Carlos @ Aug 7th 2006 9:34PM
I'm not surprised. And maybe it makes sense. Most of the people who want a BMW these days aren't really into driving.
I bet those new television ads have been well received. And they're completely corporate, which must match the people actually buying up BMWs (and it certainly seems that way around here). The company must've felt that all the emphasis on driving was intimidating people who just want to look good.
Very sad, and potentially ruinous in the long term, but BMW's marketers have indeed said that they want to appeal to everyone.
Max @ Aug 7th 2006 9:36PM
Did BMW just hire someone from Ford's marketing department?
BMW has one of the most recognizable slogans in the industry...and one that embodied the spirit of every car they build. Company's would kill for the kind of recognition BMW has with that slogan.
Lee @ Aug 7th 2006 9:41PM
Why is BMW trying so hard to suck?
Armen @ Aug 7th 2006 9:43PM
This is one of the stupidest, silliest decisions to ever come from corporate marketing ninnies. BMW and "The Ultimate Driving Machine" are one and the same in the minds of almost everyone.
Where do they gain value by throwing away such tremendous brand recognition and symbolism with some new-agey marketing BS, "A Company of Ideas".
Apple and Google, those darn innovative trendy guys, are great companies but that doesn't mean everyone needs to be them. Stick to what you do well rather than what the new bandwagon is. This decision is very discouraging as far as the abilities of the company's leadership is concerned.
Stéphane Dumas @ Aug 7th 2006 9:52PM
I guess BMW wants to put some sort of fresh blood. However, it could be the moment when BMW will "Jump the Shark" like various tv shows or like when the rock band KISS dropped their make-up faces http://www.jumptheshark.com
Zo @ Aug 7th 2006 10:24PM
Honestly, I hope their sales tank and they do so for consecutive quarters. And hopefully it happens quickly, a quick demis is easy to see and quick to catch the falling knife at the top rather than the bottom. This way they can fire the new executive vice president of operations at BMW of North America and the new advertising agency. These people have got to go! Then they need to remember their roots and how they got to the top. In 1974 when BMW was about to close its doors the "Ultimate Driving machine" and its 2002 saved their ass. They were company at the bottom trying to make it to the top. With this change they head of this mess thinks they are #1 and nobody can push them off their purch -- it is when you stop trying to be #1 that you are the most vulnerable -- I can see the competitors jumping all over this to change the words in peoples minds -- today when people say BMW you think "Ultimate" -- it will be easy to replace "BMW" with brand XXX now that their guard is down.
Ok, how many people want to say I drive the "Utlimate Driving Machine" vs "A Company of Ideas" car? Yeah, sounds real cool -- not!
I will HATE to see what other stupid changes these people have in store for the brand.
Dave @ Aug 7th 2006 10:40PM
This has to be a joke.
Their current slogan is one of the best known and most envied in the industry. The new slogan will be noticed and commented on by the mainstream press, but it is a terrible mistake and muddles their brand image. BMW risks alienating their core audience that sees their product line as unique, desirable, and driver-oriented, not everthing to everyone.
How much would Infiniti pay to pick up the "Ultimate Driving Machine" tag line?
I predict after an unfavorable change in brand perception, and a different management regime, the "Ultimate Driving Machine" will return.
P to the C @ Aug 7th 2006 10:43PM
"A company of ideas"? What a bland and meaningless slogan. This is just another example of how you don't have to be that smart to be a corp exec. This is one of those 'ideas' they'll be studying in B school in 2016, trying to figure out how a successful company like BMW could make such a obviously stupid decision.
David @ Aug 7th 2006 10:53PM
Thank you Chris Bangle for killing yet another great car company.
The euthanization of the brand image is almost complete...
ZoomZoomin' @ Aug 7th 2006 11:03PM
WTF...no, seriously, WTF?
BMW already sort of ticked me off last year, but now this is really making me think they've gone insane.
Taking one of the best and most recognized (and remarkably valid) company slogans and flushing it. The magnitude of such stupidity is immeasurable.
"Our slogan focuses too much on how well our vehicles drive/perform and everyone remembers it. How about we water down our image a bit?"
What's next, Ask Dr Bangle?
aaron @ Aug 7th 2006 11:07PM
hey, david. while i absolutely despise the idea of BMW being a "company of ideas" i do not see why you bring out chris bangle here. absolutely unrelated and unthoughtful. are you saying chris is in charge of US marketing as well???? you flat out make me laugh!! how ignorant and dumb can you be?
Anthony94114 @ Aug 7th 2006 11:07PM
BMW didn't reach success with a line like 'formerly known as the ultimate driving machine -now we just have some ideas.' Utterly asinine.
It's like saying we used to be 'ultimate' but now we just think about being that way. Duh. "A company of ideas' sounds like a mercilessly dull board meeting.
I have an idea for them: Stop wasting time on new slogans and sell cars with knobs (instead of iCrash/drive) and put some decent (non-runflat) tires on their cars..