The Star always shines from above

Mercedes-Benz is giving itself a new look, separating its iconic three-pointed star logo from it's name. This is the first major change Mercedes has made to its brand identity in 18 years, perhaps reflecting the company's recent separation from Chrysler.

According to Marketing Daily article, Mercedes Separates Star From Brand Name, Loses Dimension, by Karl Greenberg, the new look will begin in Europe with the advertising of the 2008 C-Class sedan and Estate Wagon and will reach the U.S. next year.

The new star logo will appear in advertising as well as the company's general corporate communications, always positioned atop creative executions and communications, with the Mercedes-Benz name on the bottom. The company feels that the change reflects a "more sharply focused brand positioning," conveying the new corporate mantra, "The Star always shines from above."

Mercedes is also making a change to their global advertising altogether, with a focus on architecture, people and landscapes. In a company release, Mercedes says their new creative template will feature unusual perspectives and lighting, utilizing focal depth and unfocused images. The inventive designs will appear in upcoming European-market ads for the C-Class. One ad, for the C-Class Estate Wagon, sets the vehicle in an Aegean landscape, on what Greenberg said looks to be the set of a Greek dramatic tragedy, complete with chorus.

In addition to logo and advertising changes, the company is also making changes to their retail strategy, including a new "midnight blue" color scheme for dealerships. Designs were mostly developed in-house along with help from agency Claus Koch Identity Gmb.

The company stresses that this change has nothing to do with their move from Daimler Chrysler, but a move to refresh and sharpen the brand profile. Donna Boland, spokesperson at the company's U.S. arm says the move is necessary "when you have an iconic brand that is among the top ten most recognized brands in the world."

Separating the logo from the text makes sense given Mercedes' universal recognition, as it is the star that has the strongest emotional connection with consumers of the brand. If it is that image that pulls people in then it should be the first thing people see when they encounter the Mercedes-Benz company. It seems strange that the company has stressed this move as having nothing to do with their separation from Chrysler; it seems to be rather timed, as the company only left a few months ago.

According to the company, the new brand identity of Mercedes-Benz revives its market presence, combining tradition with a future-oriented approach. Mercedes has always used a star to reflect their brand identity but now will be featuring it even more prominently, where it is more visible to customers.

Whatever the reasons, it's never a bad idea for a universally recognized company to give consumers something new to look at. Their new logo is still just as recognizable and goes right along with Mercedes-Benz's image, so I doubt any confusion will arise. There are enough car commercials out there that all look the same so if Mercedes has a new idea then I am excited to see it.

Information from the article came from this site.