Behind Buick’s new tagline and design philosophy

Buick, which recently updated its logo and design approach, is continuing its marketing overhaul with a new tagline—“Exceptional by Design.” The slogan, which debuts in a new ad released today, will get a concentrated push during a March Madness campaign, as the General Motors brand looks to sharpen its look as it transitions to an all-electric fleet in the years to come. The changes—which Buick describes as taking a more modern, visual and sensory-focused approach—come as the brand continues to make progress shedding its image as a vehicle mostly for old people. “We have a lot of young people that don’t know our brand, and they’re a blank slate,” Molly Peck, chief marketing officer for global Buick and GMC, said in an interview. “And with that blank slate, they’re open-minded, and they’re considerate,” adding that “it’s our job as marketers to tell them what they can expect from us. And ‘Exceptional by Design’ does just that.” The effort furthers previous attempts to get buyers to take a fresh look at the brand. In 2014, for instance, the brand began its “That’s not a Buick” campaign, which ran for several years. It included ads that directly attacked the brand’s perception problem by depicting people expressing surprise when learning that fashionable cars are actually Buicks. That, however, was not Buick’s official tagline, Peck pointed out, noting that the brand has not used a tagline since 2008, when it last used the “The Craft of Modern Luxury” slogan. “Exceptional by Design,” Peck said, is inspired by “our attention to detail” and “aesthetic philosophy,” adding that “we’re inviting consumers to discover everything that’s new, innovative and above all exceptional in a Buick.” Also read: Top 5 logo changes of 2023 The line debuts in an ad created in-house that prominently features Buick’s Wildcat EV concept car. The vehicle, first shown in mid-2022, previewed the brand’s new design philosophy, which Automotive News described as including a sculptural look, wider stance and more spacious interior. The concept car also features Buick’s new tri-shield logo, which removes the circular feature that used to surround the shields. The 2024 Buick Envision and 2025 Buick Enclave, both due out later this year, will be the next two vehicles to use Buick’s new design. The ad makes references to Buick’s 125-year history, including showing the 1938 Buick Y-Job, considered to be the automotive industry’s first concept car. The audio in the ad is taken from a speech given in 1960 by Alan Watts, a 20th-century scholar and philosopher known for interpreting Eastern philosophies for Western audiences. The speech, called “The Dream of Life,” is influenced by Zen philosophy, according to a Buick representative, who said the dialogue “aligns closely with Buick’s vision for the future of driving and vehicle ownership.” The video will get paid ad support on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. The spot was created by a team led by Sharon Gauci, executive director for Buick and GMC design. The new tagline will be used in a larger campaign from Leo Burnett set to begin in March that will get airtime during March Madness (Buick is an NCAA sponsor). The new ads, Peck said, “will be quite different from what people have seen from Buick in the past.” While previous ads have been “storyline-driven,” the new work “will showcase the beautiful design and features of the vehicle shot in a very beautiful, modern, precise way.” Also read: GM eyes significant agency changes The Envista, a subcompact crossover, was introduced to help the brand lure younger buyers. The nameplate has so far accumulated the highest percentage of customers ages 18 to 35 among all GM brands, according to Buick, which reports that about 70% of Envista buyers are first-time Buick buyers. Buick overall has been a bright spot for GM. While sales for Chevrolet, Cadillac and GM were all down in the fourth quarter, Buick shot up 57%, according to Automotive News. Buick plans to end sales of gasoline-powered vehicles by the end of the decade as it transitions to an all-electric fleet.

Behind Buick’s new tagline and design philosophy

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