BMW Design: An Analysis of ‘Joy’ Part 2

There is a lack of research published on the matter of BMW moving from utilising the strap line ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ to ‘Joy is BMW’. This lack of research is surprising given that BMW, a highly prestigious and well-established premium brand, had, prior to 2008, been famously used the former global marketing strategy for over 30 years. Building on the my article “An Analysis of Joy”, this article examines further contemporary advertising material as well as contemporary published interviews with BMW executives in order to builds on the discussion in part one. It builds on research from the influential brand strategists Wally Olins, as well as Hamish Pringle & Peter Field, to suggest that for BMW, the adoption of ‘Joy’ may also be a reaction to the sustainability agenda and an attempt to help ‘future-proof’ the marque.