I'm a big believer that brands are about what you do in the world, not what you say you do. This often leads me to say things like "Subaru is the new Saab", or "Pontiac is the new BMW". I heard a lot of agreement on the former but was virtually tarred and feathered for the latter. But I stand by my judgments of those brands, because they really are delivering compelling experiences in a way that they didn't before, and arguably better than their vaunted competitors. When organizations focus on making really good stuff, then it's relatively easy to talk about that truth and have it stick in the world.
Truth is much stickier than myth.
So here I go again: the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is the new Mustang. It pairs a sophisticated powertrain with a modern design approach to suspension (read: no live axle out back), and wraps it all up with some provocative styling. It's a great example of an automaker really nailing it in terms of visceral, behavioral, and reflective design. The reflective (designing meaning) part of that triad is being played out this weekend with the debut of this massively gnarly commercial during the Superbowl:
That's truly one epic lap, and a big leap forward for Hyundai. The Genesis is the new Mustang.
I saw the new ads and they were quite good. I didn't make me want to go and buy one...test drive it sure...but then again, I wasn't planning on buying a mustang either. I think you are right though, the Genesis looks like it could be the new mustang.
Posted by: Travis Dahle | 02 February 2009 at 05:43 AM