The new year is often a time for new beginnings, usually taking the form of resolutions, however, Kia’s taken it a step further with the debut of a new logo that represents the company’s commitment to a new corporate strategy.
The South Korean automaker revealed the new logo, as is so often done, on YouTube with two videos showing the new, more abstract looking badge in a variety of ways, including as part of a massive fireworks show celebrating the moment.
Somewhat a surprise, the logo is designed to represent the company’s commitment become a leader in personal mobility through a revamping of its business and products.
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“Kia’s new logo represents the company’s commitment to becoming an icon for change and innovation”, said Ho Sung Song, Kia’s president and CEO. “The automotive industry is experiencing a period of rapid transformation, and Kia is proactively shaping and adapting to these changes. Our new logo represents our desire to inspire customers as their mobility needs evolve, and for our employees to rise to the challenges we face in a fast-changing industry.”
The logo is a symbol of Kia’s new brand purpose and the values it promises to offer customers through future products and services, and the experiences these enable, officials said, adding Kia seals its brand promise by developing the new logo to resemble a handwritten signature.
The rhythmical, unbroken line of the logo conveys Kia’s commitment to bringing moments of inspiration, while its symmetry demonstrates confidence. The rising gestures of the logo embody Kia’s rising ambitions for the brand, and, more importantly, what it offers customers.
(Kia readying first dedicated battery-electric vehicle.)
Kia’s not the only automaker sporting a new logo these days. Stellantis, the new group resulting of the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A., revealed an updated iteration of what it showed when the two sides formally announced the name last year.
The South Korean automaker’s new logo also comes with a new global brand slogan: Movement that inspires. Kia officials will detail specifics about what that entails will be shared Jan. 14 (in the U.S.), also on YouTube.
Those new efforts are part of its “Plan S” long-term business strategy, the company noted. Under Plan S, Kia, among other objectives, has the ambition to take a leading position in the global car market. This is focused on popularizing electric vehicles and introducing a broad range of mobility services, tailored to meet the needs and tastes of individuals and local markets.
The plan sets a global sales target of 2.92 million units this year. The number includes 535,000 units in Korea and 2.39 million units from overseas markets. Kia also seeks to bolster profitability with flexible operations tailored to each region.
(Kia caught testing flagship all-electric Imagine SUV.)
The sales goal is a marked improvement compared with the 2020 global sales figure of 2.61 million units. The number is a decline of 5.9% from the previous year, “amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and difficult circumstances in global markets.”
