Infiniti Aims to Reinvent Brand Image, Dealerships, Even… Smell?
Where exactly is Infiniti going? We’re not really sure. The brand has a serious product and image problem, and sales are suffering big time as a result. Heck, some analysts question whether it even has a future.
Today, Infiniti announced a multi-pronged plan to reinvent the company by focusing on what it calls “thoughtful hospitality.” Rather than simply selling cars, it wants to create a “Total Ownership Experience.”
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That starts with a new retail architecture led by the Infiniti global design team based in Japan. A clean, minimalist exterior will blend with an open, light-filled interior, drawing inspiration from Japanese design philosophies such as “Ma.” The idea is to provide a truly immersive experience and allow customers to connect and interact with the brand more easily.
The first of these reimagined dealerships will pop up in the U.S., Mexico and Middle East as early as this summer. Additional locations within the Americas and Middle East are scheduled to be refreshed later this year, while others will be updated over time.
New Logo, New Sound, New Smell
Infiniti is using this opportunity to redesign its corporate logo for the third time, still drawing inspiration from the infinite road to the horizon. The change is extremely subtle, mind you, especially in 2D format. However, a new three-dimensional Infiniti emblem will adorn production vehicles in the future, expressing motion and power. It will even have an illuminated inner contour.
Next up, in accordance with its desire to create a more pleasant and more memorable customer experience, a multisensory signature will be implemented. On one hand, a master track titled "Moment of Tranquility" will serve as the foundation for a new sound logo (sonic), as well as for use at future brand activations and in-car experiences. It marries the voice of a female humming with traditional Japanese instruments including a taiko drum and furin wind chime.
Finally, a new scent evoking a Japanese forest, with hints of Hinoki wood (Japanese cypress), sugi (Japanese cedar) and yuzu (Japanese citrus) will be used at brand events, as well as for optional diffusion within retail showrooms. There is no plan at the moment to offer the scent in the company’s vehicles.
Will all of these efforts pay off and jumpstart Infiniti? We’ll just have to wait and see.
