Volkswagen Drops 'Das Auto' Slogan Amid Image Overhaul
Volkswagen will retire its 'Das Auto' slogan in response to the fallout from the Dieselgate scandal, opting for a more modest brand presentation from 2016.
Volkswagen will abandon its long-running "Das Auto" slogan as part of a wider effort to repair its brand image following the emissions scandal that broke in 2015. The decision, made towards the end of 2015, reflects the company's attempt to present a more humble face to customers and regulators after the damage caused by Dieselgate.
Introduced in 2007, "Das Auto" was intended to position Volkswagen as the definitive car brand, with the phrase translating simply as "The Car". In the wake of the emissions scandal, however, the slogan drew criticism for sounding arrogant and out of touch, especially as the company faced heavy scrutiny and a sharp decline in sales in key markets such as the US and UK.
According to reports from within Volkswagen, the new head of the brand described "Das Auto" as absolutist and said the company could no longer afford such a slogan. The revised approach will see all global advertising and communications drop the phrase, instead using only the Volkswagen name as the sign-off. This shift is intended to signal a step away from the self-assured tone of previous campaigns towards a more modest and approachable image.
Why Volkswagen is changing its message
The Dieselgate crisis exposed deep vulnerabilities in Volkswagen's reputation, prompting a wholesale review of its communications strategy. The company reportedly gathered around 2,000 senior managers to agree on the change, reflecting both the scale of the response and the urgency to rebuild trust. The marketing team in Wolfsburg now faces the task of updating campaigns worldwide to reflect the new, pared-back branding.
The company had experienced its steepest sales declines in the US and UK, where consumer and regulatory backlash was most intense. The move to drop the slogan is one of several steps Volkswagen is taking to signal a change in attitude and to distance itself from the perception of arrogance that critics said "Das Auto" implied.
What happens next for Volkswagen's branding
From 2016, Volkswagen's marketing materials will simply use the brand name, without any tagline. This approach is intended to reflect the original meaning of Volkswagen as "the people's car" and to reconnect with customers who felt alienated during the crisis. The company will need to overhaul advertising, dealership signage and digital content to remove the old slogan.
The decision marks a clear break from the confident messaging of the past decade. Whether the change will help Volkswagen recover lost ground remains to be seen, but the company is signalling a willingness to listen and adapt in the wake of one of the biggest scandals in its history.
