Brands
Kia goes Indian with identity revamp, new logo & brand slogan
MUMBAI: Carmaker Kia has dropped the ‘Motors’ from its name to unveil a fresh brand identity and positioning as Kia India, and a new slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’. The rebranding aims to shine a light on its transition from an automaker to a provider of advanced and eco-friendly mobility solutions.
The South Korean automobile manufacturer debuted in India in 2019 and has captured a fair share of the market – within 22 months of its launch, it has sold over 2.5 lakh vehicles here to become one of top five car brands in the country in FY21.
As part of the image makeover, the versatile compact SUV Seltos and the subcompact crossover SUV Sonet will be launched in the Indian market in the first week of May 2021. During the brand showcase Kia India MD & CEO Kookhyun Shim unveiled the refreshed Seltos with the new Kia logo.
The switchover to Kia India was a natural progression for the brand, which is going big to make its presence felt in the country. It has already set up a manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh, which boasts an annual production capacity of three lakh units.
In the Indian context, the brand slogan “Movement that inspires” represents Kia’s ambitious plans for leading the future mobility revolution in the country with premium products equipped with unique design and segment-first features, advanced digitised services complemented by one of the largest networks by any new entrant brand in the country. In line with the change, Kia India also intends to attain full capacity utilisation of its state-of-art Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh facility in a move to facilitate faster production and delivery of its vehicles.
The new brand slogan is at the heart of Kia’s new brand purpose of inspiring consumers through products, services, and their experiences with the brand. It emphasises that movement is at the genesis of human development, the company revealed. It enables people to see new places, to meet new people, and to have new experiences. This connection is the essence of Kia’s new brand slogan, to enable human progress by providing innovative in-car spaces, exciting new products, and meaningful, convenient services that inspire customers and free up time for the activities that they enjoy the most.
The new logo of Kia is a symbol of the new brand slogan and values it promises to offer customers through future products, services, and the experiences these enable. 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 to the customers, said the company.
Kia India managing director and CEO Kookhyun Shim said, “This is a proud and historic moment for us as India becomes the first country to transition to the new brand identity after our headquarters in South Korea. Our decision to increase the production capacity stems from our deep customer understanding where a faster delivery of our products can enhance their buying experience tremendously. We are confident that this transformation will accelerate our growth by not only strengthening our premium positioning in the market but also making us one of the most aspirational brands for consumers.”
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
