Aston ATI logo
The other day I was browsing the Brand Republic site and noticed that the ‘Coolbrands Council’, (yeah, apparently there is such a thing) and 2500 voters, had compiled a list of the top ten coolest brands.
I was pleased to see Aston Martin topping the table, closely followed by the i-Phone and Apple themselves. I thought to myself, you know what, they’re right, I can’t think of a cooler brand than Aston Martin. Their chosen product placement also means they have the best celebrity endorsement possible for their target market, James Bond, the man himself. Admittedly I am slightly biased. I don’t have an Aston Martin…yet but I do love their cars, more than any other automobile on the road. Driving a DB9 was one of the most pleasurable experiences of my life, but at what point does the product dictate the element of cool?
This is a far more complex question than you might think. I can’t imagine that in 1915 Aston Martin intended to design ‘cool’ cars. In fact in 1951 when the legendary DB2 was born, the cars were designed to be fast and get results…and they did. I suppose people at the time marvelled at the DB2’s capabilities, what’s important to consider, is that other manufactures made desirable cars, like they do now. It’s not just petrol heads who stand and stare at a Ferrari when it rolls down the Ilkley high street. So we still have the same question. If other people can make cars that are highly desirable, why is Aston Martin so cool?!
In 1964, the Aston Martin DB5 appeared in the Bond film Goldfinger. That sentence conjures images that are nothing short of iconic, so was this the start of cool for Aston Martin? It would be interesting to know if Aston Martin was still cool when Mr Bond swapped to other car manufactures. I don’t know how you would even begin to find that out…see I told you this is complex.
I’m pretty sure Aston Martin makes the best looking cars around, although I do know people who foolishly disagree with me. I would put my house on it that they wouldn’t be the coolest brand if their cars didn’t look so damn good. The marketing bods seem to have stuck with the “Power, Beauty, Soul,” tag, but that’s not what makes an Aston cool. The Italians label all their cars with soul, beauty and passion and they make pretty cars, but why are they not as cool?
Ok this is a large debate, so feel free to stick all your opinions in the comments section. Here’s where I stand on this one. Brand managers and marketers alike have a much easier job with a good product. Aston Martin makes naturally very cool products…sports cars. The cars themselves make it easier to like Aston Martin in the first place. Their stunning looks help win over most people, but some people need more reassurance. The contrast of heritage and history, with cutting edge design is a very cool concept. James Bond has undoubtedly acted as a catalyst over the years to boost Aston Martins brand image and the cars take part of bonds image to create brand personality. Add all this together and you have a brand that connects very strongly with consumer emotion. The synergy between product and brand is perfection and that is why, I think, Aston Martin is the coolest brand today.
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