VW Drops “Das Auto” Slogan In Quest for More Humble Image

Volkswagen AG is scrapping its 8-year-old “Das Auto” advertising slogan and switching to a more humble “Volkswagen” tagline, Reuters reports.

Sources tell the news service that VW executives, including brand chief Herbert Diess, consider the old slogan—German for “the car”—arrogant and absolutist. A spokesman says rebranding the company as “Volkswagen” aims for a gentler image that also encompasses the company’s broader interest in electric and other new-era vehicles.

VW is struggling to shift from an authoritarian corporate cultural under former Chairman Ferdinand Piech and CEO Martin Winterkorn. The move to a more relaxed and open style has been prompted by multiple scandals involving rigged emission tests for more than 11 million vehicles.

The company has been largely defensive until now in handling the cheating scandals that began to unfold in September, Reuters observes. It says the new ad slogan, which will be rolled out globally in stages, is part of an effort to focus on VW's future.