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Mini unveils new, stripped down logo

Quirky British marque Mini is going with a ... less-than-quirky logo redesign, unveiling a "flat design" that it says is intended to focus on the essentials. It replaces the three-dimensional white-on-black logo that first appeared in 2000. Gone are the three-dimensional style, shading, gray tones and gray-on-black name of the previous version in favor of a stark contrast of black lines and the all-caps Mini name against a white background. It keeps the wings, which first featured on the iconic cars in the early 1960s, according to the Logos History blog, which has a comprehensive collection of logos stretching back to the brand's origins in 1959 under the British Motor Corp. and the Austin and Morris brand names. It also bears a visual similarity to the logo introduced during the mid-'90s. We're not saying the new logo was designed on an old PC using MS Paint, but it looks like it could've been. Parent BMW Group says the new logo combines stylistic elements from the early phases of the classic Mini "with a future-oriented appearance that focuses on the essentials" and a two-dimensional look "allowing universal application." (Meaning, cheaper to produce?) It'll appear on all new Mini models starting in March on the bonnet, the rear, at the center of the steering wheel and on the remote control.Related Video: Image Credit: BMW Group Design/Style MINI Coupe Sedan branding logo bmw group

Street Glory Mappers turning cars into dynamic billboards like this

A French marketing firm with the impenetrable name of Street Glory Mappers is literally turning cars into billboards. Of course, we've all seen vehicles painted up for promotional use, but this company is taking that concept even further by including video.
Street Glory Mappers equips the vehicles with a large video screen behind the windshield to play whatever is being advertised. According to the company's promo, it may even be possibly to sync up the vehicle's lights with the show, as well. The firm claims that it's a great form of temporary, mobile marketing because the car can arrive at the location, play the video and then go away when the prospective audience leaves.
While it doesn't necessarily seem any more effective than other forms of advertising, the firm's idea is at least unobtrusive. After all, it's easier to ignore a stationary car than a person handing out flyers. However, vehicle flashing its lights and playing video could certainly distract other drivers.

BMW warns profits will fall, plans $13.6 billion in cost-cutting

FRANKFURT, Germany — BMW said Wednesday that profits in 2019 will be "well below" last year's, and it will cut 12 billion euros ($13.6 billion) in costs by the end of 2022 to offset spending on new technology. The company said profits would be eroded by higher raw materials prices, the costs of compliance with tougher emissions requirements and unfavorable shifts in currency exchange rates. The Munich-based automaker also faces increased uncertainty due to international trade conflicts that could lead to higher tariffs. "Depending on how conditions develop, our guidance may be subject to additional risks; in particular, the risk of a no-deal Brexit and ongoing developments in international trade policy," said Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter. The company forecast a profit margin of 6 to 8 percent for its automotive business, short of the long-term strategic target of 8 to 10 percent, which it said still "remains the ambition" for the company if given "a stable business environment." BMW said it had no plans for layoffs even as it outlined cost saving measures that include dropping half of its engine variants as it seeks to reduce product complexity. The BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands are to get a single sales division. Peter said that given the headwinds to earnings, "we began to introduce countermeasures at an early stage and have taken a number of far-reaching decisions." The company said the measures were needed "to offset the ongoing high level of upfront expenditure required to embrace the mobility of the future." Automakers around the world have faced heavy up-front costs for technology expected to change how people get from one place to another in the next decade. Those include electric cars and renting cars through smartphone apps. Yet the returns from such investments remain uncertain and auto companies face competition from tech firms such as Uber and Waymo. BMW made 7.2 billion euros ($8.2 billion) in net profit last year, down 17 percent from 2017, when it booked a gain of $1 billion from U.S. tax changes. The company faced headwinds from increased tariffs on vehicles exported to China from the United States. It also suffered from turmoil on the German auto market when companies faced bottlenecks getting cars certified for new emissions rules. BMW faces uncertainty from U.S.-China trade tensions that could result in new tariffs if talks do not result in an agreement. U.S.