WM MOTOR & STRICHPUNKT
The future of mobility
In cooperation with the Chinese e-mobility start-up WM Motor Technology Co., Ltd., STRICHPUNKT has developed the new mobility brand “Weltmeister”. Since 2016, we have provided the Shanghai-based company, founded and run by the former head of Volvo China Operations Freeman Shen, with advice and support for the strategic development of the brand. At the Beijing Motor Show – Auto China 2018 on 25 April, WM Motor is set to announce its first production model to the wider public: the smart, electric SUV EX5. Be it inside or outside the car, Weltmeister is a brand that is open to the mobility of the future.
Mobility service provider rather than carmaker
As an ambitious mobility company, WM Motor’s business model goes far beyond the manufacture of connected electric cars. Apps and cooperations grant countless customers access to smart, digital services from Weltmeister, including bike rental, car sharing and an app for charging electric cars. This is a job too far for existing models of brand development. Instead, these models had to be rethought in order to stay ahead of established car brands. The name, which is German for “world champion”, was chosen before the commission and is intended to underscore the standard of quality. The Chinese version (pronounced “WeiMa”) means “powerful horse”.
“Always on” – a seamless brand experience for the digital world
“Conceptualising a new brand of the future from the scratch is an exciting challenge, which we took on in close collaboration with our client. In this agile, interdisciplinary process, it was crucial for us first to define the brand’s identity, before then developing a holistic brand experience,” explains Managing Director Philipp Brune. Going forward, the brand values (connected, courageous, conscious) will encapsulate the e-mobility start-up’s position. The slogan is “always on”. We have created a visual identity that can adapt flexibly to any application. In a world that is all about interconnectivity and mobility, it was important to create a seamless brand experience around the client’s ecosystem: from the interface to the vehicle, from the sound to the app. It follows the digital concept, across all touchpoints.
Interactive, inspiring, alive – a brand with a digital soul
The “living logo” becomes the face of the brand. Five bars within a circle symbolise not only vehicles moving together on lanes but also the smart vehicle’s permanent interconnectivity: people, the cloud, the platform, the car, and all the channels where you can be “always on”. The logo is brought to life through animation. In digital applications in particular, it becomes an interface that builds a relationship with the user by indicating the status of the system, taking action and responding to the user.
In the design, it was important to bring the brand’s global aspirations into line with market-specific requirements. For example, the typography (“Noway”) has to work equally in Latin and Chinese characters. The appearance is precise and clearly structured, simultaneously powerful and clear. Pure white and deep blue form the background of a vibrant green colour gradient. The latter is natural and electrifying at the same time, like the Northern Lights, which have captured people’s attention for centuries. The emotional imagery adds warmth. The interface is appealing thanks to its modern, spacious design. A comprehensive set of icons allows the user to navigate easily. The UI design is functional, scalable and independent. All icons “move” from A to B and connect two points of a journey with a continuous line. The motion design imitates the acceleration of an electric vehicle and carries it into the digital brand experience as an animation curve.
Freeman Shen, Founder of WM Motor: “Cooperating with STRICHPUNKT is a significant step for us to optimize our corporate image. With the best of Chinese and German cultures, we developed a brand that is competitive all over the world while also speaking the language of the Chinese market. A great and very agile journey into the future of mobility.”