Flirting with Brand Icons
When it comes to brand icons they don't get much more iconic than Porsche. And when it comes to promoting a brand that is intimately tied to that icon, a fine line needs to be walked.
'Nurburgring Mechanical' was a specialist Porsche service and mechanical repairs workshop, independent and not tied to Porsche in any way. However the name "Nurburgring" referenced the famous racetrack in Germany of the same name, and it came about that the owners of the Nurburgring racetrack took note of this and suggested to the small business on the other side of the world, that they might consider changing their name.
This is not unusual as big brands typically want to avoid any association with similarly named businesses, and will go out of their way to ensure this. With some compensation offered by the Nurburgring, the decision was made to reinvent Nurburgring Mechanical under a new banner… an introduction to Tangent Design, a challenge accepted and a creative brief answered… '9XX Independent Porsche Specialists’ was born.
9XX is an answer to what happens when brand space overlap occurs, or as some like to call it ‘copyright’ issues. In this case it proved to be a great opportunity to refocus and relaunch the business, as the new 9XX rebrand is unique in its own right rather than being been seen as a derivative.
What Nurburgring Mechanical had failed to capture in its brand story was that it was an innovator and disruptor. 9XX is a mobile business that goes to its customers and performs work on site. Porsche engines taken apart and fixed, in the driveway! Whilst the mobile service model has been around for a while for common commuter fleets like Toyotas and Fords, it was unheard of in the world of a high end sports car marque like Porsche. High end repairs are not something typically or traditionally carried out on site, as most services associated with a luxury brand like Porsche have a luxury 'tax’ applied. By demystifying the process owner David Brennan had quickly built a strong client base, providing a specialised service with no peer in its sector. It’s transparent and fairly priced, and driven by David's genuine love of Porsches and his expertise in fixing them. It's a unique combination of skills sets and entrepreneurship that the 9XX brand now proudly displays.
The new brand mark still leans on the Porsche brand heritage, but in such a considered way so as to avoid any assumed or unintended copyright. it evolved through a consultative and in depth conceptual process, with the final solution reflecting Davids own background. The brandmark colour palette references that of Martini Racing, which is a storied part of Porsche racing history and intrinsically linked to the pedigree of the marque. As David is an accomplished racer in his own right linking a racing heritage to the brand was perfect synergy. The 9XX name itself is derivative of Porsche model No sequencing which always refers to a 9 prefix and two subsequent numbers.
The business has since expanded to include a fully equipped workshop for larger jobs, but still undertakes mainly on site work. The workshop also houses David’s enviable collection of old and new classics, amongst them Christpoher Skase’s ex 928 complete with an 80’s brown leather interior! The 9XX brand has also built a following within the Porsche community with customers wearing and promoting the 9XX brand with T-shirts and stickers on rear windscreens, with not a Nurburgring in sight.