Our brand idea, “Mobility. Done.”, captures a unique vision of mobility—its immense potential to change the world can only be realized by those who can get it done. We named the new brand Aptiv.

Aptiv’s deceptively simple wordmark is flanked by two orange points, representing the idea of going from point A to point B. This applies to both physical transportation and conceptual movement; Aptiv brings ideas into reality. 

The points incite action and create magnetism—they become indicators you can touch and interact with, they drive a line of sight, they start and end and start again.

In a world dominated by Silicon-Valley startups who may be years away from making a real product, Aptiv’s proven track record of commercializing innovation is truly differentiating. The new brand stakes their claim proudly, inspiring investors and customers while challenging employees to make the future real. 

This is a brand making a positive impact on how we move, so the visual system uses imagery of people and places with strong sources of light. A clean, sophisticated color palette allows for pops of orange against clear communication.

Aptiv’s illustration, data visualization and motion graphic styles use a minimalist approach, demonstrating the brand’s process and precision. Within these focused systems, the advanced concepts behind autonomous driving become more accessible and feel more real.  

A twenty-four-hour global launch introduced the new brand to 114 locations in 45 countries, across digital applications, signage, wayfinding, office environments, attire, swag, car wraps, stationery and collateral. A proprietary mnemonic became Aptiv’s sonic cue and a ringtone for employees, adding depth to the brand universe.

For over 147,000 employees across the globe, the introduction of the new brand became a visual signal for cultural change. A shared app brings them together and fosters engagement; 50% return each month.

At CES in 2018, Aptiv introduced their new brand to the world. A partnership with Lyft allowed them to give over 400 autonomous rides throughout the streets of Las Vegas in cars sporting their signature orange hubcaps. Within 90 days of their splash at CES, Aptiv garnered over 2,400 media mentions, nearly 85M social media impressions, an estimated earned media value of $29.3M and an estimated reach of three billion.

This brand shift created tremendous momentum for Aptiv. No longer seen as an automotive parts company, they have taken their place as a mobility leader with #2 in share-of-voice in mobility. They have now twice been named one of Fast Company’s most innovative companies.

Despite years of strong performance, Delphi Automotive was undervalued in the market. Its advanced software and electronics divisions attracted distinctly different customers, recruits and investors than their powertrain and auto parts divisions. Seeing an opportunity to elevate both sides of the business, Delphi announced their intent to spin off the powertrain and auto parts divisions in May 2017.

Our brief was to develop a new brand for the remaining company in seven months. This brand would need to compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace in which traditional automakers and Silicon Valley tech companies vie to set new standards for mobility, clean energy and technology.

We conducted in-depth, global research on Delphi’s brand equity, evaluating perceptions of the Delphi name and analyzing the company’s culture and power to attract talent. All this led us to a key finding: the brand would need a new name.