American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger takes viewers on an animated ride through BMW's history in the "i Vision Dee" campaign. Image credit: BMW
At the root of an ongoing slowdown, the luxury industry faced a unique combination of macroeconomic threats this year.
Heritage brands continue to contend with tight-pocketed aspirational consumers in America and slower-than-anticipated lockdown recoveries in China, tapping ambassadors across Asia-Pacific in an attempt to spur sales. Meanwhile, affluent populations in regions such as India and the Middle East flexed their buying power, as executives at powerhouse conglomerates looked toward these new audiences to diversify channels of income.
Beauty mergers and acquisitions took off, and top-end operators in sectors such as automotive, real estate and travel accelerated global launches. Clearly, uncertain conditions did not halt activity, much less innovation. Many luxury players rose to the occasion despite challenges, venturing outside of the box by advancing unforeseen exclusives, thoughtful collaborations and engaging activations that carried growth.
In the lead-up to the new year, Luxury Daily is highlighting the marketing moments responsible for capturing the attention of consumers worldwide since January. Coverage will reveal the campaigns, events and strategic initiatives that have defined the last 12 months, sharing predictions as to how these themes could impact efforts in 2024.
BMW tapped Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Hasselhoff to help launch concept car
Debuted back in January, BMW's "i Vision Dee" concept car can hold a conversation with its driver and mimic any number of voices. Its front end has “eyes" that appear to acknowledge the humans it recognizes as they approach.
Using electric ink technology, Dee can instantly change its color to one of 32 shades. From the inside, it can completely change the way its driver sees the world.
The interior of the car is noticeably devoid of any buttons or dash instruments. Instead, its screen displays virtual controls and options.
To promote a fully electric vehicle powered by what the brand calls "empathetic technology and future-forward design," the German automaker BMW released a campaign at the top of the year. Therein, American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger finds true love with its "i Vision Dee."
Arnold Schwarzenegger finds true love with BMW's "i Vision Dee"
Standing for "Digital Emotional Experience," or "Dee" for short, the automaker's augmented reality function created such a personalized, interactive and immersive experience for its owner that the prototype has gone so far as to promote itself as a digital soulmate. The car's features centered a presentation at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
“With the BMW 'i Vision Dee,' we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge," said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management at BMW, in a statement.
"In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalization to transform the car into an intelligent companion," Mr. Zipse said. "That is the future for automotive manufacturers – and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure.
"With its intelligent, almost human capabilities, BMW 'i Vision Dee' accompanies drivers not only through real-life situations on the roads, but also in their digital environment.”
Luxury Daily predicts the popularity of technologies such as BMW's "i Vision Dee" to grow as consumers search for increasingly personalized interfaces, suggesting tools such as augmented reality experiences are here to stay. Read more on BMW "i Vision Dee" here.