Kia's new logo – inspiring or confusing?

In January 2021, Kia took the logo it has had since roughly 1994 and swapped it out for a more stylised format.

The new logo sees the name Kia in one unbroken line in an attempt to convey "Kia's commitment to bringing moments of inspiration, while its symmetry demonstrates confidence", in a press release from the update.

This new logo came as part of the brand's revamped strategy to achieve a 6.6 per cent global market share of EVs by 2025 with EVs comprising 20 per cent overall sales.

And while a refreshed strategy with a refreshed logo could be the right jolt for a brand, its new logo seems to be leaving consumers confused instead.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Shwinnabego/status/1593377511030792197[/embed]

In a tweet shared by twitter user Shwinnabego, he notes that since its launch, at least 30,000 people search 'KN car' a month.

On Reddit meanwhile, multiple users have shown the same confusion, with users posting the new logo in reddit threads where people share unknown vehicles they'd like identified, and commenters adding "Every time I see it, I see KN, not Kia."

While the confusing typography could be a deterrence to some consumers, it could also be argued that the confusion is ultimately good for the brand.

All publicity is good publicity goes the saying, and with confused consumers constantly entering the logo into search engines, it could prove well for the brand.

ALSO READ: Kia's electric EV6 officially launched in Singapore

This article was first published in CarBuyer.