The new tri-shield logo of Buick is officially out in the open. It was previously reported that General Motors had applied for a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to adopt a newly redesigned version of the company’s traditional logo. Though no details were given before, the company has finally dropped the new design.
The New Logo
As per the image submitted for trademark filing, the newly designed logo of Buick comes with a horizontal alignment, altering the previous diagonal one. The diagonal stripe inside each of the three shields has been transformed into a downward-lunging line. Also, the circular outer rings that used to surround each of the three shields previously have been removed. This is the second time within the past decade the company has revised its traditional tri-shield insignia.
The Uncertainties
The Buick brand has already been trying to reinvent itself for the past few years. In the endeavor, the company has deleted the exterior name badges and switched to an all-SUV lineup, following the lead of other major car brands. The color scheme of the new logo isn’t clear yet. The current logo of Buick features one blue, one silver, and one red shield. But, the application states that General Motors didn’t claim color specifically as an innate feature of the trademark. Buick cars have worn monochrome logos previously, so the color preference for this one remains unclear.
Probable Release
The model on which the new Buick logo will be introduced is also being kept under wraps. The trademark application is next allotted to an examiner, which can take almost six months from the filing date. Depending on the general length of the entire process, the redesigned logo can start appearing on the 2023 Buick model vehicles. Or else, the company could be officially unveiling it on its potential upcoming model like the all-electric Buick Electra.
Facilitating Factors of Formula 1’s US Boom
The United States is currently witnessing a rapid increase in the popularity of Formula 1. While the British and French Grand Prix both exceeded the one million mark of average viewership, the United States also is setting records in almost every season. With an average of 946,000 viewers per race, the current season has experienced a significant 56% increase in viewership from the last season and a 41% upsurge from 2019. There are several driving factors behind this surprise boost of F1 in the US.
The Netflix Factor
According to John Suchenski, the director of programming and acquisitions of ESPN, the Netflix documentary series named Formula 1: Drive to Survive has certainly helped to create a larger fan base of Formula 1 in the US. The series has brought along more casual fans, who probably were not even dedicated Formula 1 fans. This also has made the US a priority, bringing more opportunities of investing in promotional weight. Using this opportunity, more grassroots level exposure is being benefited by the current ESPN and Formula 1 partnership.
Partnership With Sky
According to Suchenski, in the world of sports broadcasting, the channel Sky does the best job. So, working continuously with their partners in Sky and taking some of Sky’s shoulder programming as well, has helped ESPN to expand its target audience base and to strengthen the dedicated viewership. ESPN has taken Sky’s lead-up on Sunday, which has helped the audience to get under the tent earlier and creating a build-up for the upcoming race. ESPN is also broadcasting Sky’s post-race show digitally, which is helping the fans to continue their F1 experience, even after ESPN or ESPN 2 goes off-air. ESPN has been broadcasting the world championship since 2018, which is also a facilitating factor. The continuity of these F1 contents has bred a familiarity for the viewers, making the sports more easily accessible and ensuring dedicated viewership for a longer span.