Project description

AP suspensions – From Price Point to Brand Point

How an affordable sports suspension brand became a standalone B2B and B2C brand in the KW automotive portfolio.

Task:
As part of KW automotive, the goal was to completely rethink the ap suspensions brand. This involved far more than just a new look. Within the portfolio—which includes KW Suspensions, ST Suspensions, and Reiger—ap suspensions needed to occupy its own, clearly recognizable position—distinct from its sister brands while remaining relevant compared to established competitors. Above all, however, the brand’s existing image had to change: moving away from being perceived as merely a budget sports suspension brand—toward becoming a broadly positioned suspension brand for both B2B and B2C.

Strategy:
The key was not simply to make ap suspensions appear higher-quality. Rather, it was to give the brand its own distinct role in the market. The newly developed positioning deliberately occupies the space between classic OEM replacement parts and high-end performance: accessible, technologically sound, suitable for everyday use, and offering a compelling price-performance ratio. This also significantly expands the target audience. In addition to price-sensitive car enthusiasts, ap suspensions now primarily targets wholesalers and repair shops, as well as traditional replacement-part end customers. What was once a sports suspension brand has thus become a brand with a much broader scope.

Positioning and Reason Why: A New Approach to Suspension.

The new ap suspensions portfolio ranges from classic aftermarket replacements to targeted OE and performance upgrades, as well as sport and coilover suspensions and complementary system solutions. This creates new sales opportunities and revenue potential for retailers and repair shops—while offering low complexity, easy installation, high availability, and reliable data quality.

This strategy gave rise to a guiding communication concept that bridges B2B and B2C: You deserve more.

“More” doesn’t simply stand for more performance. For retailers and repair shops, it means a broader product range, greater efficiency, higher availability, improved cost-effectiveness, and new revenue opportunities. For drivers, it means higher quality, more driving pleasure, greater individuality, and the satisfaction of knowing they’ve made the right choice for their budget.

This transforms a price argument into a promise of added value.

Look & Feel: A New Visual World for ap

This repositioning had to be evident at first glance. The creative concept was therefore deliberately radical: moving away from the loud, traditional sports suspension and tuning niche—toward a young, fresh, and distinctive brand identity. Differentiation was not viewed as a stylistic device, but as the strategic core of the design.

Plus Blue, Deep Blue, and the contrasting Hyper Green create a striking color palette; the enlarged and cropped “ap” pattern becomes a flexible brand asset. Added to this is a visual language that doesn’t isolate the product but instead connects people, mobility, and real-life situations: modern, approachable, positive, and authentic. The workshop and everyday life are just as naturally featured alongside driving pleasure and vehicle aesthetics.

Customer Journey: From Product to Brand Experience

The new identity functions not only as a design system but also across the entire customer journey: from packaging to POS and sales materials to the website and social media. Even the applications of the design guidelines demonstrate how patterns, color blocks, product presentation, and lifestyle photography are consistently combined into a recognizable system. The new B2B sales folder also makes the transformation immediately visible: “The new suspension brand for your success” addresses dealers and repair shops with a significantly expanded value proposition.

Result: What started as an affordable sports suspension brand has become an independent brand with a clear role in the KW automotive portfolio.