Cupra

Mobility & Hospitality

Born within the Volkswagen Group in 2018, CUPRA quickly moved beyond automotive convention to become a design-led brand built on precision, experimentation and an unconventional point of view. Inspired by the creative energy of Barcelona, the brand brought together a close-knit “tribe” of drivers around high performance, expressive design and a willingness to challenge the status quo. In just a few years, that approach fueled record global sales. CUPRA surpassed its former parent SEAT in annual deliveries for the first time and entered a new phase of international growth. But growth brought a new set of challenges. As the business expanded across markets, products and partnerships, the brand needed to become more coherent and recognisable without losing the spirit that made it distinctive in the first place.

Instinct meets scale

Our partnership started by helping CUPRA define a brand strategy that could support continued growth and evolution while protecting the edge that set it apart. It quickly became clear that part of CUPRA’s success comes from its commitment to staying at the vanguard of product and design. Teams move quickly and make bold decisions, driven by the same rebellious mindset that defines the brand. That instinctive way of working was a major strength, but as CUPRA expanded into new markets, products and partnerships, it also created new complexity. The next phase of growth required clearer guardrails: systems that could help teams move faster and more coherently across cultures and touchpoints, without diluting the energy behind the brand.

Building awareness

As CUPRA’s ambitions grew, recognisability became just as important as its design expression. The logo needed to work harder for the brand, becoming familiar even when the full identity was not visible. 
This became particularly important in high-visibility environments such as sponsorships, where the brand often needed to communicate quickly and clearly. A new vertical logo helped strengthen recognition in these moments, building long-term equity through the symbol itself.

Living systems, not guidelines

Rather than creating a set of intricate rules, we designed a system around the way CUPRA’s teams already work. One that simplifies strategy and connects brand architecture, product trims, and verbal and visual identity into a shared way of working. Built around newly defined principles and brought together through the CUPRA brand portal, the system gives teams across markets a practical reference point for faster, more coherent decisions. Less about control, more about enabling teams to move with confidence while staying true to the brand. We refined CUPRA’s verbal identity into clear, usable guidance supported by real examples, alongside messaging tailored to different digital audiences, from people discovering the brand to drivers already behind the wheel.

EXPANSION ≠ COMPROMISE

For CUPRA, growth does not mean becoming predictable. It means understanding which elements should evolve, and which must remain expressive, provocative and unmistakably its own.
We continue to evolve the brand and its visual language to support both immediate growth and long-term ambition. By treating unconventionality as something intrinsic to its identity, not just a visual style, CUPRA can become more recognisable without losing what makes it distinctive.

An ongoing partnership

As more people around the world discover CUPRA, our partnership continues to evolve. Together, we’re shaping a brand that delivers CUPRA’s unconventional spirit across new markets, cultures and experiences.

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The impulse of a new generation

Cupra

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