Last week, I have released the mega recap from my recent trip to the Shanghai Auto Show' 19. Give it a read if you haven't yet. During the show, we were invited to a sit-down with the CEO of Lynk & Co, introducing Alain Visser. A little background about Alain, he has been in the car industry for the past 30 years and has worked with other automotive brands like Ford, GM and Volvo. For this interview, I would take things a bit differently for our pals from Lynk & Co and by not sharing a conversation per se. The plan of this piece would be more about what I have accumulated from the discussions and also sharing my thoughts on what is coming for Lynk & Co during the year and the upcoming 2020.
As a definition, mobility stands for "the ability to move or be moved freely and easily." Right on eh? More specifically, what is mobility for the car industry? Imagine a car from the world’s fastest growing brand, dedicated to offering unparalleled in-car connectivity, vehicle sharing, online sales, and a true subscription model of usership? Well that's Lynk & Co.
Video: "We are Lynk & Co"
As I mentioned before, ABDZ has been following Lynk & Co ever since their launch back in 2016. Since then, they have launched the car on the Chinese market (in 2017) and sold 120,414 cars on its first year. When I was Shanghai, I did spot a few of the models in the streets which is pretty awesome for the brand. They are launching the subscription-based model in Europe for 2020. The disruptors of the car industry are coming and ready to change its entire nature into a revolution.
The disruptors of the car industry are coming and ready to change its entire nature into a revolution.
I personally love Lynk & Co! Along the years, I have met Alain with some of its team members and they are coming to an amazingly wide range of individuals from different work background. It does not sound right but they are building a lifestyle brand whereas a fact 70% of the Lynk & Co team is NOT from the automotive industry. You heard me right! They truly are promoting a different mindset in terms of their business model and it goes all the way to its core.
Let's talk about the subscription!
I am truly am excited for their subscription-based model launch in 2020. Having spoken to the team, I am most curious about what would be the user experience behind it all. "What would be their day-to-day operations knowing users will be able to book an absolutely fantastic car (having test drove them before) with a little minimum commitment of one month. This is pure digitally-enabled car-sharing and ride-hailing service to a whole new level. Some of my thoughts and knowing:
What would be the amount of this monthly subscription?
Is the bookings will be done through an app or the site?
Is the car will be insured? (Yes!)
Subscriptions will be similar to the experience with Spotify or/and Netflix
We are just living up to our brand’s philosophy of being open and challenging in every element. We have always been customer-centric. Our overriding aim is to listen. This is the best way to provide better products and more innovative ownership experience. The consumers know what they want, we need to deliver and elevate to generate that genuine ”Wow!”
Co:lab by Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co has collaborated with users on suggestions and critiques on its models and the industry. Lynk & Co models already boast high-quality connectivity, unrivaled technology, a sleek, modern interior, and exterior design, but thanks to this new collaborative approach, any idea - no matter how crazy - can be voted on and brought into the brand program. All helping in the push to break down the boundaries and create the ‘new normal’ in changing mobility forever. To learn more about colab.lynkco.com
On my last note, I can't wait to see what Lynk & Co would be releasing next. You should definitely follow their YouTube series called: Lynk & Co Uncut | The New Normal.
Meet our good friend Bart Jaillet, first of all, he is a long-time reader of ABDZ and he is an awesome designer. I have met Bart several years ago when he was in Montreal and we have kept in touch since.
In an interview with creative Alexis Papageorgiou, one of our very own first writers (you remember him as Aloa), he talks about the advantages of everyday life creativity and tells us about how he implements it in his life. Check it out!
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