To begin its recovery, a new marketing strategy was developed which called for Mazda to refocus its
efforts and target a younger generation of drivers who appreciate cars with sporty features and want to
make a statement about themselves with their cars. In the fall of 1997 Mazda parted ways with its
advertising agency of 27 years and awarded its business to a new agency, W.B. Doner & Co., now known
as Doner. The new agency was given the charge of building an image that would capture Mazda’s overall
personality and set it apart from other cars, i.e., to develop a brand DNA. They were also asked to
develop an advertising theme that could be used for the Mazda brand rather than trying to establish a
separate image for each model. Doner developed a simple but powerful slogan for Mazda, “Get In. Be
Moved.” The slogan was seen as more than just an advertising tagline, it was a brand promise. Mazda’s
group manager of brand strategy and communication noted that “It’s an invitation to the consumer; a
motivation and a promise that you come to Mazda, you get in, and we promise that you’ll be moved by
what our cars have to offer.”