“Nobody needs it. Everybody wants it.” This cheeky tagline from a 1970s Porsche advertisement has become an enduring truth behind the brand’s phenomenal rise. More than half a century later, Porsche—rooted in Stuttgart, Germany—has evolved into a global luxury powerhouse valued at around €40 billion. In a world where many luxury brands carefully craft polished facades, Porsche’s Global Director of Brand Management & Partnerships, Deniz Keskin, speaks with refreshing candor about the deeply emotional and often irrational desire that fuels their success.
Seated at Soho Farmhouse in the English countryside for an exclusive interview with The Luxury Society Podcast, Keskin traced Porsche’s extraordinary journey from a niche sports car manufacturer to a broader lifestyle icon. He explained how Porsche’s thoughtfully chosen partnerships—from premium Italian espresso machines to cutting-edge gaming platforms—are far more than marketing moves. They are strategic bridges that transform fleeting desire into lifelong loyalty.
In today’s hyper-saturated marketplace, consumers are overwhelmed with brand messages. What sets luxury apart is its ability to connect emotionally, not rationally. Keskin put it simply: “What drives consumer desire is emotional and irrational.” Unlike everyday goods driven by necessity, luxury purchases are often about identity, aspiration, and personal expression. Owning a Porsche is not just buying a car; it’s about sending a positive message—to oneself and the world—about performance, design, and enjoying life.
This emotional resonance has been a key driver behind Porsche’s impressive growth. The company’s revenue has surged from approximately €10.9 billion in 2011 to nearly €40.1 billion in 2024. Even during the global automotive market’s fluctuations between 2016 and 2019, Porsche’s luxury vehicle deliveries steadily climbed until temporarily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Porsche’s resilience was on full display in 2023, when it delivered over 320,000 cars worldwide, representing a 3% increase from the previous year despite economic uncertainties. This illustrates how emotional connection can outweigh rational economic considerations in the luxury space.
The brand’s sales performance also reveals a nuanced global picture. While China experienced a 15% decline amid economic headwinds, Europe grew by 12%, Germany by 10%, North America by 9%, and other emerging markets surged 16%. This geographic diversity highlights Porsche’s ability to resonate emotionally across cultures and economic conditions.
Keskin emphasized that a brand isn’t a static definition on paper but a dynamic conversation with consumers. “Brands exist because we at Porsche—and marketers everywhere—engage in an ongoing dialogue with people,” he explained. He also stressed that Porsche is highly selective with its partnerships: “We could partner with anyone theoretically, but forced or superficial collaborations rarely work.”
This discerning approach has yielded some remarkable collaborations. One notable example is Porsche’s partnership with La Marzocco, the revered Italian espresso machine maker founded in 1927. In late 2023, they launched two special editions of the La Marzocco Linea Micra espresso machine—one in Slate Grey Neo, the other bearing the iconic MARTINI Racing livery. The limited run of 911 units—an homage to Porsche’s legendary 911 model—quickly became a coveted collector’s item.
Another standout collaboration involved Pantone, the global color authority. Together, they created “Turbonite,” an elegant metallic grey with subtle bronze undertones designed exclusively for Porsche’s high-performance Turbo models. Remarkably, Pantone included Turbonite in its prestigious Spring/Summer 2025 Fashion Colour Trend Report—the first time an automotive color was featured in this influential fashion industry guide.
Porsche has also partnered with Soho House, the exclusive creative membership club with over 40 locations worldwide. Starting in Europe in 2022 and expanding to the U.S. in 2023, the partnership includes event sponsorships and the “No Passengers” film series, which celebrates visionary cultural innovators. These collaborations help Porsche engage new consumer segments who may not otherwise encounter the brand, creating pathways to the next generation of luxury enthusiasts.
Long-term brand growth depends heavily on early exposure, especially among younger audiences. Keskin notes that many Porsche owners’ passion begins in childhood. “When you ask existing customers about the origins of their love for Porsche, you often find it traces back to a childhood story.”
With younger generations increasingly living in digital and virtual realms, Porsche is actively engaging there. “We have to be very active digitally and in virtual worlds,” Keskin says. “We want people to understand Porsche’s specialness as early as possible.”
Gaming plays a central role in this strategy. Porsche sponsors the TAG Heuer Esports Supercup, which offers $200,000 in prize money and ranks among the premier virtual racing competitions worldwide. Its professional team, Porsche Coanda, competes at elite levels in both the ESL R1 series and Le Mans Virtual Series.
In 2024, Porsche partnered with Blizzard Entertainment to bring branded content into Overwatch 2, reaching millions of players globally. At Gamescom 2024, this partnership expanded to let players customize characters with designs inspired by Porsche’s electric Macan and Taycan models. This multi-genre gaming approach is designed to ignite passion early and create a natural segue into Porsche’s broader brand universe.
This patient, long-term investment in nurturing desire contrasts sharply with competitors’ focus on short-term sales targets. Porsche is effectively building decades-long brand loyalty, a powerful advantage in an increasingly crowded luxury marketplace.
As the automotive industry rapidly shifts toward electrification, Porsche’s early investments have paid off. The all-electric Taycan surpassed 150,000 global deliveries by early 2024, exceeding initial projections by nearly 30%. This success underscores Porsche’s ability to balance respect for heritage with innovation.
For luxury executives, Porsche offers a compelling blueprint: prioritizing emotional engagement and meaningful dialogue over transactional relationships builds resilience through economic cycles and enables bold moves into new categories. The result is a brand that remains both aspirational and accessible—a delicate balance few achieve.
Looking back at that iconic slogan, it remains true today: nobody needs a Porsche, but everybody wants one. And it is precisely that desire—irrational, emotional, and deeply human—that continues to drive Porsche’s remarkable journey as a global leader in luxury.