Audi R8 GT Spyder
Luxury automotive brands found innovative ways to engage consumers both in-person and online in the first half of 2014.
Mercedes-Benz once again set the bar for Instagram contests, Audi and BMW united consumers around product releases and new campaigns and Volkswagen Group brought its brands massive attention in the mobile gaming scene. Luxury auto sales are set to hit their highest level since 2007, and brands are meeting this surge with colorful content.
Here are the top 10 auto brand efforts from the first half of 2014, in alphabetical order:
Video still from #PaidMyDues
Audi’s “Paid my Dues” livestream event
Audi of America gathered fan tales of adversity and resilience for a live-stream event in Santa Monica, CA, directed by creative figures such as artists, designers and musicians.
The massive community-driven initiative was an extension of the “Paid my Dues” campaign that heralded the debut of the A3. As Audi repositions its entry-level vehicles to appeal to a broader audience, tapping the universal theme of overcoming obstacles will likely resonate.
The parameters of the campaign were broad, calling for fans to submit stories of times when they displayed creativity, ingenuity and courage.
Photos, videos or text were all suitable entry formats and participants entered on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine or Google+ with the hashtag #PaidMyDues. Stories are aggregated on audiusa.com/paidmydues (see story).
Audi City
Audi City expansion
Audi also continued its shift toward a digital retail experience with its first “Audi City” in Germany.
The virtual Berlin showroom allows consumers to survey the entire Audi portfolio, enabling the brand to minimize retail space and make the experience more immersive. New features at the latest Audi City include 3D virtual viewing of models and the “Audi Select” service.
Audi City lets the brand shrink back its physical dealer presence, while maximizing its ability to cater to consumers.
Two other virtual showrooms are located in London and Beijing, and the next Audi City will be located in Moscow. Sixteen total Audi City showrooms will emerge this year in international cities (see story).
BMW M5 Instagram promotion
BMW’s M5 release on Instagram
BMW of North America let fans reserve one of 29 thirtieth anniversary BMW M5s to be sold in the United States exclusively through information revealed on Instagram.
Interested consumers were asked to follow the brand’s Instagram account to access a gradually revealed reservation phone number. BMW’s attempt to stitch Instagram into the broader commerce tapestry speaks to a much larger and rapidly progressing trend (see story).
The BMW i3 Experience test-drive
BMW i3 test drive experience
German automaker BMW spurred test-drive registrations with an interactive video campaign that shows ordinary people in various countries driving the i3 for the first time.
The “BMW i3 Experience” campaign centered on a microsite that lets fans go for a drive with regular people that have never had an experience with an electric vehicle. The open-ended nature of the campaign allows the brand to travel from country to country to appeal to new markets.
To promote the microsite and test-drive opportunity, BMW released a short video compiling various moments from the campaign. If fans visit the microsite, they can participate in test-drives as they unfold, with the ability to switch drivers, go to the next team, change the camera angle and answer a question (see story).
Jaguar F-Type suspended by crane
Jaguar #GoodToBeBad extensions
Jaguar kept the momentum of its British Villains campaign going with a thematic academy and by giving the series a definitive fashion style.
The brand teamed up with British fashion label Thomas Pink for a pop-up shop at the “Villain Academy.”
Thomas Pink styled guests at the academy in the #GoodToBeBad outfits and future brand activations will follow. Introducing a signature fashion style has helped launch the campaign beyond a temporary fixation so that it meshes with the brand’s identity in the long-term (see story).
Ms. Wallis in Maserati’s “Strike”
Maserati’s “Strike” Super Bowl ad
Italian automaker Maserati reinforced its dedication to the North American market during the Super Bowl with its first television commercial.
The commercial promotes the Ghibli model, the brand’s first under $100,000 vehicle, evincing a movement toward inclusivity. Also, the commercial’s cinematic nature featuring actress Quvenzhane Wallis from “Beasts of the Southern Wild” aligned with the brand’s image during an occasion that often has less to do with reputation building than with conversation shaping.
By adopting the film’s primary theme, Maserati tries to align itself with Hushpuppy’s mission. A comparatively small and ultra-exclusive automaker alongside the Super Bowl’s regular lineup, the commercial may seem apt (see story).
#GLAPacked by photographer Gabriel Flores
Mercedes GLA contest
Mercedes-Benz USA is inviting fans to show off their personalities by packing their GLA models, or an equivalent space, with essential items and then snapping stylish photographs through Aug. 20.
The automaker first invited photographers, graphic designers, explorers and other social influencers to pack a GLA reflecting their interests. Although packing for a road trip is often a lesson in discovering what matters, Mercedes seems to be flaunting the car’s expansive storage area, indicating that there are no limits here (see story).
Rolls-Royce in Singapore
Rolls-Royce’s Asia tour
British automaker Rolls-Royce embarked on a multi-country tour through Asia to woo affluent consumers and present the people behind-the-scenes.
The tour stopped in Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul and involved a series of invite-only sessions. Since the automaker had just left a slew of auto shows, the toned-down atmosphere of the tour provided a welcome alternative for more discerning consumers (see story).
Aerial view of Tesla’s Model S
Tesla showroom expansion
U.S. automaker Tesla is responding to growing popularity overseas with a European expansion plan.
Tesla plans to open 30 new stores and service centers in Europe, creating a marked difference in the brand’s presence in countries like Britain, Germany and France. Making itself more available to consumers will help the car company, since knowing a brand-operated service center is nearby may help car buyers make the commitment to what is a comparably young brand.
In 2013 Tesla sold 22,477 cars globally. According to a branded statement, Tesla is predicting that its sales in Europe and Asia combined will be double the number of sales in North America.
Tesla currently operates 26 stores and galleries and 17 service centers across Europe. The brand’s expansion will drastically change the brand’s presence on the continent (see story).
Audi R8 GT Spyder
VW mobile game
Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche, under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, attracted substantial attention in global markets through the branded mobile application, “Sports Car Challenge 2.”
The app acts as a way for racing fans to explore VW brand models and discover vehicle capabilities with precision while on virtual racing tracks. Perhaps more so than other product category, automotive brands can cultivate new fans, solidify loyalists and spur real-life product interaction effectively with mobile games (see story).
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York