Six Ingenious Automotive Marketing Campaigns You Can Learn From

Where Product Quality Meets Customer Emotions

Most of us consider ourselves as rational, logical people, but human beings are slaves to emotions. It doesn’t matter how you use your thought process to make a pro-con list, or how many videos you have watched on Youtube. Your decisions are been made based on how you feel at the time. The human mind is complex and sometimes conventional marketing methods fail to convince your customer to buy your products. The quality of your product alone doesn't make your brand sell more. You need to be unique and persuasive. That unique selling point makes them choose your brand over your competitor.

So, how do they do it? The answer to that is Emotional Marketing. Good old-fashioned advertisement consisting of heart-melting stories that gain a customer's respect and loyalty to make them notice, remember, share, and elicit a response. It’s a simple concept that has been studied in Social Psychology and has since used in the business world. Many marketing firms around the world use it to connect with potential customers through their ad campaigns.

It works!

Why in Automotive Industries?

Automotive Industries make one of the world’s largest economic sectors by revenue. These sectors will run as long as there are needs and demands. The automobile has become a basic necessity in one way or another. Some people combine the necessity with passion. Those automobile enthusiasts who have a passionate interest in cars or other motor vehicles are the most targeted audience for the company’s advertisement campaign.

As they take great pleasure in enjoying and appreciating those machines for reasons beyond their basic utilitarian value of simply transporting themselves from one place to another, using Emotional marketing on them makes sense. These strategies perform twice as well as fact-based advertising depending on the quality.

6 Ingenious Automotive Marketing Campaign You Can Learn From

1. Volvo XC60 - Moments

Brand: Volvo Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors

Volvo’s launch campaign for the new Volvo XC60, they claimed it’s one of the safest cars ever made. Showing the statistics that over 1.2 million people are killed in traffic accidents around the globe each year, Volvo described the company’s vision of an injury and fatality-free future.

The commercial starts with a young girl talking to her mother. The girl is scared to attend her first day of school. Her mother tells her that everything is in her control. The little girl dreams about the future possibilities that will come from her first day at school as she walks down the footpath. She visualizes her best friends for life, the journeys she’ll take, and the family she’ll raise.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the same city, another woman gets in her car and starts it. The woman seems tired and distracted while driving fast and talking on the phone. The commercial’s plot comes to a climax when the young girl walking to her school dreaming about her life, steps out to cross the street and is about to be hit by the car driven by the other woman. Volvo’s safety system detects the girl and applies its autonomous emergency brake. This could have been a terrible moment for two families and those involved in the accident. And then these words fade in on the screen, “Sometimes the moments that never happen, matter the most.”

CONCLUSION This is one of the most brilliant car commercials I have ever seen. It focuses on the current issue of people dying in traffic accidents and offers to do something about it through their safety features installed in the car.

The young girl and the woman will make everyone understand that even though accidents happen because of the careless driving or walking/crossing/running on the road, but those mistake tends to happen and shouldn’t equal to losing a life.

Explaining why exactly they call this model one of the safest cars ever made, and why the target audience should buy it.

TAKEAWAY If you have a good product/service that can help solve a problem or fix something the world is dealing with, use it to your advantage. You can use the following pointers for your launch campaign.

1. Display the selling feature that makes your product stand out from the competition.
2. Proclaim its purpose. Show your customer what it will solve or fix if they buy your product.
3. Indicate why it is necessary for them to have it.
4. Exhibit your product reliability and express why they can’t outsource it.

Every moment in life gives birth to a new possibility. -Author

2. MINI - The Faith of a Few

Brand: MINI Agency: Jung von Matt

The year is 1964, and the Monte Carlo Rally is about to start. John Cooper is laughed at for putting his MINI in the race. People made fun of the car’s first appearance. They called it a tin-can until it crossed the finish line. John Cooper’s car proved them wrong.

Director Daniel Wolfe worked on MINI’s “The Faith of a Few,” taking viewers back to the vehicle’s earliest days through the pioneering story of John Cooper. The whole video echos the first sentence, John Cooper heard about his MINI, “John, this will never work,” but John doesn’t give up. The sentence repeats throughout the video while MINI is in the race, taking over others till the finish line, where the sentence “this will never work” stops in the middle. It crosses the finish line, and everyone cheers. All the doubts are gone.

In the end, it shows the same 1964 model cruising the road when the newer model of MINI passes by, and the focus turns to the new one showing where all this began and where they are now.

CONCLUSION This ad shares John’s mindset with us to understand how hard it was for him to get the support from the point he was laughed at to the very moment they won the race. Only a few believed in him.

The brand opens up on a personal level by sharing its history and a statement, showing that even though they are underestimated because of their small size, they know how to win.

TAKEAWAY Always remember where you have come from. Don’t try to show how big you are, or something that you are not. Show them how good you are and your capabilities. Let them know your achievements. And as the ad says, the faith of the few will take you to your finish line.

“Victory is not the cheering of the crowd or the trophies, but the silence of the ones who doubted you.”- Author

3. Mercedes Benz — The Journey That Changed Everything Brand: Mercedes-Benz Agency: Antoni Gmb

Bertha Benz, a German automotive pioneer, was the wife of automobile inventor Karl Benz and a business partner. On 5th August 1888, she became the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance, rigorously field testing the patent vehicle, inventing brake pads, and solving several practical issues during the 65 miles (105 km) journey.

This fascinating story became the ad campaign of Mercedes- Benz to honor her memory on International Women’s Day. In the four-minute ad, “The Journey that Changed Everything,” Bertha Benz is seen in her primitive carriage, which is considered to be the world’s first one used for a long-distance drive. She drove from Mannheim to Pforzheim with her two sons.

Looking at the carriage driving itself, a little girl runs and warns the town that a witch is coming. A priest rushes to see it. Entering town, the motorized carriage breaks down. As mechanics didn’t exist, she searches for a pharmacy and tracks down the pharmacist in the local tavern and asks if she could get 10 liters of ligroin. Bertha cleans out the fuel pipe with her hat pin and pours the fuel in the tank while the people looked upon her with a mix of wonder and disgust. She insulates the fuel lines with her garter and starts the engine. As she drives off to continue her journey, these words appear on the screen, “She believed in more than a car, she believed in herself.” The pharmacy she bought the ligroin from is considered to be the first Gas station.

CONCLUSION Mercedes-Benz’s tribute to Bertha Benz on international women’s day was an ingenious idea. This ad had a powerful message and a great piece of a historical event that not many car enthusiasts know about.

TAKEAWAY Embrace your journey, remember where you have come from, where you started. If you are proud of your journey, your customer will be proud as well. They will feel a sense of pride in owning something that your brand produced.

Show them what you believe in and let them believe in you.

The journey makes life, the end takes it away.- Author

4. Volkswagen - Kids Dreams

Brand: Volkswagen Marketing Agency: Grabarz & Partner

This Volkswagen ad from Germany starts with a kid dreaming of his fantasy race. His mother then wakes him up, revealing his room full of car posters and toys. This segment starts the chain of clips showing kids admiring iconic cars like the Delorean from “Back to the Future” and fancy sports cars like Lamborghini, Porsches, Ferraris, Bugatti, and Ford truck as well.

Created by Grabarz & Partners and directed by Sebastian Strasser via Anorak, this ad shows kids admiring and chasing different supercars. In the end, as one little boy notices silver Bugatti emerging from a parking lot, these words come up on the screen: “Hardly any kid dreams of a Volkswagen.” As he is carelessly crossing the street staring at the car, a Volkswagen Golf appears to be approaching the kid, almost hitting him, but because of the automatic braking feature, it stops just in time, saving his life.

The kid continues to cross, not being aware of the situation. The ad ends with the words, “Keep on dreaming, kids. There are 45% fewer third party injuries with the Golf’s driver assistance features.”

CONCLUSION Grabarz & Partner did a good job showing what exactly VW is doing in this business and what they are offering. It’s a fact that not everyone ends up affording a supercar. And most automobile enthusiasts prefer to have an economical option with it. The general public appears to be the target audience, who need a fuel-efficient and safe car for their daily commute. While their kids are dreaming of those supercars, Volkswagen is working on their safety on the road.

TAKEAWAY Not every company gets to the top. Branding takes time, so does the privilege to slap a heavy price tag on one of your average product. The main ingredient of being an iconic brand is consistency. But it takes time to earn your way in the market. So, don't be afraid to respect the big players.

1. Show your target audience where do you stand amongst those big players. Show them what do you offer that even they don't. Not everyone can afford those heavy price tag. So introduce yourself as an option they can come to.
2. Don't ask them to come to you. Show them where they need to be. Let them choose you. If they do it by themselves, they'll always be loyal to you.

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”-Leo Tolstoy

5. Nissan — #SheDrives

Brand: Nissan Agency: TBWA\RAAD

On 26 September 2017, an order was issued by King Salman, allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia. The new guidelines were created and implemented by June 2018. The ban was officially lifted on 24 June 2018. This was a big deal.

Nissan’s #SheDrives campaign supported King Salman of Saudi Arabia’s historic decree for lifting the ban on women driving. To do that, Nissan came up with an unconventional initiative. They offered a group of young women a chance to get behind the wheel for the first time and learn to drive.

Even after lifting the ban, women had to get permission from the man of the family. While some of the orthodox families denied the request, other families permitted with some hesitation. In every other country, it’s mostly the father or older brother who teaches the young drivers when they turn 18. Nissan thought of that and understood how important it is for them that their father/ brothers support and believe in them to drive. So, Nissan prepared a surprise by inviting their husbands, fathers, and brothers. They took on the role of their instructor showing the women solidarity with the cause. The full experience was captured in a film and edited to be their ad campaign.

CONCLUSION The tribute by Nissan aims to empower women and their family members who support them. When the time comes, and are old enough, the decision to drive will be entirely theirs. This sparked the whole world and was appreciated on all social media platforms.

TAKEAWAY To run a successful campaign, you need people to support your brand. If you support a cause that the world is already in favor of, then the world will stand by you to support the cause. It sounds complicated, but it is a fact. Connect with your customer more on a personal level. The more they share to support the cause, the more they advertise your brand.

“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” Sheryl Sandberg

6. Hyundai — Chatty School Bus

Brand: Hyundai Agency: Innocean Worldwide Seoul

The bus journey of 60km or more to school for hearing-impaired children can be a real challenge. Hyundai Motor Group research engineers spoke with school teacher Yeon Samuel about the daily school bus journey of those kids and created a way for youngsters with hearing difficulties to interact more closely with their classmates.

Inspired by the childhood days spent doodling on steamed up windows, Hyundai came up with a solution. With the help of Connected technology, the goal of making bus rides fun by providing a means of communication with one another from the comfort of the children’s own seats was achieved.

In the commercial, the unsuspecting kids were delighted when they found out they could instantly talk to their friends inside the bus via sending a message by doodling on the windows. It also allowed the children to send messages and video content direct to their parents. Hence, turning a long boring journey to a fun and happy journey that may change their future.

CONCLUSION Of course, this ad was to reinforce Hyundai’s positioning as a leading automotive brand. Still, the heartwarming video also served another purpose, which is to create a way and take the initiative to bring children together with technology. They made a statement that Hyundai cares, and they have something other than a team of geniuses, that is their wish to contribute to making the world a better place.

TAKEAWAY Invest in new ideas, use your resources to innovate. If you end up doing something great, your brand gains respect. If you end up failing, you will learn from your mistakes. Sometimes, a small idea can change the world. If you believe in your idea, you might end up doing just that.

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”-Stephen R. Covey