Sure, BMW is a long-established, well-known brand, but sometimes that can make it even harder to come up with fresh, new marketing strategies. How does a company like BMW attract the attention of potential customers?
The German-car-maker execs were probably asking that very same question when they came up with a marketing plan for the BMW M235i. Naturally, it was time to bring on the content marketing.
And bring it on they did, in the form of some riveting stunt driving.
Hey Look!
Bam. Several drivers in red BMW M235is suddenly took over a traffic rotary with 90 seconds of crowd-stopping drift-choreography stunts. Bystanders halted in their tracks, put down their cell phones, gaped, snapped photos and shared on social media.
The Epic Driftmob video served as both a live promotion and a viral commercial, designed to let the world know that BMW is hardly slowing down with age.
Keep on Keeping on
In 2013, BMW sales rose by 10% as the company sold 309,280 vehicles in the USA, but Mercedes beat BMW in luxury car sales for the first time in two years.
BMW needed to get on a roll. The company was good, but wanted to be better. And that kind of company doesn’t rest on its laurels after a major campaign.
Even the most prestigious brands must keep marketing, keep reaching out to untapped markets, keep selling new customers. BMW is no exception.
BMW was Team USA’s official automotive sponsor for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. They did some major advertising social and digital media campaigns just as they had for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. Then too, the BMW M4 was also recently promoted on the Ultimate Racetrack. But none of this stopped the company from leaping right into the promotion of their M235i.
The resulting video shows five Hollywood stuntmen in the driver’s seats of five M235is, tearing up the pavement. All five can be seen drifting in perfect synchronization, right on the public street.
As prestigious as the olympic advertising was, this stunt had a spontaneous audience. And as cool as Ultimate Racetrack was, the difference here is that this was a real event, capturing the reactions of an unsuspecting audience.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is essential for car manufacturers, and for all products and services. While BMW may need to feature its cars in high speed maneuvering action, the rest of us have to show potential customers just what they’re selling and why it beats the competition.
Automakers have to be attractive, functional, reliable, safe, secure, and sometimes even sexy. Their marketing is no small challenge, but they are also ripe for content marketing. Are you?
So what are you selling? How will it make people feel? Why is it better than all the competition. And how can you show that to the world in just 90 seconds?
Ready, set, go!