GFK research on Mercedes Classe C reveal that internet is still a complementary media… (France)

GFK, customer research institute France, has made a plurimedia (TV, Web, and magazine) research concerning the Mercedes Classe C in 2008. The results, released recently, reveal that the use of these three Medias in this campaign have been positive in term of visibility, and brand memorization, in addition they have reached efficiently their respective target audience. The researches reveal most importantly that the combination of the newspapers + internet makes the difference. Internet in particular is considered by the institute as a complementary media .Effective mostly on memorization, it does not have a real effect on visibility and image. Internet makes the difference versus the use of traditional media only as it reinforces memorization and gives a better understanding of the offer in households, yet it cannot be use as a unique communication tool. Television for instance is more focus on quality and creativity even though it is also more costly.

Audi builds customer loyalty by giving them the opportunity to download freely music from Universal catalog… (France)

Universal music’s subsidiary (U Think) has developed a partnership with Audi to allow clients to download free music while giving them free access to some events. The goal of this action is to build and maintain customers loyalty. For information, Uthink is a company that aims to distribute recorded music and create markets for company that associate themselves with the brand.
Through a website: Myaudi.fr in May, 1st 2008; the automaker’s customers should benefit from free music either classical, French or international. They will also be able to watch videos or musical documentaries and will receive invitations to special events such as concerts, show cases and music awards. Finally they will have the opportunity to download free music from Universal’s catalog.

Volvo is knowing a huge success with an internet banner including a live twitter feedback… (USA)

For 24 hours on April 15, 2009; Volvo had used an extended masthead
banner ad (950 x250) on youtube.com to promote its XC60 model in the
US.
Volvo is the first automotive brand to be featured in the biggest ad
placement youtube has ever run to date. The banner can be directly deleted by
web users with a “close this ad option”. In addition, it includes brilliants firsts;
such as several goodies (pictures, videos and games) and a live twitter feed
that can be viewed on the brand’s twitter blog especially created for Volvo
XC60 model. In three months the banner has generated lots of interest with
more than 1400 followers of Volvo’s twitter profile. The brand has
successfully reached its goal to create a buzz on online communities as well as
to increase dealership visit in the US as it had communicated on the car launch
events through demo or free tests etc..
For your information, Micro blogging buzz is becoming a phenomenon thanks
mostly to twitter (a very user friendly, easy to use ;widely known).

Smart creates a website shortening url, reminding of its product’s benefits … (international)

“Tweeters” all around the world are regularly looking for web sites that reduces heavy web addresses (URL). This action permits to include lengthy URL’s while staying within the 140 characters limit.
Web sites are actually specializing in shortening whatever type of URL you want and need in a tiny version (this is the case of Tinyurl.com for instance). Smart has been the first company who had the clever idea to tiny up URL on its website “so-smart.be” allowing customers to ‘park’ large URL in small spaces. In adequacy with the brand message “small is beautiful”, this marketing initiative is brilliant to remind the company’s strategy to internet users.
The web site has developed more complex tools so far to tiny up URL which can even be tailored by its visitors and users. It also gives the opportunity for bloggers to add the compressed URL in their tweeter blog, reaching at the same occasion one of the most powerful and visited online network for almost no costs.

Mini is dealing with fake campaign phenomenon in an online series of videos! (international)

Fake viral campaigns have increased on the internet for the
past two years.
Mini’s latest campaign promoting the new Clubman is laughing
at this new phenomenon in an online series of videos. Mini
Clubman viral ads give a surreal interpretation of what is
actually not a standard type of viral adverts. In this online ad It
takes a few minutes for the actors and the internet users to
realize that they are not in a fake campaign but in a viral add, until
one of the actor, driving the car; delivers the video purpose saying” I
got it, it is fake, we’re in an viral video!!!!”
This imaginative ad dealing with a real issue has been viewed
more than 55 000 times since March 25, 2009.

Renault is using raving rabidds in a series of animated ad (France)

French auto maker, Renault, is using raving rabbids to promote its Grand scenic model on the internet. For information, raving rabid, these virtual video games characters created by Ubisoft, are very popular among internet users since they appeared in short funny documentaries.
Every events, rugby world cup, Euro 2008, or even the latest James bond movie; are an occasion for these special guests to laugh and make jokes. Thus Renault have used these silly characters in its latest TV commercial for the Grand scenic. The video is available on Renaut.fr



Through a series of 7 animated ad of approximately 10 sec, raving rabbids are talking about every vehicle’s components (habitation, technology, safety of the car…) in a humorous way.
This strategy very efficient when it comes to targeting families mostly during crisis, reminds of Twingo online campaign using Simpsons characters.

Never seen before ! : Peugeot launched its 308 model using nude actors in London streets … (UK)

Peugeot has created sensation on April 22nd 2009 … by hiring 308 nude actors wearing only scarves to walk around London mostly during peak travel times. The company was looking for a way to create a buzz around its innovative “airwave” neck heating system diffusing warm air from the neck and wanted to convey the message that the car was all you needed to wear.



Funny note: Those actors are not truly naked but wear a skin suit. It is only at 3pm that explanations were revealed on a site called http://www.nudeinscarf.com/. The action has created a huge buzz in UK with videos on youtube, comments on Twitter and Facebook, pictures on Flickr, blogs activity, articles in the press and on TV.