Nissan is launching a unique social media campaign… (Canada)

Nissan is launching for the first time a unique social media campaign in
Canada entitled “Hypercube” for its car named cube. Aiming to reward
creativity, the campaign is targeting artists such as Dj, actors,
painters..Every candidate will have to compete and will be chosen according
to their creativity, uniqueness, personality and enthusiasm. The 500 finalists
will be able to won a “cube” car designed especially for them. Nissan hopes
to benefit from the candidates’ local and online communities networks. The
participants will then share their experiences trough online blogs and social
medias such as Twitter or Facebook.

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).

Mini Space on Facebook

MINI Space is an urban initiative by MINI. It's about taking part in creative projects, competitions, events and parties - about getting involved in "Creative Use of Space". And simply about meeting other creative people and having a good time. In a nutshell, this community is a hub for connecting creative people, events and projects.

Check out the Mini Space Design Competition HERE, the competition is promoted all over Facebook with banners and a Mini Space group

Skoda Octavia Remote Control

In the Netherlands, Skoda is running a fun and very interactive campaign to promote their renewed Octavia models. Through a campaign website they made it possible to control a real car. On several locations throughout Holland, the car is parked, and then controlled and viewed by the internet audience. You should definitely give it a try.

Honda Launches Short Film Series, Talks Success Through Failure

Honda is premiering three new short documentaries online as part of their relaunched “Power of Dreams” website. Director Derek Cianfrance filmed unscripted conversations with Honda associates talking about their approach to solving problems and finding solutions. The debut includes three films with more to follow every few months. The series can be viewed at the “Power of Dreams” website or on the company’s YouTube channel.Worth a view is “Failure: The Secret to Success” which depicts Honda’s belief in the importance of never being afraid to try something new. The film feature Honda designers, engineers, and members of the race team talking about failures and risks taken that helped lead to new innovations.

Kia is creating a virtual community and allows internet users to express themselves in various artistic fields.

To start off well the year 2009, Kia suggested internet users to subscribe to the “Soul” community. The Kiasoul.fr website invites all those who subscribe online to develop their creativity around 2 key aspects that are linked to the South-Korean Crossover presented at the Mondial de l’Automobile in October 2008: sharing and innovation. It is especially the opportunity for internet users to express themselves through diverse artistic fields, such as gastronomy, photography, urban art or music, with rewards at stake. Indeed, the most talented innovations and projects will be rewarded with cooking lessons, mixing desks… or even a whole shooting day with the photographer David Ledoux.

The purpose is to develop a state of mind and a way of life on the Web, which are peculiar to Kia Soul. This sharing of innovative idea website also offers visitors current “artistic” event information (key exhibitions, festivals, music albums…).

French Carmakers Sell on the Web

While US carmakers are dealing with an abysmal market for auto sales and doing their best to move cars out of retail showrooms, it is interesting to note that a growing number of French Internet users are buying their cars online.

According to a study by Groupe Xerfi, sales of new vehicles on the Internet are booming. In fact, online new-car sales in France grew 25% in 2007 and 31% in 2008. The research company projected only 20% growth in 2009 due to the economic slowdown, before accelerating again with 36% in 2010 and 40% in 2011.

Those huge growth numbers represent change from a small base. Xerfi said Web sales would represent 5% of all car sales in 2011. Even if Detroit followed suit, that’s not enough to move the needle as much as automakers need in 2009.

Still, the prospect of reducing costs through online sales is worth US carmakers’ attention.

While Xerfi said that online car sales in France would reach 5% of the total market in 2011, the automotive goods category as a whole represented 5% of all online spending in the first half of 2008, according to TNS Media Intelligence data cited by LeJournalduNet.

Based on a January 2008 estimate of French business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce for 2008 by the Federation des Enterprises de Vente a Distance (FEVAD), that means about $770 million in cars and automotive goods were sold online during the first half of the year.

Virtual test drive for Toyota IQ

Toyota Europe has recently launched a virtual test drive for its IQ model.

The website, created by the flash gurus at North Kingdom and Illianced allows users to drive the car through a futuristic landscape while discovering the main car features. The website is very nicely developed with a clean and simple design however, in my opinion, the experience results a bit too cold and "anesthetized".

AUDI and the competition

With its new marketing strategy, Audi uses a card allowed on American soil: openly mocking competition to promote its product. The firm has imagined and created a mini series of Internet advertising called "Meet the Beckers."

If you haven't met the Beckers, you should now. In late September, a three minute video gave a look inside the life of the Becker family, preparing for their annual Thanksgiving tradition. Initiated by Audi, the family features several stereotype car drivers. Daddy drives a Mercedes, brother a convertible BMW and so on, all pretty dysfunctional, except for the Audi guy. It's a fun and interesting concept, recognised by Youtube that featured the first episode on it's comedy channel worldwide. The Beckers mini serie now continues with the just released second episode.

Have a virtual baby with VW

Gulp. I would like to meet the crazy mind that came up with the RoutanBabymaker3000 idea, and the Volkswagen marketer who approved it (what a brave man!). Not sure whether I have positive or negative feelings about the idea that probably is weird and unexpected enough to have a good viral potential. To tell the truth, what surprises me is the complete lack of connection with the brand and the product. God save the brand! The agency is Crispin Porter + Bogusky.