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4 Jan 2010
Magazine feature asking Top Gear’s audience to submit their favourite driving routesIn addition to this, Mazda branding featured alongside Top Gear at the British International Motor Show and a mini Top Gear magazine was distributed to test drivers via Mazda dealers and at the show.
This was achieved through reader-generated advertorials in Top Gear magazine based on ‘Favourite Drives’ asking Top Gear’s audience to submit their favourite driving routes in the UK. The top 5 suggestions each month were then shot featuring the MX-5 in action, by the Top Gear team and appeared in the magazine. Readers were incentivised to submit their favourite drive with a driving day at a UK race circuit and the opportunity to see their own ‘favourite drive’ in Top Gear magazine.
Details of the competition and website also featured in Top Gear’s weekly e-newsletter to 130,000 users and a display campaign on topgear.com also promoted the competition as well as fixed place integrated traffic drivers on the home page and competition page.
To measure how effective the campaign was in changing user perception and attitude towards the Mazda, BBC Worldwide devised a survey and prompted users to take part using a pop-up on topgear.com.
Consumers who were exposed to the campaign had a more positive impression of the Mazda MX-5 roadster than those non- exposed, perceiving the vehicle to be fun to drive, stylish, sporty, good value for money and a car they would like to be seen in.
They would also be 30% more likely request a test drive and 31% points more likely to consider purchasing the Mazda MX-5 roadster.
The campaign was shortlisted at the PPA, Media Week and Campaign Awards.
Mel Sroczynski, Marketing Communications Manager
Mazda Favourite Drives on topgear.com - Improving brand perception
The Challenge
The Top Gear Creative Solutions team was set the task of creating a campaign that would launch the new Mazda MX5 in the UK and also change the perception of the car which suffered from identity issues.The Idea
In response to the brief, the Top Gear creative team came up with an engaging cross media campaign to get Top Gear readers interacting with the Mazda brand. The campaign centred on reader-generated advertorials in Top Gear magazine, a purpose built micro site as well as online display activity on topgear.com.Magazine feature asking Top Gear’s audience to submit their favourite driving routesIn addition to this, Mazda branding featured alongside Top Gear at the British International Motor Show and a mini Top Gear magazine was distributed to test drivers via Mazda dealers and at the show.The Execution
Whilst increasing brand awareness and purchase consideration, it was also important to the client to get users interacting with the Mazda brand and to demonstrate the driving experience of the Mazda MX5 Roadster.This was achieved through reader-generated advertorials in Top Gear magazine based on ‘Favourite Drives’ asking Top Gear’s audience to submit their favourite driving routes in the UK. The top 5 suggestions each month were then shot featuring the MX-5 in action, by the Top Gear team and appeared in the magazine. Readers were incentivised to submit their favourite drive with a driving day at a UK race circuit and the opportunity to see their own ‘favourite drive’ in Top Gear magazine.
Details of the competition and website also featured in Top Gear’s weekly e-newsletter to 130,000 users and a display campaign on topgear.com also promoted the competition as well as fixed place integrated traffic drivers on the home page and competition page.
To measure how effective the campaign was in changing user perception and attitude towards the Mazda, BBC Worldwide devised a survey and prompted users to take part using a pop-up on topgear.com.
The Results
The Mazda Favourite Drives campaign had a positive impact on the perception of the Mazda’s MX-5 roadster amongst consumers (up 37% from pre to post campaign).Consumers who were exposed to the campaign had a more positive impression of the Mazda MX-5 roadster than those non- exposed, perceiving the vehicle to be fun to drive, stylish, sporty, good value for money and a car they would like to be seen in.
They would also be 30% more likely request a test drive and 31% points more likely to consider purchasing the Mazda MX-5 roadster.
The campaign was shortlisted at the PPA, Media Week and Campaign Awards.
Testimonial
“The BBC Top Gear Creative Solutions team designed an engaging campaign that delivered results. Top Gear was the perfect vehicle to target our audience and the creativity and response to the campaign proves how well the team knows its audience.”Mel Sroczynski, Marketing Communications Manager
