MINI. “Let’s motor.”
When we launched MINI Cooper in the USA, we thought success for us would be every car company and agency looking at us and thinking that they are dinosaurs. It helped not having their huge automaker budgets.
By studying car culture, analyzing iconic brands, and uncovering the unique characteristics of our brand, we created – “Motoring” – an alternative culture of driving. And, by using non-traditional media and traditional media in non-traditional ways, we proved we’re different and stood out. MINI sold out its first year, and we achieved measures on key metrics that are better than brands that have been around for years and outspent us 10 to 1.
In an American auto market dominated by behemoth SUVs, MINI made smallness cool, unique, and had a personality and voice that defined the car and the car buyers themselves.
One TV ad was all we got to tell Americans that the iconic British auto had arrived. With a nudge and a wink.
We used the iconic look of MINI to communicate performance in OOH postings in U.S. cities.
Prop Empty Milk Cartons
Prop milk cartons inserted into magazines gave people a handy excuse to Motor down to the store for a quart.
Motion Sickness Bags
Barf bags were placed into magazine spread ads as a courtesy for those new to Motoring and the thrill of pulling a few Gs on a spiral parking ramp.
Unauthorized Owner’s Manual
Every car comes with an owner’s manual, but a MINI is not every car. So we created the world’s first Unauthorized Owner’s Manual. With tips on how to personalize your MINI and be a courteous Motorer by being “the bigger car.” I literally lived inside a MINI Cooper for a weekend for the inspiration to write this.
