Auto sector continues to seek support from online communities

This month sees the launch of yet more marketing campaigns in the auto sector leveraging social media technologies to build awareness and interest.  Hot on the heels of Peugeot’s RCZ “It chooses you” campaign and Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon” video, Lexus are looking to take advantage of the increasing ease with which people can share their engagement with a brand via their online networks.  Whilst the Lexus “Dark Ride” experience must still of course actually resonate with the audience for them to be willing to share with their Facebook friends (for example), Lexus have importantly established the mechanic to enable this.

In May, we also saw Ford continuing apace with the next phase of their Fiesta Movement campaign, utilising social technologies to support a traditional marketing campaign. They’ve enlisted key advocates from the first phase of the project to develop a number of  amusing, and importantly interesting, videos which illustrate the benefits of buying a Fiesta, and create a great PR story. In building the Fiesta Movement campaign over a period of time, providing key advocates with great incentives (a free Fiesta for 6 months, the opportunity to build their online profile) and balancing the level of brand participation (i.e. it’s content created by real people), Ford have built a strong, credible base of motivated advocates and fans. Furthermore, the strategy of making YouTube the key focal point for these videos helps to drive users to content which can be immediately and easily shared – as demonstrated by close to 1/2 million hits attracted in a little over three weeks.

All these examples help to demonstrate not only how the power of online communities/networks are being utilised in the auto sector with increasing frequency, but also the importance of developing desirable, compelling and useful content.  Have you spotted some killer content shared on YouTube recently – what made is so memorable?