[jlivingood]

Found the MINI's ad agency in the US. They have details on the basics of the campaign at:

http://www.cpbmiami.com/web/mini/mini.html

Quote from their site:

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MINI

Challenge: Launch an entirely new car company in the U.S. Do it with 15% of the budget Volkswagen had to launch the new Beetle. Avoid becoming a fad.

Strategy: Avoid a cluttered car category that is arguing about who makes the best car to drive. Invent our own category by creating an alternative culture of driving we like to call "Motoring."

PS: Over half of the first year's allocation of cars is already sold. PR has poured in from just about every publication under the sun.
###

In addition to the link above you can browse some of the MINI Book of Motoring at http://www.cpbmiami.com/web/mini/showa.html.

The fact that they are launching a new brand / car company with just 15% of the New Beetle budget is pretty darned amazing!

[minimott]

I think the "branding with 15% less money than VW" is a bit misleading. VW spends massive quantities of money on media buys - and by that I mean billboards, print, tv and radio. (TV and radio being pretty expensive). Mini is limiting their media to billboards and specific magazines for print because the cars are as good as sold already. Mini's target market for the billboards are also significantly smaller than VW because they have less dealerships and smaller markets. I can recognize the adspeak when I see it because unfortunately, I work in advertising! I would be ecstatic if I worked in an agency that got an account like that though, regardless of how many people saw it.

minimott

[Jayomatic]

Its funny looking at that book of motoring. It almost seems like they are trying to promote people having sex in the back seat of their minis! hahah

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jayomatic
Its funny looking at that book of motoring. It almost seems like they are trying to promote people having sex in the back seat of their minis! hahah

But why limit things to back seat?

[KarmanS]

Quote:

Originally posted by BruceK

But why limit things to back seat?

always thought there was a better use to the fold down seats