BMW gets people mobile with new Z4 marketing campaign.

Whitby – BMW Canada has put a new twist on the traditional vehicle display. Since April, the new BMW Z4 roadster, with a retractable hardtop roof, has been on display outside the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto. Now, the BMW Z4 roadster is grabbing people’s attention in a new and unique way. Five Z4 videos on two 40” flat screen televisions are capturing the attention of 12,000 passer-by’s’ each day. The screens are located beside the car on Fairmont’s historical flagship property, located in the heart of downtown Toronto at the corner of Front & York Street.

Each video not only grasps people’s attention but engages the consumer with a call to action. The video invites customers to text “Drive” to 111222 to book a BMW Z4 test drive. Once they text, the customer automatically receives confirmation that they will be contacted by their nearest BMW Retailer.

“Traditionally, BMW has presented new model launches outside the iconic Royal York in downtown Toronto to reach and communicate with consumers,” said Marc Belcourt, Brand Communications Manager, BMW Canada. “We have now further enhanced our display, adding an interactive mobile marketing component designed to generate leads and to conquest new BMW Z4 customers.”

The videos highlight different features of the newly redesigned Z4, such as the retractable hardtop roof, the interior and the award winning engine. In addition, there is a making of video that shows creative navigator, Robin Rhode using the Z4 as his paintbrush to create an art motif entitled ‘An Expression of Joy’.

The vehicle display itself also has a new look. The bottom of the display casing is wrapped in an explosive, vibrantly coloured tire track design on an enormous canvas, complimenting the An Expression of Joy campaign. This enhancement has been so popular that passer-bys have come into the Royal York asking for a piece of the artwork for themselves. The current campaign has resulted in a 12.5% test drive conversion rate for those customers texting in to experience a test drive with the new BMW Z4.

The campaign, which began in June, ends on August 31st. In June, BMW led the Roadster segment with Z4 sales and outsold all competitors combined. Canadian sales of the BMW Z4 roadster were up 283% compared to June 2008.

BMW’s agency of record, Cundari, coordinated all elements of the campaign and produced new creative for the Z4 videos that is integrated with the current An Expression of Joy campaign. Cundari worked with Novramedia to stream the five unique videos live to the TV displays and with Vortex Mobile to launch and manage the mobile marketing campaign components.

BMW Group Canada, based in Whitby, Ontario, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI. BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 40 BMW automobile retail centres, 19 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 25 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.