MINI Cabrio campaign: open to anything new

The message of "MINI Cabrio. Always open." runs through all
the communication measures of the international campaign Munich.
"MINI Cabrio. Always open." is the motto for the campaign for
the launch of the new MINI Cabrio which will be available from all
dealers in Germany as from 3 July. The message runs consistently
through all the national and international communication measures for
the market launch. A TV spot and double-page print advertisements -
appearing in weekly, lifestyle and popular magazines from the beginning
of June to the end of July - will be focussing, in an emotional yet
tongue-in-cheek way, on the attitude to life of potential owners: the
drivers should be at least as open as their MINI Cabrios are. In any
weather, in any situation, wherever they are. The idea of the campaign
One thing was clear in planning the communication for the MINI Cabrio:
the advertising should be different, without the normal cabrio
clichés of dazzling sunshine and holiday atmosphere. Alongside
the market launch of the MINI Cabrio, it was important to create an
internationally consistent campaign that could be used in all markets.
In addition, it should enhance the high profile of the MINI brand and
open up new customer groups. Amongst the international creative
partners working for MINI, the US agency Crispin, Porter + Bogusky from
Miami won the day with their campaign: "MINI Cabrio. Always
open.". The idea was that a MINI Cabrio is always open and is
actually never driven with the top up. The claim "always open"
does not just refer to the open top of the cabrio, but also reflects
the open attitude of MINI Cabrio drivers. Three TV spots running
world-wide For television, three different advertising spots were filmed
which will be running worldwide. The TV spots aim to convey the
unmistakable go-kart feeling that is typical of MINI combined with the
fun of open driving. In Germany, the "Umbrellas" spot is
running from 21.6. to mid-July. Just as it is starting to rain, the
driver opens the roof with the remote control, gets into his MINI
Cabrio and drives off. He drives enthusiastically through the rain, but
does not get wet, since the rain flows away over the top of the
windscreen. The "Jump" or "Top Down for Life" spots
will be running in other countries. The "Jump" spot shows a
MINI Cabrio driver leaping into his cabrio without opening the door.
When the spot was filmed in London, a stuntman was used, who underwent
a tough eleven-hour training for the jump. He leapt into the specially
prepared vehicle around 50 times until the scene was finally "in
the can". Print campaign The "always open" concept is
implemented for the German market in six double-page image adverts and
two specials, which will be running from the beginning of June to the
end of July in weekly journals (Stern, Focus and Spiegel) and various
lifestyle (e.g. MAX, Fit for Fun) and programme magazines. They show
what driving a MINI Cabrio actually means in a way that is sometimes
humorous and sometimes provocative. A MINI Cabrio that is always open,
for example, is the ideal "natural bleach" for the driver's
t-shirt or is "exciting from a bird's point of view" if
there's food for ants on the inside mirror. The two specials appeal to
the readers' curiosity - sometimes the roof of the MINI has to be
scratched off, sometimes the use of scissors is necessary to find out
more ... As with the TV spot, the "Jump" motif is also being
used for print and outside advertising and in the internet
(www.mini.com). In many markets, so-called teaser advertisements are
being used, which do not actually show the vehicle itself yet. In
adapting the international campaign for Germany, .start München
from the BBDO network was the creative partner responsible for the
classic part. Media planning was by MediaPlus, Munich. Examples of
other "below-the-line" activities Alongside the classic
activities, the "Always open." theme is also being presented
in further "below-the-line" activities, such as: · A
real eye-catcher: the dealer chains the MINI Cabrio - open, or course -
with a padlock to a parking meter, a lamp post or a road sign.
Give-aways and promotion card will also be distributed. · Another
less serious approach is the "Top down contract", which
obliges the buyers of MINI Cabrio to drive with the top down for at
least 90% of the time. The contract will be used in some markets as an
advertisement in popular papers or will be handed to customers by
dealers. · At some dealerships, MINI Cabrio customers, when
their vehicle is handed over, will find that there is a
"seal" on the lever for the cabrio top, with unmissable
instructions only to close the top in absolutely exceptional
circumstances. If you have any questions, please contact: Corporate
Communications BMW Group Africa and Caribbean Region Jean-Michel Juchet
General Manager Marketing and Public Relations Phone: +49/89/382-21248,
Fax: +49/89/382-26844 Email: Jean-Michel.JA.Juchet@bmw.de Internet:
www.press.bmwgroup.com e-mail: presse@mini.com Note: You can download
the above print advertising motifs in printable quality from the BMW
Group PressClub at www.press.bmwgroup.com. Enter: "MINI Cabrio.
Always open." to search the photo archive.