- What was the primary objective of this BMW campaign?
Raising awareness and encouraging consideration of BMW's electric vehicle offerings in the UAE was the main goal of the BMW iJACK campaign. The campaign aimed to address a major obstacle to EV adoption: lack of awareness about BMW's EV models. It did this by using Google Maps to hijack charging station locations and replace them with images of BMW EVs. So the first picture prospected buyer see when searching for EV charging station near them was obviously one of ours!
- How did BMW's guerrilla marketing approach on Google Maps contribute to the campaign's success?
By strategically placing pictures of BMW EVs at important charging stations, BMW's guerilla marketing on Google Maps ensured high visibility at a crucial decision-making point for prospective EV buyers. This strategy improved brand association with EVs by utilizing insights into consumer behavior. The campaign proved the efficacy of this hyper-targeted, real engagement, achieving 2 million organic views and a 400% increase in test drives. Furthermore, the noteworthy recognition from the industry and earned media further cemented BMW's innovative position in the EV market.
- Do you have a behind-the-scene story to share?
The amount of time we had to wait for other cars at every charging stations was an everyday hustle for us! Armed with just a smartphone for one entire year, we covertly photobombed every single public charging station in Dubai with our BMW EVs.
Instead of the usual pictures of the charging equipment, BMW electric vehicles became the stars of the show, strategically positioned at these locations. We featured the car from every angle, including 360 views of the interiors, capturing every detail for viewers to see – without even visiting the showroom. We also intercepted every search with smart QR codes that directly allowed people to book test drives.
(Behind The Scene: Tarek, Member of The Serviceplan team caught in a security camera while taking one of the photos for a charging station in Dubai)
Within a year, we had uploaded photos and videos of our EVs on every single one of the 300 charging station listings on Google Maps – creating hundreds of virtual showrooms all over Dubai.
- What were the key results and metrics that indicated the iJack campaign's effectiveness?
The effectiveness of the BMW iJack campaign was demonstrated through several key metrics:
- Organic Views: The iJack garnered over 2 million organic views on Google Maps.
- Test Drives: Test drives increased by 400%, with 2 out of 5 bookings coming from the virtual showrooms created by the campaign.
- Cost Efficiency: Despite the significant impact, the campaign spent zero dollars on traditional advertising, showcasing BMW's commitment to resource efficiency.
- Engagement: High engagement rates on social media and positive media coverage from outlets like ArabGT amplified the campaign’s reach.
- Do you think the campaign leveraged the concept of social proof to influence the consumer behaviour?
Yes, the BMW iJACK campaign did a good job of influencing consumer behavior by utilizing the social proof concept. The campaign conveyed the idea that BMW electric vehicles were a common option among EV owners by overflowing Google Maps with pictures of EVs at more than 300 charging stations. This visibility at numerous charging stations supported the awareness towards BMW EV offerings, which in turn encouraged prospective customers to think of BMW as a dependable and alluring choice for their EV purchase. Utilizing links and QR codes to enable test drives allowed for an even greater profit from this social proof, increasing interaction and conversion.
In summary, the BMW iJack campaign effectively combined guerrilla marketing, strategic digital placement, and social proof to achieve its promotional objectives, resulting in heightened awareness and interest in the BMW EV.