2010 Winners & Shortlists

SHUT DOWN THE RECESSION

Silver
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BrandGM AUTOFEST
Product/ServiceCHEVROLET & GMC RANGE
EntrantSTARCOM MEDIAVEST GROUP DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryBest Use of Special Events And Stunt/Live Advertising
Entrant Company:STARCOM MEDIAVEST GROUP DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement:STARCOM MEDIAVEST GROUP DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Credits

Results and Effectiveness

The Autofest generated remarkable showroom traffic with average walk-ins increasing by 276% during the reveal week. GM sales during the period exceeded the forecast by 26%. Overall brand health monitor measures on opinion increased by 5 points. Brand health attributes for being a trustworthy brand increased by 32% and value for money increased by 15%, which means that customers found the promotion credible.

Creative Execution

Our Idea was brave and calculated. What do you do when nothing else works? Shut down & go home? Yes, that’s exactly what we did; all dealerships were shut down for two days. We announced the showroom closure on a 360-degree media approach as a teaser (television, newspaper, radio, online & direct channels such as emails, SMS & door hangers). All showrooms had a “Showroom Closed” sign, which created a lot of curiosity. On digital, we specifically targeted people who were in the end of the purchase funnel and created an online showroom for them to visit. We also tactically used post-it notes on newspapers, bundled with a response mechanism to track ROI to the last dollar! After the teaser, we reopened all dealerships and announced “Autofest”. We created a festive atmosphere at showrooms bringing in entertainers and pampering people, making the event a memorable experience.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

The automotive industry was suffering from the recession across the world and the Middle East was no exception. Major players lost hugely on sales volumes. Consumer confidence was at its lowest and standard retail offers, no matter what hook or price, did little to generate showroom traffic. American brands were particularly vulnerable and General Motors was in the spotlight given its size and heritage. During times of financial distress, people tend to be far more discerning and wary of standard offers & marketing gimmicks. Our strategy was to do something against the current.

Credits

Name Company Role
Manikandan Hari Starcom Mediavest Group Media Director
Vinod Kumar Starcom Mediavest Group Media Manager
Mazen Haddad Starcom Mediavest Group Media Supervisor
Rommel Guiang Starcom Mediavest Group Media Supervisor
Maria Fernandes Starcom Mediavest Group Media Executive
Allan Guevara Starcom Mediavest Group Administration
Richard Viray Starcom Mediavest Group Administration
Ali Nehme Starcom Mediavest Group Media Manager
Joubran Abdulkhalek Starcom Mediavest Group Media Executive