Tag: BMW

Singapore – BMW has recently unveiled its its new M5 Sedan model powering into a new era with its first electrified drive system through a new campaign, ‘Duality Untamed.’ 

This campaign not only delves into the dualistic nature of the BMW M5 but also its drivers, showcasing both its dynamic racetrack drive experience and comfort for regular and long-distance travel. 

Moreover, the narrative highlights the vehicle’s electrifying performance and innovative design, unlocking its full potential for drivers.

To capture the essence of this duality, BMW has collaborated with the man of creative extremes, Justin O’Shea. Known for his versatile lifestyle and passion for high performance, O’Shea’s distinct dual persona mirrors the BMW M5 Sedan’s sleek style and power. This partnership brings authenticity and a unique narrative to the campaign–conceptualised alongside Media.Monks.

The ‘Duality Untamed’ campaign will launch globally, with a comprehensive digital and social media strategy targeting BMW’s core markets across EMEA, APAC, and the United States.

“It’s not very often that the personality of the car and the protagonist are so in sync. Although the M5 is a dream car, I tried to stage the film in the here and now, making the dream relatable. Every car enthusiast can relate to becoming a different persona by feeling the power of such a car. This feel is what I wanted to portray. And Justin is the perfect protagonist for that,” said director Knut Burgdorf.

Singapore – Over three in five (42%) Singaporeans who enjoy camping or caravanning during holidays consider automotive brand BMW to be a ‘leader in innovation and technology’, a survey by YouGov found. 

Tesla comes in second, with one in three (32%) viewing it as an innovation leader, followed by Audi (26%), Toyota (24%), and Mercedes-Benz (23%), where a quarter say the same.

Meanwhile, Hyundai and Mitsubishi (all 14%) tie for the sixth spot among camping and caravanning enthusiasts, just before Mazda, KIA, and Porsche (all 13%), who are in seventh place, and Suzuki (11%) in eighth.

Finally, Lexus and Jaguar (both 10%) and Nissan and Infiniti (both 9%) round up the top 10 automotive brands most viewed as technologically innovative in Singapore.

Interestingly, when taking all Singapore consumers into consideration, Tesla overtakes BMW as the brand most seen as a leader in innovation and technology, while Toyota comes in third before Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

Beijing, China – BMW China has partnered with TBWA Juice Beijing and TBWA BOLT Shanghai for its latest ‘Project Jupiter’ campaign for the Lunar New Year that plays on the uncertainty felt by those born in the Year of the Dragon and the superstitions people follow during the festive season.

BMW China’s Project Jupiter is a 14-minute mockumentary that places in the spotlight the concept of ‘Ben Ming Nian’ or the belief that those born in the Year of the Dragon will have a time of uncertainty in 2024.

The mockumentary puts a funny spin on the idea that even BMW was born in the Year of the Dragon, having started its operation in 1916. In this case, the brand is also susceptible to ‘Ben Ming Nian’. However, Project Jupiter boldly embraces this predicament, not shying away from superstitions but embracing it to create good luck for everyone regardless of their zodiac year.

Project Jupiter joyfully captures the complexity of ancient traditions and superstitions. With the prominent belief that the red colour is used to ward off uncertainty and bring good luck, BMW goes to extreme lengths to stick with this tradition.

The company is seen transforming its global headquarters into the lucky colour red. The company even goes as far as ramping up their production of red BMWs while the employees and even customers are decked out in the auspicious colour.

The film also features four hero characters and other special guests like actors Jackson Yee and Yang Haoyu. 

Aside from the film, the campaign also included a film trailer, a bonus film, and film posters. To further support the red luck theory, red-themed Lunar New Year decoration kits and merchandising packs were developed for retail, dealers, and consumers to ensure the colour red was widespread.

Project Jupiter will run across cinema and online TV, in addition to social and digital media and dealership and retail channels.

Stéphane Koeppel, VP of brand management at BMW China, said, “Chinese culture is enshrined with fabulous insights, stories, and superstitions, and we’ve always prided ourselves on our ability to celebrate and connect BMW to this wonderfully rich culture. Leveraging the creative opportunity of our brand being born in the Year of the Dragon, this year’s campaign playfully continued our obsession to bring joyful surprise, sincerely wishing people good fortune and happiness in 2024.”

Speaking on the campaign, Ronnie Wu, chief creative officer at TBWA China, also shared, “The conundrum this Lunar New Year presented BMW was an exciting opportunity to navigate, while allowing us to continue to celebrate the brand’s deep respect for Chinese culture, tradition, and sharing joy.”

He added, “‘Project Jupiter’ is BMW’s mission to banish the superstitious uncertainty from ‘Ben Ming Nian’ by exploring solutions to avoid Jupiter’s influence. Fueled by engaging humour and special guest star appearances, the 14-minute film follows the mission led by four BMW engineers and scientists. After many attempts, they devised the Red Luck Theory, ending the uncertainty from ‘Ben Ming Nian’ forever.”

Singapore – Global luxury car maker BMW has launched a new campaign for its upcoming iX2 model, which features virtual influencer Lil Miquela and exposes her digital senses and experiences the joy of driving.

Conceptualised alongside Media.Monks which is part of The Marcom Engine, the campaign’s film is directed by Stefanie Soho from BWGTBLD. In it, one could see Lil Miquela breaking into the real world with the new BMW iX2 and step by step falling in love with human existence. 

Said film ties the campaign back to the brand vision of ‘Freude Forever’, and will be available globally and launched in BMW’s core markets across EMEA, APAC and the United States.

Stefan Ponikva, vice president of brand communication and experience at BMW, said, “People have been creating emotions and personal memories in BMWs for over 100 years. The world and the industry are changing rapidly; Digitalization and electrification are finding their way, not only in the product but also in marketing.”

He added, “These advances are important and in the future vehicles will continue to move real people through real worlds and in addition through virtual worlds. We have made this bridge-building the core of our BMW iX2 campaign and the result touches hearts.”

Meanwhile, Patrick Klebba, executive creative director at Media.Monks, commented, “Amidst all the Web 3.0, Metaverse, artificial intelligence push of the past two years, this crafty piece of storytelling is all about real life. Now Lil Miquela reminds us of what we have, and how beautiful it is, and how lucky we are to have it – this is what we want people to feel.”

 Beijing – Following a required pitch evaluation, BMW China has officially announced TBWA\China as its lead agency. To ensure the delivery of an improved brand experience, TBWA China, BMW’s many marketing divisions, and other agency partners must work closely together under this new role.

Joanne Lao, CEO, TBWA Greater China, said, “It’s truly an honour to continue our relationship and partner with BMW for another five years. Together we have challenged category norms to build brand love amongst Chinese consumers. We are excited to continuing to work together to heighten the brand’s success in an ever-evolving market landscape.”

As the initial contract was about to expire, TBWA won the contract renewal with BMW China. The new agreement extends the collaboration between the two businesses from July 2023 to June 2028 and includes a 3+2-year extension option in case it needs to be extended further.

Stephane Koeppel, VP brand and marketing, BMW China, commented, “In China, we’ve been committed to remaining truly relevant to Chinese consumers, becoming a part of local culture while continuing to build on our global heritage. As we continue our journey with TBWA China, we look forward to delighting audiences with work that builds our brand and business.”

Singapore – BMW Group Asia has announced a number of management changes that will help in the company’s next chapter of expansion in the region. They include Lee Hwee Siong as head of business development in Vietnam; Preeti Gupta as sales channel and network development director; Kidd Yam as the corporate affairs director; and Daren Ching as the director of marketing for MINI Asia.

Lars Nielsen, managing director at BMW Group Asia, said, “In 2022, BMW appointed a second dealer in Singapore and began local production in Vietnam to support growing demand in the respective markets.” 

He also added, “We also increased sales volume at an unprecedented rate in Indonesia, emphasizing the need to rethink business processes, ensure higher business efficiencies, and provide increased attention on local development and growth. In order to best support these business developments, we have made the bold decision to rotate roles and responsibilities within the existing management team effective July 1, 2023.”

Siong, who has been with BMW Group Asia since 1992, will relocate to Vietnam as part of his new role. Since 1992, he has been an integral part of BMW Group Asia, demonstrating a wealth of expertise in sales, aftersales, and, more recently, dealer development.

Meanwhile, Gupta, who joined BMW Group Asia in 2016, has cultivated a profound comprehension of the BMW Group Asia business, its clientele, and their interactions with its brands. 

Yam first began his journey with BMW Malaysia in 2010 and has since held various positions in product, sales, and marketing. In 2018, he moved to Singapore and took on his current role as Head of MINI Asia. 

Lastly, Ching has been with the firm since 2005 and has experience in Sales and Marketing, having worked in numerous regional markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. 

The four management transitions are a clear indication of the inseparable connection between business development and people development in BMW’s Asia operations.

”Just as our business evolves and grows, our people must do the same. This is an opportunity for everyone to step out of their comfort zone, challenge themselves, and bring fresh perspectives to their roles and the business. Every organization needs this from time to time in order to stay one step ahead. I look forward to the great things to come from this team and the entire management team at BMW Group Asia,” Nielsen concluded.

Taipei, Taiwan – Automotive brand BMW in Taiwan has partnered with SaaS company Appier and creative agency Bremen Digital Creative to create joint efforts in raising BMW Taiwan’s brand awareness and further foster its customer loyalty.

Through the partnership, BMW Taiwan aims to engage both potential buyers and existing BMW car enthusiasts on social media channels. With this, Bremen Digital Creative has developed a campaign around a cherished Lunar New Year tradition where the first person to burn incense in the temple after midnight is blessed with good luck. 

Meanwhile, Appier’s BotBonnie conversational marketing solution has been implemented, allowing BMW Taiwan better utilise Meta’s Recurring Notifications feature and successfully connect with its community on Facebook to achieve four times more engagements than it did in previous years with a 78% opt-in rate and 99% read rate. Moreover, with BotBonnie’s comment auto-reply feature, the brand will now be able to immediately respond to users and create a longer duration of engagement with each of them.

Brian Chen, Bremen Digital Creative’s account manager, said that with the directions pre-discussed with BMW Taiwan, they designed the social campaign for the Lunar New Year holiday, hoping to increase the number of engagements that BMW Taiwan could have for Facebook campaigns.

“With BotBonnie’s expertise in conversational marketing, we not only hit the target but also greatly exceeded expectations in several key results,” added Chen.

Meanwhile, Li Chiang, digital marketing specialist at BMW Taiwan, shared that during the whole campaign process, Appier’s BotBonnie solution provided the users with 24/7 support, and with the conversational marketing solution, they could respond to users immediately and create longer and more engaging journeys.

“Importantly, in order to broaden the community of BMW fans and potential customers, we implemented Recurring Notifications which helped the company gain 1,500 subscriptions and 2,500+ participants in three days,” said Chiang.

Samuel Chiang, Appier’s assistant manager of customer success, noted, “With the Lunar New Year campaign, BMW Taiwan saw a tenfold improvement in customer participation over previous online campaigns, and we can attribute that success to Recurring Notifications, powered by Appier’s conversational marketing solution BotBonnie, Meta’s authorised partner.”

Shanghai, China – To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, automotive manufacturer BMW in China has launched a new campaign, with the aim to bring sheer joy to all its customers across the country.

BMW said that its Chinese name ‘Bao Ma’ translates to ‘precious horse’, and the campaign is a visual feast of the ‘precious horse’ celebrating and welcoming the Year of the Tiger, an animal known for its vibrancy, playfulness, and bravery, as well as power.

The campaign, which was created in collaboration with creative production agency TBWA\BOLT and artists from Real Good Studio, utilises various visual and audio elements amplifying ‘Hu’ or Tiger in Chinese and ‘Ma’, the ‘precious horse in Chinese, to represent the Year of the Tiger.

Titled ‘Nothing but sheer joy’, the campaign seeks to brighten and entertain, bringing a lighthearted smile to the audience wherever they are during this festive season, veering away from seasonal campaign stereotypes of heavy-hearted emotional family reunions and CNY messages.

Stephane Koeppel, BMW China’s VP of brand and marketing, said “The campaign brings an unexpected and unique perspective to Chinese New Year celebrations by bringing together the dynamic and complementary characteristics of these two auspicious animals.”

Meanwhile, Mo Chen, BMW China’s executive creative director, explains that the campaign injects a sense of joy, which is at the centre of BMW’s brand, together with the Tiger to deliver an entertaining creatively unique experience.

“No tears, no pressure, nothing but sheer joy to welcome in the Year of the Tiger,” said Chen.

The campaign kicked off last 27 January, and was launched in cinemas and across social media including Weibo, China’s Tiktok, and Bilibili, as well as BMW’s own channels. The scope also includes films, posters, and consumer engagement via a user-generated content (UGC) component where the audience is invited to join, create, and deliver their individual interpretations of joy during the celebration.

In addition, the campaign includes a physical set of limited designed collectables including Red Packets and Spring Festival Scrolls, which can be accessed via BMW China’s official app.

Singapore – Interpublic Group (IPG) has announced that its bespoke solution, Team Dynamic, has been named the regional production and operations partner for luxury vehicle company BMW Group.

Team Dynamic integrates production and operations resources on a responsive, data-driven technology platform. It incorporates both onshore and offshore production solutions, delivering quality outputs in a streamlined, efficient way. 

The new partnership consolidates remit across 11 markets with IPG, following Team Dynamic’s appointment as a production partner in Japan and India in early 2021. The new markets include Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand, as well as the Middle East, and South Africa. 

Through the new partnership, Team Dynamic will be handling content production for both BMW and MINI’s media requirements, including digital and offline production, website management and maintenance, marketing campaign services, and after-sales and financial services marketing support.

Mish Fletcher, IPG’s chief growth officer for APAC, commented that they are thrilled to extend their partnership with the BMW Group in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and South Africa through their proven Team Dynamic production model. 

“Our connected technology solution allows for real-time optimization, consistency, and flexibility while ensuring unbeatable content production quality at speed and scale,” said Fletcher.

Shanghai, China – Automotive manufacturer BMW in China has launched ‘The Convenience Store’ on its flagship store in e-commerce TMall, in order to deliver a completely new brand and product experience for a younger generation of car enthusiasts. 

The concept, which was created in collaboration with creative agency TBWA’s Juice Beijing, has been designed to remove traditional barriers associated with purchasing a car, making the experience as seamless as buying the latest pair of sneakers. 

Moreover, ‘The Convenience Store’ integrates popular culture, technology, and service with a brand-led approach, which includes door-to-door delivery, online bidding, car customization, and lifestyle collectibles.

Through door-to-door delivery, customers can now view a model and reserve a test drive with door-to-door delivery without ever stepping into any physical store, while the online bidding is for limited edition cars, where customers can bid to get hyper limited-edition models immediately, avoiding a long waiting list. 

Furthermore, the car customization will enable customers to customize exterior color, wheels, and interior materials for key models enabled by BMW Visualizer tech. And lastly, the lifestyle collectibles will allow customers to purchase a full set of limited edition designed collectibles.

In addition, the initiative includes the BMW pop-up ‘The Convenience Store’ in Huaihai TX, which is the latest street culture landmark in Shanghai. The real-world pop-up provided a complementary sensory experience including Yee’s crafted miniature art cars and collectibles on display, and different art installations to represent the different service experiences in an avant-garde style, mirroring the virtual store.

BMW China has appointed Chinese singer Jackson Yee as its new-generation ambassador to introduce ‘The Convenience Store’ across phygital channels Yee’s creative process in crafting unique miniature BMW art cars, T-shirts, and paintings became the highlight of the lifestyle collectibles.

For customers to gain access to the pop-up, they will simply register at BMW TMall Store to become members.