2012 Silver Automotive

Client Nissan GB

How did the campaign make a difference? This pioneering data strategy was a first for automotive, building a base of existing customers willing to replace their non-Nissan second car with a new Qashqai. The programme generated over £2.5m for an overall ROI of 5:1, with a staggering 7:1 ROI from loyal customers who now have two Nissans.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? Getting two models of the same marque onto a customer’s drive is a radical new way of thinking for the industry. There was a base of loyal Nissan customers who love their existing car but weren’t ready to change it. So the strategy aimed to proactively sell the new Nissan Qashqai (QQ) with Around View Monitor (AVM) as a replacement for their second, non-Nissan car. There were three stages: firstly, using a unique ‘household view’, the planning platform identified Nissan drivers with more than one car. Then a prospect pool of those ready to replace their non-Nissan with a QQ was created, comparing households who had bought a QQ with demographics, attitudes and behavioural variables to find others who looked like them. Finally prospects were profiled to understand what motivated their car choices. The result was two distinct segments and key product benefits for each.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? Pre-launch built excitement and drove pre-orders in September, followed by launch comms in December, when the car was available to buy and drive. For “trendy families” (households looking for the latest in gadgetry and style), comms led with the AVM. The pre-launch direct mailer and email brought the AVM’s 360-degree view to life. The launch pack contained mirrored ‘eyes in the back of your head’ glasses plus a highly personalised letter (with over 90 variants) and brochure, inviting recipients to book a test drive. The other segment, ”practical couples,” wanted a reliable, high-quality, reasonably priced car from a trusted brand. This work dialled up the brand credentials and fuel efficiency. All materials integrated with the above the line (ATL) campaign.

Results Valuable new brand advocates now proudly park two Nissan cars on their drive. This innovative strategic approach showed that identifying the right household was the trigger to making the sale. The data insight enabled a highly targeted and impactful creative approach, while the creative look capitalised on existing awareness. The result was increased loyalty to the brand, recruiting Nissan devotees with a higher lifetime value.

Team Janine Woodcock, Clare Mason, Catrina Law, Zoe Yardley, Danielle Roberts, Chris Hudson, Roz Hase, Tom Wharfe, Al Hutchison, David Parker, Sophie Sykes