THE RIGHT OF WAY EXPEDITION

TitleTHE RIGHT OF WAY EXPEDITION
BrandSKODA INDIA
Product / ServiceSKODA YETI
CategoryA06. Best Use of Special Events And Stunt/Live Advertising
EntrantMEDIACOM INDIA New Delhi, INDIA
Entrant Company:MEDIACOM INDIA New Delhi, INDIA
Media Agency:MEDIACOM INDIA New Delhi, INDIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Ashwini Kamat Mediacom India General Manager
Ramaswamy Ranganathan Mediacom India Business Group Head
Jigar Desai Mediacom India Senior Business Manager

Results and Effectiveness

• Nearly 300 Yetis were sold in just 30 days. • By the 60th day, Yeti had sold 3.5 times more cars than its direct competitor did in the whole year (2010) • This was achieved at 1/4th the media investment of other mega brands • A large online network was created around the Skoda Yeti brand : the website had 55,000 unique visitors & Facebook fans rose by 200% to 63,877

Creative Execution

Seeing is believing. Experiencing is even better... To demonstrate the amazing performance of the car, the adrenaline packed itinerary took in 4 states, 3000 kms of demanding terrain, 4 stunning mountain ranges, and endless miles of desert sands. 10,000+ people applied for the competition through a dedicated microsite. Such was the buzz that over 3 million people regularly visited the site to read updates from the travelers. We teamed up with the National Geographic Channel- hugely popular among SUV owners - to televise the expedition over 6 weeks Other activity included regular live status updates and reports from leading radio stations and a journey log published in print via advertorials and editorial support. Moreover, social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter were exploited to provide real-time updates from the travellers. After the event, Steve Winter, National Geographic’s world renowned wildlife photographer selected his favorite photos from expedition to compile a special Yeti Jungle Calendar available for download online.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

In the competitive Indian SUV market, perceptions tended to associate size with quality. Bigger meant better! When Skoda was launching the Yeti, a smaller chassis & wheel-base SUV, we needed to prove that size wasn’t everything and that our car could outperform other, bigger SUVs, especially on rough terrain. Our insight showed that SUV usage was limited to city driving. Owners didn’t go off-roading and never exploited the true potential of their vehicles on rough terrain. So, we created an opportunity for potential Yeti buyers to experience the thrills of off-roading, and learn first-hand that, despite its modest size, the Skoda was a better performing SUV. 15 potential Yeti owners were sent on a journey of a lifetime! In a coming together of man, machine and nature, contest winners were paired with a celebrity driver and a wildlife photographer to go off-roading through India. The Skoda Yeti Right of Way Expedition was born!