The Campaign

This campaign was developed for Land Rover (LR) China, the UK-based SUV producer. Competition in the Chinese luxury SUV market was getting increasingly fierce; LR needed to differentiate itself from its more well-established rivals. The global network of Land Rover Experience (LRE) Centres was the perfect experiential PR tool to increase brand familiarity, showcase product capability and raise awareness of the LRE Centres in China. A three-staged campaign was devised. The first stage took place at the Gunagzhou LRE Centre in July and had an Olympic theme, capitalizing on the high-level of public interest in the forthcoming London Olympics. Four Olympians, each representing a quality found in Land Rover products, were invited to the event. It resulted in around 50 high-quality media articles as well as international news coverage. The second stage took Chinese media representatives and celebrities to LRE Centres in Salzburg and California. It aimed at highlighting Land Rover’s international reputation and increasing product experience through cultural exploration. Post-event, 47 media articles were written and 174 Weibo posts generated, reaching over 1 million people. The conclusion of the campaign was the launch of the Huzhou LRE Centre. Thorough buildup ensured anticipation was high, resulting in 155 media clippings, 247 Weibo posts (reaching over 2 million fans) and over 50,000 video clip viewings. From July to November 2012 LR familiarity among the Chinese public rose 9% and appeal grew 12%. Land Rover sales in China grew 80% in 2012, becoming the brand’s largest global market.

The Brief

Objectives: - Increase familiarity with nameplates to close the gap on competition. - Strengthen Land Rover’s brand appeal by building upon ‘Status & Aspiration’. - Generate buzz and excitement for the opening of a new Experience Centre in China. Target audience: - Approx. 25 – 45 years old, typically male originating from a tier 1 city. - Greatest influencing factors: status and design. Background: - Experiential activities are becoming increasingly popular. - Celebrity endorsement is extremely effective. - ‘Sportiness’ is a driver appeal that LR performs strongly in. - Masculine and powerful are strong differentiators for the brand.

Results

Olympic Champions event: 49 media reports generated, equaling a total PR Value of RMB 45,908,490 (4.6M GBP). CCTV News and CCTV 4 took part in the whole event, gaining LR its longest coverage on CCTV ever (27 minutes). CCTV 4 reaches over 100 million viewers in 120 countries. Global Experience Centre: 47 media reports generated, equalling a total PR Value of RMB29,103,591 (2.9M GBP). Autohome published the US LRE journey as a front page article, receiving 280,000 views (their most popular front page article). 174 original Weibo posts, reaching 1,063,524 fans. Huzhou LRE Opening 155 clippings published, generating a PR value of 12,811,983RMB (1.2 million GBP). ROI 10:1. 247 Weibo posts generated, reaching over 2,000,000 fans. Online TV reports viewed over 50,000 times. Overall From July to November 2012 LR familiarity among the Chinese public rose 9% and appeal grew 12%. Land Rover sales in China grew 80% in 2012.

Execution

Jul. 17 - 19th Olympic Champions Experience - Guangzhou LRE Centre Four Olympians were involved in the test drive (2 gymnasts, 1 shooting champion, and 1 diving champion), representing power, agility and elegance. Event scheduled 10 days prior to London Olympics, increased brand association to Britain and Olympic spirit (‘Faster Higher Stronger’). Aug. 6 – 10th Global Experience Celebrity guests and media representatives were flown to California and Salzburg to take part in a test drive event. Cultural exploration of these cities strengthened brand image and heightened product experience. The spectacular surroundings, coupled with celebrity endorsement, created significant media exposure. Interviews with local LR customers reinforced the international connection. Nov. 13 – 14th Huzhou LRE Opening Media were immersed in a two day event, including an off-road test drive to showcase product capability and ‘LR Lifestyle Experience’ (activities such as polo, archery and calligraphy) to reinforce luxury British brand position.

The Situation

Campaign was devised for Land Rover China. The China SUV market is witnessing a sharp increase in sales and competition is fierce. LR’s major competitors are more established amongst Chinese consumers in terms of brand awareness and product features. Problem: Competition with market leaders (Audi, BMW, Benz) and differentiate brand value and product highlights. LR has a lack of long-term campaigns compared to market leaders. Opportunity: Capitalize on unique LRE in China and around the world - PR campaign centered on luxurious experiential marketing. Completely PR driven, local and global stories used to convey the individuality of brand.

The Strategy

A three stage experiential campaign centered on LRE Centres: Stage 1: Olympic Champions Closely associate Land Rover’s power, agility, elegance and ‘modern Britishness’ with the Olympic spirit to enhance brand reputation. Select four Olympic champions to represent different LR models and ensure interaction with LR executives to foster strong association. TV coverage: CCTV will run 27 minute report. Stage 2: Global Experience Land Rover’s brand appeal and product capability will be communicated via test drives at international Experience Centres, cultural exploration in respective cities and feature activities. Interview local Mr. /Ms. Land Rover, LR owners who personify the spirit of the brand. Stage 3: Huzhou Experience Centre (HZEC) Opening Convey LR Image as luxury and premium using lifestyle experience (Such as Polo, Archery and Calligraphy). Promote HZEC as the flagship by interviewing its world famous design team (D3) & staging an off-road test drive experience.