Why is this work relevant for PR?

The campaign presents a creative and original idea established Fengon's brand image and enhanced Fengon's reputation. The idea of setting out on a monumental journey and visiting the unique locations on Chinese banknote help defined the brand positioning. The idea is based on the transformative cultural insight of China and further influenced the consumer's attitude toward the Chinese local automobile brand.

Background

Nine million three hundred and fifty thousand SUVs were launched in 2019 into the domestic market. We discovered the launch of Fengon ix7 to be an epic challenge, but also a massive opportunity. 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. There is nothing more worthy of celebration than the national pride of the people, the blooming of the Chinese economy, and the rising Yuan. By placing the famous sceneries of China on banknotes, consumers can associate the famous sights with Dongfeng’s brand image.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

The campaign is about setting out on a monumental journey and visiting the unique locations on each banknote. We provide extreme performance with the Fengon that can allow you to venture into places beyond your imagination. Our trek encompasses the Potala Palace in Lhasa (50 Yuan note), the Three Gorges Dam in Chongqing (10 Yuan note), Guilin’s beautiful Li River (20 Yuan note), Hangzhou’s West Lake (1 Yuan note), Mount Tai in Shandong (5 Yuan note), and Great Hall of the people in Beijing (100 Yuan note). Over 29 days, Fengon ix7 traveled 13,000 km across 15 provinces and faced many terrains and weather, from -20 degrees to 25 degrees.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

2019 was the 70th anniversary of the founding of China. The campaign takes advantage of the trend of national confidence, the rise of Chinese own brand, and appreciation of the wonder of Chinese great nature to draw out a sense of national pride to the individuals. The campaign strategized presenting the core selling point of four-wheel drive and midsize SUV. (The brand Fengon spells and sounds the same as “scenery” in Chinese). By highlighting the relevance between Fengon and scenery, further enhanced the awareness of the brand and established the national brand image.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

-November 22, 2019: On the day of the press conference, the journey of Fengon traveling to the places shown on the Chinese yuan started. Social media platforms: Weibo, WeChat, news & media. -December 23, 2019: The journey of Fengon traveling to the places shown on the Chinese yuan ended. Social media platforms: Weibo, news & media. -January 9, 2020: The journey of Fengon traveling to the places shown on the Chinese yuan animated CG version is published. Social media platforms: TikTok topview、weibo、wechat、news -January 10, 2020: Documentary film of the whole journey is published. Social media platforms: TikTok topview、weibo、wechat、news

List the results (30% of vote)

The campaign found epic success, grabbing the nation’s attention and imagination. The media has coverage over 39 times. Weibo trending hashtag #Witness the scenery of China with Fengon hits 200 million views in total, surpasses #Guangzhou International Light Festival. Tiktok topview hits 37 million and News media impression hits 115 million. The campaign has largely improved the consumer's awareness of the brand. Data from Tiktok topview shows that followers of Fengon's official account increased by 24123 while 177756 increased in home page traffic over 3 days. Over 13,8000 discussions on Weibo. The consumers expressed surprise and affection for Fengon's extreme capability. The film created a mass self-propagating reaction on social media platforms. Both the brand influence and favorability of Fengon have improved significantly.

Please tell us about the brand in relation to the locality or market where the product / service is distributed

The product Fengon ix7 chose to release in a single region market, China. This is due to the target and strategy of the campaign. The brand itself is a Chinese local brand and try to develop the Chinese market before other regions. The idea and strategy are designed according to China's national condition for a better emotional connection with the consumers.