DHL ramps up profile with M:I3 global debut

<P>GLOBAL: DHL has plugged into the Hollywood sequel Mission:Impossible 3 (M:I3) with heavy-duty product placement and an M:I3-themed marketing blitz. </P> <P><BR>Through its partnership with Paramount Pictures, DHL managed the transportation of movie sets and equipment to prop locations in Europe, North America and Asia. In exchange, Paramount touted DHL as the official shipping and logistics partner of M:I3, and granted creative rights to use the M:I logo in DHL's advertising executions. The global placement was handled by MindShare Performance, the media agency's content unit.</P> <P><BR>"The DHL and M:I3 partnership is about going all the way -- putting the knowledge, skill, speed, teamwork and tenacity to get the job (or mission) done," said Jacqueline Cheong, director of marketing communications and retail, DHL Express Asia-Pacific. </P> <P><BR>The branding campaign runs the tagline, 'Accepting impossible missions daily' and the print ads feature Dirk Ravensteiner, the DHL manager who coordinated the logistics behind shipping the freight used during production. The TVC, co-created by DHL and Paramount Pictures, follows the dramatic expedition of a lone DHL courier tasked with carrying a film reel from Hollywood to Hong Kong. Set to the familiar M:I soundtrack, the courier travels by plane, parachute, van and on foot to reach the director. </P> <P><BR>The above-the-line global campaign is supported by an interactive site (<A href="http://www.dhl-mi3.com">www.dhl-mi3.com</A>), which pits Ravensteiner opposite Tom Cruise. </P> <P><BR>"We are targeting a global audience and, through this partnership, we would like to showcase our expertise in providing customised logistics solutions across different industries to suit the needs of the individual customer," Cheong said. </P> <P><BR>"We are targeting two types of consumers --the shipping decision-makers in MNCs and SMEs, and the mainstream audience. We hope to use the affiliation with M:I3 as a 'halo' for the DHL brand. We want to (communicate) that DHL has the skill, knowledge and tenacity to get the mission accomplished."  </P> <P><BR>M:I3 opens across major cities in Asia-Pacific this month. The campaign rolled out last month and will conclude based on the movie launch dates in individual countries. </P> <P><BR>In terms of market share, DHL currently commands 40 per cent of the market in both Europe and Asia. In the US, however, it owns only seven per cent, while competitors FedEx and UPS hold a combined 78 per cent.</P>