Launching a new car is getting tougher. Rising incomes may be stoking demand, but with more money at stake buyers are also more critical, with the opportunity to research every detail on a car prior to purchase never easier. "People can now know more about your product than you do, if they so choose," warns Saatchi & Saatchi Australia planning director Bram Williams. Automakers have also outpaced the growing demand with a slew of new models, heightening competition even further.
Most campaigns to launch cars, however, have been far from memorable, with many sticking to a well-travelled road of communicating social status. "Car owners don't want to be perceived as different, and since cars largely demonstrate social status in Asia, this is reflected in the advertising," remarks Chris Reitermann, MD of Ogilvy Advertising in Beijing and direct sibling OgilvyOne in North China. "There have been some memorable campaigns such as the 'Loch Ness' Toyota Corolla campaign in Malaysia last year and the Nissan March launch in Taiwan a few years back, but beyond that I largely see wealthy business men or happy families next to their wonderful silver vehicles — and in most cases I can't remember which car brand it was a moment later."
The fiercely-competitive environment confronting car marketers in Asia is forcing a shift in strategies however, across all aspects of the sell. Messages are becoming more emotional, channels are becoming targeted and different disciplines are becoming more important. "There's more differentiation, different channels for different target groups," says Frank Newland, business development and planning director at TBWA-ISC\Malaysia. "More personalisation and relationship building."
With these issues at the fore, Media selected three recent, bold campaign launches from Asia-Pacific and invited the agencies behind them to participate in a round-robin review, assessing the challenges auto marketers are facing around the region, and the solutions devised by their agencies to meet them.
