JiffyLube backs China debut with Tequila offensive

With three outlets slated to open in January, the stores will be based in Shanghai, but by year-end, it is hoped the company will operate close to 50 across the mainland. "It's like anybody coming into this market; they're going to take it one step at a time," said David Hunt, general manager of Tequila\China, which crafted the BTL campaign. He added that the immediate challenge would be translating the brand's US positioning into a meaningful identity in China. JiffyLube -- a subsidiary of Shell -- is the largest maintenance network in the US, well ahead of nearest rival Valvoline, which is also operating on a small scale in China. Account director Daniel Koh said the campaign, in development since the agency won the business last month, would begin with a targeted burst. "We will be using CRM solutions for car owners, as well as working with car plants and manufacturers around China to launch loyalty cards," he said. "Because it is a start-up market for them, they want to try direct communications rather than going above the line." The campaign will roll out in January to coincide with the opening of the outlets.