At press time, it was understood that the company was leaning towards retaining D3, after a pitch that also included JWT, Publicis, Shunya and Hakuhodo. Of the five, four already had a Mazda connection:
JWT is one of Ford’s key global creative agencies, Hakuhodo handles Mazda in Japan, Shunya oversees Mazda China PR and DMG is incumbent on the M3 and M6 marques.
The pitches came after the Changan-Ford joint venture, in which Mazda owns 15 per cent, launched a new subsidiary — Changan Mazda Sales — to market and sell the M3 and the yet-to-launch M2. Previously, the M3 was marketed and sold via Mazda’s other mainland joint venture with FAW.
However, the last year has seen an apparent weakening of the Mazda-FAW relationship, with the M3’s production almost slowing down to a halt. The new Changan Mazda Sales company is not, however, expected to market and sell Mazda’s other China marque, the M6.
Accordingly, Changan Mazda Sales had briefed the five agencies for the two separate accounts. The M3 brief, according to sources involved in the pitch, was to help ensure that the transfer of the marque’s sales and marketing to the new company does not negatively impact its brand image.
“It’s really about launching the newly-established company,” said a source involved in the pitch.
The M3 competes in China’s highly competitive medium car category, versus the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Bora and Sagitar, Skoda Octavia, and the Ford Focus.
Meanwhile, the M2, will line up against competitors such as the Skoda Fabia and the upcoming Toyota Yaris in the small car category.
“It’s going to become a much more competitive segment,” said the source, “splitting into the cheaper local brands and the more expensive foreign brands.”
Mazda is a relative latecomer to China’s automotive sector. Unlike other markets, its ‘zoom-zoom’ positioning has been used less sparingly.
“Basically, the positioning is that it has all the benefits of a Japanese brand but has more personality than a Japanese brand,” said a source.
In other news, D3 has won the launch assignment for US premium paint brand Behr.