BMW China recently created a rather impressive viral campaign to promote the launch of the BMW M3 ’25th Anniversary’ Tiger Edition for the Chinese market. The new model launched on the 31st August 2010, but only 30 were made!
The aim of the viral campaign was two-fold:
- Create suspense and conversations pre-launch
- Raise awareness of the BMW ‘M’ brand in China
So what did BMW China do?
Stage 1 – Create Curiosity
The aim at first was to create buzz, so BMW posted a non-branded video of a large container supposedly discovered at the Nurburgring (Germany) and suspense was built around teasing people to try and work out what was inside. The video received over 96,000 views per week on Youku.
Stage 2 – Build Anticipation
With the public now curious about what was inside the container, the key was now to create further and heighten interest around it. BMW China placed containers in the Downtown and Wangufjing areas of Beijing.
This public display lead to people seeking out information about the containers online, and articles about the containers entered into local press.
Stage 3 – Raise The Excitement Levels
With the interest surrounding the containers at an all time high. BMW China then unleashed the ‘beast’.
Stage 4 – Product launch
The grand finale. The BMW M3 ’25th Anniversary’ Tiger Edition is unveiled to the public at a much-anticipated product launch.
And at long last the contents of the container are revealed online as well @ http://www.beastinside.cc. Thus BMW succeeds in raising awareness and excitement around the ‘M’ brand in China. A great example of a well planned and executed campaign.
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