I like to watch how big companies market themselves. Well, if a business has a huge team of experienced people working on a campaign, there’s bound to be something I can learn from it.
Marketing cars has to be a tough business these days. Most modern cars are comfortable, reliable and stuffed full of features. Unless you’re a true car lover, there’s not that much to choose between the different models any more.
As you can probably tell, I don’t get too excited by cars!
But I was intrigued by Honda’s new campaign. Throughout 2011, Honda will be releasing a series of mini-documentaries by W+K, a website and sponsorship ‘idents’ for Channel 4. A new round of short films started on 2nd June during Cutting Edge documentary, ‘Bums, Boobs and Botox’ on Channel 4.
The films feature real-life customers who use their Hondas in unique ways. The first of four features Philippa, an alpaca breeder in Oxfordshire, who tends to the animals on her farm using her trusty Honda ATV.
You can see the film here…
There is an online hub at www.honda.co.uk/stories where viewers can see the full documentaries plus other films, articles and interesting stories.
There’s also a ‘Take Part’ section, where Honda-owners can upload stories and photographs, documenting the unusual ways in which they use their Honda products. The favourite will be turned into the final mini-documentary and idents for TV.
What I like about this campaign is that it tells the stories of real people. That’s so much more engaging than just showing a car’s features. And then the social media campaign encourages customers to get involved and tell their own stories.
I think the moral of the story for me is to never forget that customers like to connect with real people. And as the marketing messages coming at us keep increasing in both number and their levels of sophistication, that need for a real, personal story is only going to increase.