Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

How Should I Launch A New Car Model?

Posted by Anonymous on 9/7/2006 at 11:25 AM ET 250 Points
I am a brand manager for a medium size car dealership in the caribbean and we are preparing to launch a new car model in late November or early December. The car company sent us 50 remote control cars of the car we are going to launch. I'm thinking of doing a remote control car race for kids where there guardians has to come into the dealership and fill out a car application (as if they were going to purchase a car), purchase a car or come into our service area in order to enter the child's name into the race and it has to be the first 50 or 55 people to come in. what do you guys think about this idea? Should i do it before the launch of the car or after? Any other suggestions?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 9/7/2006 at 12:04 PM Author
    Yes i was thinking to bring awareness, build momentum and get some traffic in the lot right before the launch, the remote control car race idea would be good. What i was thinking is that i would run a few radio spots between now and end of november to get people to enter for the race but over here i don't think that adults would be interested in a remote control car race but kids would and kids can't get to the race unless they come with there parents so that's how i would get the adults into the car lot. The race would be at the car lot on a Saturday and i'm thinking of having some fun stuff for them for the day like face painting, Cotton candy, hamburgers, hot dogs maybe face painting so really making it an all around fun day, at the same time the parents can check out our lot of cars. I will have a live radio remote and the prizes i'm thinking needs to be good for the kid and parent or else the kid might not be interested in entering and the parents won't be either if it doesn't really excite them. thanks a lot for your response.
  • Posted by Stafford on 9/7/2006 at 1:07 PM Accepted
    Love the idea!

    Here's a thought... make it a corporate charity event. Find a good, solid charity in your local area and ask companies to sponsor a car in the race, and they get to pick the driver. Make it $250 to run a car in the race and donate $12,500 to the charity. Ask the charity to buy some print ads to promote in advance (you could suggest 2,500 spent on flyers and advertising for the event). You get the publicity in advance for sign ups, publicity afterwards for the winners and yourselves, the charity gets some cash and all of the promotion is free. Go on a few morning and noon shows to promote it, get a radio station to do a remote for free (because after all - it's for charity!!).

    Not only does it promote your launch, but it allows you to promote it gaining lots of goodwill in the community.

    - Stafford
  • Posted by Stafford on 9/7/2006 at 1:10 PM Member
    Whoops! Sorry Pete - didn't read you'd already suggested the mini-Grand Prix for charity angle. Totally didn't mean to latch on to your idea without credit... but great minds think alike :)
  • Posted on 9/7/2006 at 2:05 PM Author
    I like the charity idea!!
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 9/8/2006 at 8:59 AM Member
    New Car lottery for 'Trade cars for a week!'.
    Have as many winners for your vehicle as you like to keep interest high for months!

    Tongues will wag!!

    Use ballots/tickets (fee to charity) or treasure chest with keys to car door.

    Have fun!
  • Posted on 9/9/2006 at 6:32 PM Accepted
    This is sort of a combination of the ideas already listed, but a different angle. I think you would get more attention around these cars and people asking more questions if they randomly started showing up where people regularly hang out. No announcement, no advertising, no real purpose it would seem. Just 50 remote control cars of the same type show up for 10 minutes, race around and then are gone. After you do this for a couple of weeks, people will start to ask others if they've seen them, guaranteed a local (if not bigger) newspaper and TV will pick up on the story. Then gradually ad teasers to cars with a little banner attached on top with a cryptic slogan that suggests what they are for ("Wanna see me 8 times this size?).

    THEN, ad in the ideas above that let people actually interact with the cars that have by now become almost famous. It will hugely multiply any benefits you would get from these cars.

    Incidentally, kudos to the car company that came up with this idea in the first place. I love it.

    JMR for Focus Fields.
  • Posted on 9/11/2006 at 9:06 AM Author
    Thank you all for your really good responses and suggestions. I appreciate your time. You guys really helped me on my way to hopefully a good promotion!!!
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