After working together for almost five years, MINI USA’s advertising agency, Scheid, Roberts, and Reicher (SRR) decided to resign the MINI account in order to pursue a larger account with Volkswagen. MINI USA had developed a significant successful client-advertising agency relationship with SRR since the launch of MINI Cooper in USA, and MINI’s advertising had been highly unconventional. For Trudy Hardy, marketing manager for MINI USA, the first challenge was starting over and finding a new but unique advertising agency before the end of the year. The selection process would be the crucial part. This analysis will discuss about the development of MINI and SRR, the alternatives of campaign strategy, and the recommendations to the MINI USA.
For the last 40 years, MINI has become a cultural icon in all of those automobiles. Originally, MINI was deigned for those people who seeking frugal transport. After the acquisition of BMW, the new MINI model had been designed with a more evolutionary approach in terms of design combined with BMW’s reputation for delivering high-performance, driver-oriented cars. However, MINI was still seen as a less expensive car to compete at luxury end of a maturing world market.
Before the official launch of US’s Marketing, plans were to position the MINI as a Premium small car because MINI Cooper was smaller and more expensive than some of the better-established compact cars made by Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.
According the initial MINI marketing material and media reports, the MINI Cooper was described as “fashionable accessory to an affluent, urban-hipster lifestyle.” This report suggested that the target market for the MINI was not limited to a specific demographic group or socioeconomic class but rather was more of a lifestyle choice or mind-set. From this report, MINI and BMW AG decided that the psychographic might have a significant impact on the purchase of a MINI. Also, the new MINI should be marketed as a