MotiveQuest BSSP Mini Case Study

MINI WOMMA CASE STUDY v6. MANAGING & GALVANIZING YOUR BRAND COMMUNITY MQ Contact: Tom O’Brien, [email_address] Key Contact: Ed Cotton, [email_address] Date: 4/2/07

CONTENTS

Background on the Partnership

Identifying & Tracking Key MINI Communal Metrics

Creative Executions & Results

Summary of Findings

BACKGROUND

COMMUNITY WAS under-utilized

Equity brand

COMMUNITY FILM

BACKGROUND “ Social Computing is not a fad. Nor is it something that will pass you or your company by. Gradually, Social Computing will impact almost every role, at every kind of company, in all parts of the world. Firms should approach Social Computing as an ongoing learning process, using some of the best practices of firms that have successfully taken the first steps.” - Forrester Research, Inc. February 2006

2006 was an important year for MINI. we needed to maintain the brand's momentum and cool, without having any new news. We decided to focus our efforts on An untapped asseT — MINI's community.

BACKGROUND

COMMUNITY conversations

We had a sense that the MINI community was different and brought in Motivequest to help bring this to life.

COMPETITIVE SET MINI Models Audi A3 Honda Civic si, Fit Saturn Sky Pontiac Solstice Chevy HHR Toyota Prius PT Cruiser Toyota Scion Nissan Versa Toyota Yaris VW Jetta, Beetle, GTI Source: Competitive Set, all dates ACTIVE EMOTIONS PASSIVE EMOTIONS

Motivequest CHALLENGE

HOW CAN WE HELP MINI USE THIS UNDER LEVERAGED NOTION OF COMMUNITIY TO STRENGTHEN THE BRAND AND AVOID BEING A FAD?

FIRST MQ CHALLENGE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

First we establish benchmark measures to determine the rules of category engagement

Category Measures

– Buzz: Are people talking about you?

– Sentiment: Is this talk positive or negative ?

% Positive: Percentage of positive sentiment expr among all mentions of a certain concept or topic

% Negative: Percentage of negative sentiment expressed among all mentions of a certain concept or topic

% Net Sentiment: %Positive-%Negative. The net difference of positive and negative can be positive or negative. Overall the majority of conversations are neutral.

BUZZ MODELS CATEGORY BUZZ COMPARISON BY BRAND MINI and its models maintained one of the highest buzz levels in its competitive set 5/1/06 – 9/30/06 10/1/06 – 1/31/07

ENGAGEMENT MODELS Engagement levels across models Despite no new model releases, MINI maintained the highest engagement levels through 2006 5/1/06 – 9/30/06 10/1/06 – 1/31/07

Model sentiment polarity MODEL COMPETITORS NET SENTIMENT Across it‘s key competitors, MINI had the highest sentiment during most of 2006 Source: All Data 5/1/06-1/31/07 Net Sentiment

SECOND WHAT DRIVES THIS AFFINITY & CONSISTENCY? CONSUMER RELATIONSHIP CAR Looks/Style Cost Performance/Engine Trade Value Handling Warranty Driving Fuel efficiency Customization Comfort Interior Space Exterior Features COMMUNITY Clubs/Organizations Events/Gatherings Manners/Etiquette Enthusiasts Community/Communal PDA: Wave/Honk/Flash Sharing Pics/Dedications Relationships

Competitive set conversations

We found that in our competitive set the community discussion is much more emotional than any other

COMPETITIVE SET MINI Models Audi A3 Honda Civic si, Fit Saturn Sky Pontiac Solstice Chevy HHR Toyota Prius PT Cruiser Toyota Scion Nissan Versa Toyota Yaris VW Jetta, Beetle, GTI Source: Competitive Set, all dates ACTIVE EMOTIONS PASSIVE EMOTIONS

KEY COMMUNITY ISSUES MINI VS. OTHER BRANDS *All brands registered net negative sentiment around Warranty, so here the lowest number represents the advantage. highest index Buzz volume is too small to calculate sentiment – CAR Ranked by overall buzz Net Sentiment Index COMMUNITY Ranked by overall buzz

KEY GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO PRESERVE & Improve mini culture “ I have never been involved in another car culture. Friends who are tell me when they meet MINI owners that our culture is in some ways very familiar - complete obsession with the MINIS -- and in some ways very different -- it seems to transcend the car. We get to know each other on a much more personal level.” CREATIVITY PARTICIPATION FUN/PLAY SELF EXPRESSION COLLABORATION DISCOVERY “ Mini's are meant to be individual so yeah, go ahead and mod her how you please! If you then wanted to trade her in, just take the bits off and stick them on EBay (you'll get more money that way anyway)” “ I got my mini on Sunday here are some pics…Suggestions what to do next on the mod list? I am thinking about putting yellow strips down the roof, what you rekon?” “ I think that MINI owners probably encompasses a lot of people (like me) who would never have dreamed of joining a car club, or naming their car, or getting personalized plates, etc., if they hadn't of fallen in love with their MINIs.” “ I have never seen another car company print and give out for free bullseye stickers to put on your mirrors so you can play a get a bullseye with a bug squash game while driving. The car company and the culture have a deep respect for the car itself, but it has an even bigger respect for having verve in life and having fun in all aspects in life”

CAR COMMUNITY DIFFERENCES MINI VS. OTHERS

OTHERS

Car = Hobby

More car/technical focused

Inclusion

The car is the glue

Self-referential

More business, less fun

MINI

Car & Community = Value System

More community focused

Acceptance (as members)

Car is a blank canvass

Commitment to fun & creativity

More self-aware & ethos aware

CONNECTIONS MINI‘s community is more people focused than other car communities

BSSP: with this framework in hand, MINI set out to activate the MINI Community in a quiet 2006. And strengthen the brand before the r56 launch.

MINI COVERT

MINI TAKES THE STATES

MINI TAKES THE STATES FILM

MINI MOTORBY

TACTICAL SUCCESS: SUCCESS Across all three initiatives COVERT FINDINGS

Buzz spiked past 1% threshold in late July

Positive campaign net sentiment: 7.3%

104 Post Thread around the campaign

“ lol I like that. It just takes some brains to figure it out! Most MINI owners are pretty smart, so....lol Nice find. Thanks for sharing!” MTTS FINDINGS

ENERGIZED THE BASE

Buzz spiked past 1% threshold in late August and lasted through Sept.

ENCOURAGED ADULT PLAY

MTTS inspired videos all over Forums & YouTube

2,101 MTTS tagged photos on Flickr (as of 10/31)

Black market demand for “Secret Black Box” on eBay

MTTS Reports from the road from all over the country

MTTS posters being coveted like rock concert posters

MOTORBY FINDINGS

– Buzz spiked past 1% threshold in

January

“ Fortunally I drive down 294 every day to work. So every day I get to see my name in lights, I feel like a superstar!”

BRAND SUCCESS HIGHEST buzz, sentiment & engagement

One of the highest buzz brands in category

One of the highest net sentiment scores in category

Highest engagement % in category

MINI BRAND NEW ENTRANT TRACKING: February and March have seen a steady level of community participation both from members and new entrants – in all data entrants have exceeded exits Membership: number of people posting in a given week Entrants: person who either previously exited or made their first ever post in a given week Exits: the first week a person records 0 posts and doesn’t post again for x weeks (in this case 13) METHODOLOGICAL NOTE: Because exits are determined by a 13 week absence of posting, there can be no exits after the first week of January 2007. Jan. – March exits will be updated in subsequent reporting.

HAMMER & COOP The CURRENT CHALLENGE

HAMMER & COOP IMPACT ON MINI BUZZ

HAMMER & COOP new creative directions OFFER BEHIND-THE-SCENES STUFF UNRAVEL THE R53 STUNT MYSTERY OFFER ADDITIONAL MEDIUMS CLARIFY THE JCW OPTION “ i would piss myself if [R56 JCW] that came into the states.... IMAGINE THE POWER turbo diesel... 40-50lbs of boost.... with minor parts replacement... well depending on the construction... *sigh*” “ Now if I can get my hands on the Hammer Coop lunchbox - I'll be a happy camper - so...if you happen upon one of those - a check will gladly be sent...” “ Starsky, Magnum, Hasselhof, “K.I.T.T.”, and a fun infomercial all rolled into one? Classic! Pity it’s not available in podcast format (hint hint, MINIUSA!)” OFFER MORE SWAG

SUMMARY

GALVANIZING BRAND COMMUNITY DEFINE OBJECTIVES

– What are you measuring and why?

Volume of conversations

Topics, motivations & drivers

– Look backwards before you look forwards?

– Be careful with sample sizes

– Isolate heavy communicators from light

GALVANIZING BRAND COMMUNITY DEFINE OBJECTIVES

– Identify the social currency in your community and what is the motivation behind it, and rally the community around it‘s social currency

Medical/Osteoporosis: information sharing = peace of mind around side effects & results of medication

Cellular Enthusiasts: Solutions Sharing = troubleshootingtechnological hurdles

MINI Enthusiasts: Fun sharing = Collaboration & play enrich the uniqueness of the car experience

– Monitor the community‘s reaction to your initiative, find the sticky points of conversation & evolve accordingly = viral executions allow for creative nimbleness.