Accelerating the rate of brand acceptance

1. CASE STUDY
CMB help Zeta introduce
autonomous technology into
commercial vehicle sectors
Accelerating the
rate of brand
acceptance

2. Background
Zeta Automotive designs, develops
and supplies cutting-edge electronic,
autonomous control systems that enable
commercial vehicle fleets to reduce
fuel consumption and cut CO2 output.
Zeta Automotive were acquired by
Arriva PLC, following successful trials
of their flagship product, EconoSpeed.
EconoSpeed automatically moderates
a vehicle’s acceleration to provide
optimum engine performance, cutting
fuel consumption and reducing CO2
emissions. It delivers a wide range
of additional features and benefits,
from increased safety to reduced
vehicle maintenance.
CMB help Zeta introduce new technology
to commercial vehicle sectors
Driver
accelerates
EconoSpeed
moderates acceleration
Engine performs
to optimum level
for required demand

3. CMB were asked to develop and deploy
a marketing strategy to achieve the following:
• Identify commercially viable fleet sectors
suitable for EconoSpeed
• Build brand awareness for both Zeta
Automotive and the EconoSpeed product
• Gain market penetration into target sectors
• Generate leads for trials of EconoSpeed
Challenges
The UK bus market is highly competitive
and dominated by 5 major national operators,
with multiple smaller fleets. Most major operators
were aware of the link (ownership) of Zeta
Automotive and Arriva and some saw any
purchase or partnership with Zeta as aiding their
biggest competitor.
EconoSpeed is a complex product, using
autonomous technology that isn’t widely understood.
A level of ‘education’ and problem awareness
would need to be built into the campaign to place
EconoSpeed as the best solution.
Each target sector had a different hierarchy of needs
and problems to be solved. This created an issue
with developing an overall brand message. The brand
‘story’ had to be created differently for each sector.
The original business model set by Zeta was
to offer EconoSpeed on a trial basis. This would
give operators the ability to minimize risk and see
the benefits for themselves, before committing
to large‑scale purchase and roll-out into their
own fleets.
Objectives
EconoSpeed was installed in Arriva’s entire UK
bus fleet, delivering fuel savings of up to 14%.
Faced with these huge savings, they saw an
opportunity to extend its commercial viability
by offering EconoSpeed to the wider commercial
vehicle market.
Fleet operators occasionally faced negative
reception towards fitting the EconoSpeed product
from their drivers, as it altered the characteristics
of driving the vehicles. This led to some drivers
attempting to bypass and in some cases,
even remove, EconoSpeed from their vehicles
during operating trials.
Ultimately this caused some rather skewed
trial data. To counter this, we delivered driver
awareness programs to inform them of why
EconoSpeed was fitted and what it was designed
to achieve.
CMB Automotive Marketing | T: +44 (0) 1327 856102 | www.cmbautomotive.com
“The CMB Automotive team showed a
thorough understanding of the marketplace
Zeta were aiming at. They helped us make
some critical decisions about our brand
strategy for entry in to new sectors.”
Peter Lumsden
General Manager, Zeta Automotive

4. Insights and Observations
A significant insight we identified was that the
customers we targeted would be operating
fleets of over 500 vehicles. This meant that
at £1500 per vehicle to fit EconoSpeed, it would
be a sizeable investment. Fleet managers were
cautious about any investment at any level,
especially with a ‘new’ technology. Our marketing
efforts would need to take into account the
‘fear factor’ and incorporate lead nurturing
techniques, ultimately leading to offering
EconoSpeed on a trial basis (and helping
mitigate risk and boost confidence).
Being aware that much of the UK and most
of Europe’s transport infrastructures are rapidly
being developed and prepared for future
technical innovations, we were able to help
Zeta explore opportunities outside of the brand
awareness and sales based objectives.
Some of these developments include digital
mapping of major cities and the upgrading
of GPS satellite technology infrastructure.
This tied in with technology Zeta Automotive
had developed and presented an opportunity
for Zeta to work with Transport for London on
an Intelligent Speed Adaptation system using
geo‑fencing technology.
Road casualties, insurance and vehicle
operating costs in both UK and mainland
Europe are significant issues. Despite caution
to spend, fleet operators are actively looking
for workable, economic solutions to reduce
costs. This presented an opportunity for Zeta
to place themselves as a preferred solution to
fit the market.
The UK fleet industry currently has no
government regulation but is under close
scrutiny, with many operators seeing this as an
increasingly likely event. They are keen to avoid
government intervention and are moving
towards self-regulation and best practice with
the Fleet Excellence Initiative. This initiative
encourages fleet operators to abide by best
practice and self-enforcement.
Zeta is ideally placed to offer a solution to most
major fleet operators either through EconoSpeed
or other stand-alone products, that can help
fleets operate within their own set guidelines.
Taking advantage of the growing desire to
conform to the Fleet Excellence Initiative was
an opportunity to drive brand awareness and
sales leads.
CMB Automotive Marketing | T: +44 (0) 1327 856102 | www.cmbautomotive.com

5. CMB Automotive Marketing | T: +44 (0) 1327 856102 | www.cmbautomotive.com
To support build up to show events and ensure
good interest and footfall, we deployed direct
marketing campaigns promoting Zeta’s participation.
In addition, we placed strategic advertising and press
releases in the months leading up to the events.
Social media activity was ramped up, creating
an all-round media buzz. Finally, personalised
invites were printed and sent out to key prospects
and customers.
This integrated approach was particularly successful
with website analytics showing significant ‘spikes’
in terms of visits to key landing pages and relevant
web page click-through, in-line with PR, direct mail
campaigns and media attention.
CMB designed and deployed a 360º
marketing campaign including:
• Defining key brand messages – per sector
• Events program – 9 key trade shows,
including: event coordination, booth design,
show support and promotion
• Website design and management
• Search Engine Optimisation
• App development: Interactive fuel-saving
calculator, data capture, media library
• Video and animation
• Email marketing
• Lead generation and nurturing
• ‘Sales Toolkit’: business stationery,
presentation templates, marketing
and sales literature
• Brochure design and writing
• Advertising
• Highly personalised direct mail
• Media liaison and management
• Social media strategy and management
• Technical content creation
• Driver education programs
Market Identification
Collaborating with Zeta and Arriva, CMB undertook
market research to help identify the most viable
market sectors to target. Defining 5 possible
commercial fleet areas, we quickly realised this
would stretch the limited marketing budget too far
to be effective and achieve real market penetration.
Subsequently, we recommended streamlining
the marketing campaign to focus on just three
segments; Bus Coach, Refuse Recycling
and Multi-drop Light Goods Vehicles (LGV).
Once the three sectors were agreed, we analysed
and defined their individual hierarchy of needs
and drivers. This information allowed us to define
the key messages for each sector and best align
EconoSpeed’s benefits to meet their individual
requirements.
Brand Development
The next phase was to get EconoSpeed into the
market place and start to build brand recognition
and lead generation.
Along with industry events, we developed a strong
online and digital marketing base for Zeta, allowing
greater support, brand presence and a mechanism
to measure marketing success and identify
approaches that lacked the desired impact.
What we did...

6. CMB Automotive Marketing | T: +44 (0) 1327 856102 | www.cmbautomotive.com
Notable achievements include:
• Secured contract to trial EconoSpeed with
a major UK national bus operator (with a fleet
in excess of 1000 vehicles)
• Contract won with logistics and delivery
company to deploy EconoSpeed on their
entire fleet
• Helped to put Zeta in front of Transport for
London, ultimately leading to a high profile trial
of Zeta’s Intelligent Speed Adaptation. This trial
attracted national press interest, including
television news reports
• Multiple contracts with public sector
organisations, incorporating EconoSpeed
in refuse and recycling fleets
• Significantly improved brand awareness
in UK and European bus markets
• Successfully introduced EconoSpeed
and Zeta brands into multi-drop LGV and
Refuse Collection markets
• Explored partnerships with OEMs offering
EconoSpeed as part of aftermarket service offer
• First page Google rankings for 9 out of 10 key
search phrases
• Multiple leads gained from both event marketing
and digital platforms
What we achieved...
Event marketing
App development

7. CMB Automotive Marketing | T: +44 (0) 1327 856102 | www.cmbautomotive.com
What they say...
“CMB have played a key role in the
development of our longer term
strategy, brand image and marketing
assets. They have demonstrated
a thorough understanding of the core
market sectors we target and have
been instrumental in identifying and
highlighting our key benefits in these
markets areas, therefore making an
important contribution toward our
ongoing success.”
Lauren Popplewell
Marketing Manager, Zeta Automotive
What we say
“It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to have had an
input in the success of the brand and the growth
of Zeta Automotive and EconoSpeed. Helping them
develop from an unknown brand to the point where
they’re receiving nationalTV coverage has been very
satisfying for me and all my team.”
Chris Bowers
CEO, CMB Automotive Marketing
Marketing literature
Video and animation
Exhibition design and management

8. CMB Automotive Marketing Limited
Innovation Centre, Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire NN12 8GX. UK
t: +44 (0) 1327 856102 e: studio@cmbautomotive.com www.cmbautomotive.com