Smart Car wants to expand its electric vehicle business and grow its reputation with a new overarching strategy. The strategy needs a big idea to create engaging content across Smart Car's digital and social channels. The goal is to attract a younger, more environmentally conscious audience by showing that Smart Cars are essential for efficient city living, the future of easy and fun transportation, and help people maximize their leisure time. The strategy is called "Act Cool. Be Cool!" with the key insight being that Smart Cars need to not only look cool by breaking design rules, but also act cool by breaking behavior rules of what a car should be.

1. Sarah Brookes 2014

2. Smart Car is expanding their range of cars (electric in particular) to grow the business
and need to grow their reputation with it.
We need to have a vision and a ‘big idea’ for an overarching strategy.
It needs to be used to create content across all of their digital and social channels.
The idea should potentially translate to TTL and ATL experiential activity.

3. BUSINESS OBJECTIVES:
Specific:
Drive traffic to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, & Destination smart
Measurable:
Increase engagement levels, activity and traffic
Achievable:
Increase presence across (above) social channels
Realistic:
Get the attention of a younger audience
Timely:
Evolve brand personality from quirky to cool

4. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Traffic driven to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, & Destination smart
Interaction across (above) social channels
Increased sentiment among a younger audience

5. Important challenge:
• Get the attention of a younger audience
• Encourage them to reappraise the brand positively
• Advocate it as cool to the people around them.

6. Millennials, who are 18-34 and ethnically diverse
City dwellers
Environmentalists – because it saves them money (mostly)
Open minded people who appreciate new and interesting design / technology

7. WHAT DO THEY DO?

8. They have driving further down on their priority list – care more
about owning the latest technology.
Use their smartphones to stay connected 24/7
Use technology to make their lives easier and more entertaining
Play: Leisure, friends and experiences are of high importance –fear
of missing out (fomo) is real
Want a life/work balance, work flexible hours and don’t mind
blurring the boundaries between the two.

9. They find freedom from their parents online
(many still live at home)
They are not brand loyal and are open to trying new things
They research online before making a considered purchase.
Like to feel part of a community or ideas bigger than themselves
Accept advertising in order to benefit from free services and deals
Their self-identity is important and they spend time curating their
‘brand’ online via social networks as well as offline.

10. Video – Millennials are the heaviest viewers of
video content
Smartphones are most popular for viewing
video in most places
They use smartphones (94%), tablets (23%),
Laptop (70%), MP3 (69%), Television
90% of all media consumption is screen-based
77% of television is watched with another
device (dual screening)

11. Millennials like photos
They use Facebook, YouTube,
Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter,
Tumblr, & Whatsapp
In 2013 Twitter was voted as
most important social network
for teens, with Instagram not far
behind
Facebook holds onto it’s users
because ‘participation’ is seen as
an important part of teen
socialising

12. INSIGHT #1 Young people have driving lower down on their priority list.
They live in cities and are
struggling financially and
are more concerned with
owning the latest
smartphone. They look for
transport alternatives to
help them save money.
They also see public
transport as efficient
because they can spend
time on smartphones and
laptops instead of driving.
Need: Prove that smart
cars are essential for
efficient city living

13. INSIGHT #2 Smart Cars are not seen as ‘cool’ technology
Millennials see
technology as something
to make their lives easier
and more entertaining.
They expect technology
to keep them up to date
24/7. Smart Cars are seen
as ‘tinny’ weak and slow.
A car that still hinders
rather than helps them.
Need: Prove that Smart
Cars are the future of
easy, fun, and
economical city life.

14. INSIGHT #3 Generation Play have a fear of missing out
Brought up seeing the need
for a work / life balance and
having access to the internet
at home – leisure is a high
priority for this audience.
They put a high priority on
friends, experiences and ideas
bigger than themselves.
Need: To see that Smart is a
gain to their social & leisure
time.

15. INSIGHT #4 Being cool is about violating the rules people deem as unnecessary
Smart cars are
designed for people
who appreciate new
and unusual design
Smart Car have
changed the rules
how on how a car
should look and
behave
Need: Smart cars
need to act cool as
well as look cool.

16. Strategy: Act Cool. Be Cool!
Attitude. Content. Entertain. Value.

17. Being cool is about violating the rules people
deem as unnecessary
Smart cars are designed for people who
appreciate new and unusual design
Smart car have changed the rules on how a
car should look and behave
Need: Smart cars need to act cool as well as
look cool.
KEY INSIGHT:

18. Proposition: Smart Car is designed to break the rules