MINI EDUCATION
DIRECT MARKETING
Direct marketing, or ‘DM’, is when a brand communicates ‘directly’ with people by sending out personalised letters or emails. Direct marketing is often used to communicate with a company’s existing customers, in which case it can refer to other facts the company might know about them, for example, what kind of MINI they bought and how old it is now. In keeping with its cheeky brand, MINI has a long tradition of unique and attention-grabbing direct marketing.
MOTOR SHOW CAMPAIGN
The aim of this campaign was to invite selected MINI owners to the MINI event at the 2006 Motor Show and excite them about some exclusive offers. They were sent direct mail and/or an email which asked them to log on to a microsite explaining everything. The creative work followed a jokey TV campaign warning people to watch out for ‘fake MINIs’.

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EMAIL ACQUISITION PIECE
In direct marketing it’s important to have up-to-date information about the customers you’re contacting. This direct mail piece asked customers to help MINI by checking whether their information was correct and provide a signature. The incentive to respond was a free handwriting analysis and entry to a competition. The prize was a personalised adventure weekend tailored according to the handwriting analysis.

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MINIS UNDERCOVER
Three new MINIs were launched together in early 2007. People who had registered an interest online were sent an email inviting them to see a sneak preview of the new models. The email explained that the MINIs were ‘under cover’ but that you could release them by pressing ‘the right buttons’. The email contained a link which allowed people to click through to a web page where computer-generated MINIs were tearing around in a warehouse under a giant piece of silk. When you pressed a button the MINIs burst out dramatically into full view.

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