The global automotive industry had been in a slump ever since the rise of COVID-19 and a 15% drop in global automotive sales during March-April 2020 took a further toll on the industry. However, to everyone’s delight, the automotive sector is showing signs of strong recovery.
Trends like electric vehicles, mobility services, and autonomous driving will further fuel the market and lead to an overall recovery in the coming days. The global automotive industry is expected to hit almost $9 trillion by 2030. With the fog of the economic downturn finally subsiding, it’s high time for car manufacturing brands to get their marketing game right to convert potential customers.
As challenging as that may sound, it can be done if brands understand what their customers want from them, just like these three brands who knew how to leverage the power of Twitter.
1. Honda
Honda is a Japanese public multinational manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Their Objective
Honda wanted to find a place where people could participate in the Happy Honda Days celebration.
Strategy & Approach
Honda kickstarted the event by hosting an Instant Win sweepstakes on Twitter. To participate, fans simply had to retweet an #OpenTheCheer message from Honda. The retweets needed minimal effort, and every new contestant revved the popularity of the campaign. The rest of the job was done by the prizes.
Daily winners received $20 Amazon gift cards or Apple Watches and one grand prize winner took home a brand new Honda Accord.
It further added a charitable element to its campaign by unlocking a $1 donation to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation via every retweet.
The Result
Honda’s Twitter campaign was a runaway success as #OpenTheCheer garnered 180K mentions and 162K Instant Win opt-ins. Also, it led to a 27% increase in purchase intent and a 9% lift in brand favorability.
2. Chevrolet
Chevrolet is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors.
Their Objective
Chevrolet was a partner of CTV’s “The Amazing Race Canada” and sought to strengthen its association with it through an exciting and engaging campaign.
Solution & Approach
Chevrolet launched the #TheChevroletRace inviting Canadians to participate in the weekly contest that ran concurrently with the show. Chevrolet connected with its target audience using Promoted Tweets to announce #TheChevroletRace and remind fans to join in.
Chevrolet used TV spots on Bell Media to drive viewers to Twitter every Tuesday night when “The Amazing Race Canada” aired. Chevrolet engaged users with weekly quiz questions in the form of a Conversational Card. with each right answer, fans came closer to being named the ultimate #TheChevroletRace winner. Chevrolet further doubled down with Sponsored Moments recapping every episode to engage fans and drive brand mentions.
The Result
Chevrolet’s Twitter campaign resulted in a high engagement rate and raked in 8,000 followers. It boosted Chevrolet’s association with The Amazing Race Canada by 113% and drove an increase in perception of brand relevance by 45%. Also, the overall brand favorability was enhanced by 41%.
3. Ford
Ford is an American multinational automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903.
Their Objective
Ford was looking to create a big reveal with its F-150 Lightning truck and dominate the conversation around electric vehicles.
Solution & Approach
Ford went big with its F-150 Lightning launch by revealing its latest EV truck on Twitter through a Live Event Card and a Live Event Page. With Twitter’s Live Brand Studio, Ford created a moment that not only drove massive awareness but also created a buzz all over the world for its latest electric pickup truck.
Ford managed to stay at the forefront of the conversation as the first ad of the day on people’s feeds with a Timeline Takeover and Trend Takeover+. These Twitter brand tools helped park the conversation around F-150 right alongside the trending conversations of the moment.
People interacted with the Ford campaign while exploring the “Trends for you” module on their Twitter homepages. Here, Ford gave people an opportunity to reserve the newly announced F-150 with a Video Website Card.
The Result
Ford’s Twitter campaign was a major success and led to over 1.56 brand impressions and 4.5 million live stream views. Also, EV accounted for 39% of Twitter voice, thereby, giving Ford’s F-150 a major push.
Social media platforms today have become the best mediums for driving brand promotion and awareness and Twitter is certainly a front-runner. Through its various features like Audience Targeting and Creative Canvas, Twitter lets the brand communicate directly with the audience they want and connects with them in unique and creative ways. All you need is a solid marketing plan and a fun and creative way to use these features.