BMW chooses GSD&M
One of the most watched client/agency reviews has been BMW's, which yesterday, we learned, resulted in the company's choosing GSD&M.
Among the reasons this was a compelling sweepstakes was that (a) BMW's previous agency, Fallon of Minneapolis, chose not to participate; and (b) BMW by all rights was already a successful brand, on a roll, beating up on its competitor behind (Mercedes) and gaining on its competitor ahead (Lexus).
BusinessWeek managed to get a look at the brand brief that BMW gave the participating agencies. Here, in part, is the challenge the company gave them:
“BMW wants to bring the excitement back to the brand and restore the equilibrium between their products and their marketing communications. Remember, your challenge is not to reinvent the brand but to evolve the marketing from its current one-dimensional focus on performance…
"Ideally, this new platform will be sustainable over time, yet offer the flexibility to encompass not only where the company is currently headed—but where they might be headed in the future given the unpredictable nature of the automotive business. Think alternative fuel sources and growing sales volume with a successful but polarizing brand. In essence, redefine performance so that it is more than windy roads with fast music….How can BMW expand the current customer base? How do you get the people who admire BMW, who possess BMW values, who possess the BMW gene—but don't place BMW on their shopping list—to place BMW in their consideration set? In sum, how do you get them to want something they don’t consciously want to own? How do you arouse that latent desire? In addition, how will you convince those who purposely choose not to buy BMW because they think the brand is 'too cold,' 'not luxurious,' or 'not relevant'?"
A good brief, a worthy challenge, and I look forward to GSD&M's work.
But I want to return to (a), the fact that Fallon chose not to participate. The brand has been successful of late, and Fallon's work - including the edgy and successful BMW films series available on the web, the same series that helped make Clive Owen
a box office draw - has been at least partially reponsible. I'm not aware why Fallon chose not to participate in the review, but my guess is that they knew that with a new VP of Marketing in charge, their chances - at best - weren't very good. Every new executive wants his own team surrounding him, wants his authority firmly in place among his resources. A BBDO with GE since the early part of the 1900's...that just can't happen today. So companies like Fallon have to move on, ply their trade elsewhere, and continuity, consistency, intimacy with a company and its brand - these are all lost.
The point is not whether GSD&M will do good work for BMW. They will. After all, they won out over some other outstanding agencies, and we can presume they all tried very hard to win the business. But now that all is said and done, here's my prediction: For all the investment the competitors made in this pitch - not to mention the fact that only one of them won the prize - GSD&M may have the account two, possibly four years before some other executive - maybe this time a CEO - wants to make a change. So the winner, ironically, may turn out to be Fallon.
Among the reasons this was a compelling sweepstakes was that (a) BMW's previous agency, Fallon of Minneapolis, chose not to participate; and (b) BMW by all rights was already a successful brand, on a roll, beating up on its competitor behind (Mercedes) and gaining on its competitor ahead (Lexus).
BusinessWeek managed to get a look at the brand brief that BMW gave the participating agencies. Here, in part, is the challenge the company gave them:
“BMW wants to bring the excitement back to the brand and restore the equilibrium between their products and their marketing communications. Remember, your challenge is not to reinvent the brand but to evolve the marketing from its current one-dimensional focus on performance…
"Ideally, this new platform will be sustainable over time, yet offer the flexibility to encompass not only where the company is currently headed—but where they might be headed in the future given the unpredictable nature of the automotive business. Think alternative fuel sources and growing sales volume with a successful but polarizing brand. In essence, redefine performance so that it is more than windy roads with fast music….How can BMW expand the current customer base? How do you get the people who admire BMW, who possess BMW values, who possess the BMW gene—but don't place BMW on their shopping list—to place BMW in their consideration set? In sum, how do you get them to want something they don’t consciously want to own? How do you arouse that latent desire? In addition, how will you convince those who purposely choose not to buy BMW because they think the brand is 'too cold,' 'not luxurious,' or 'not relevant'?"
A good brief, a worthy challenge, and I look forward to GSD&M's work.
But I want to return to (a), the fact that Fallon chose not to participate. The brand has been successful of late, and Fallon's work - including the edgy and successful BMW films series available on the web, the same series that helped make Clive Owen
a box office draw - has been at least partially reponsible. I'm not aware why Fallon chose not to participate in the review, but my guess is that they knew that with a new VP of Marketing in charge, their chances - at best - weren't very good. Every new executive wants his own team surrounding him, wants his authority firmly in place among his resources. A BBDO with GE since the early part of the 1900's...that just can't happen today. So companies like Fallon have to move on, ply their trade elsewhere, and continuity, consistency, intimacy with a company and its brand - these are all lost.The point is not whether GSD&M will do good work for BMW. They will. After all, they won out over some other outstanding agencies, and we can presume they all tried very hard to win the business. But now that all is said and done, here's my prediction: For all the investment the competitors made in this pitch - not to mention the fact that only one of them won the prize - GSD&M may have the account two, possibly four years before some other executive - maybe this time a CEO - wants to make a change. So the winner, ironically, may turn out to be Fallon.
posted by Mark Burris - BURRIS at 11/15/2005 08:09:00 AM
1 Comments:
If there is such a thing as "brief envy," I have it. Not just for the thought-provoking nature of BMW's assessment of its own brand. Simply for the sheer presence of an assignment that is clearly articulated and defined by the very people who have the most to gain from setting the tone for their own success.
Post a Comment
<< Home