MINI is one of the hottest brands in the world – in the automotive sector, and when it comes to lifestyle, design and attitude. A brand mindset like “Offer more than a car, offer a lifestyle” or claims such as “#BigLove. We’re all different, but pretty good together” accurately reflect the special positioning of the brand. In 1999, MINI came second in the vote for “Global Car of the Century”. Once a British cult brand, since 2001 MINI has belonged to the BMW Group, which was sixth in the list of most-loved German brands (Talkwalker) in the summer of 2020.
Despite all this, MINI also continuously tries to evolve with current digitalization developments. The latest studies show that, while the majority of actual car sales still take place in car dealerships, 81 percent of all new car buyers search the Internet for information during the purchase process and increasingly desire digital communication with the dealer (LBD Group, 2020), particularly on social media channels, before actually making their purchase decision.
In order to better fulfil this target group requirement, which is key to sales success, the central MINI brand management worked together with Macromedia and roughly 60 students in Munich and Berlin over the 2020/21 winter semester to develop a digital marketing “playbook” and various digital marketing campaigns, which will support the many MINI trading companies in the European sales companies with their digital customer communication, focussing on social media channels in the sales process.
Statement Project Leader
“What an exciting and informative practical project, which we were able to implement in close cooperation with the central MINI brand management. I would like to thank them for the trust they put in our university and the close practical cooperation throughout the entire project. I am already looking forward to future projects in collaboration with the MINI brand and the BMW Group.”
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr
Macromedia University Munich, Head of Media Faculty
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Statement Industry Partner
“For an innovative, creative brand like MINI, it makes sense not only to identify and successfully use trends, but also to predict and actively shape market developments. A particular focus is on young target groups – their ideas, desires and needs. This applies both to products and the customer journey, with various digital touchpoints. Bearing in mind the young target group, it absolutely makes sense to work directly with this group. Nobody is better qualified to say what they want in terms of customer experience. With this in mind, working with Macromedia and the students was a logical option for us. As such, the results of the project are very valuable for the systematic development of our digital marketing strategy. They support the international sales companies and their retail network with the practical application of the overarching strategy.”
Axel Schnell
Marketing Steering Manager Region Europe MINI / BMW Group
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Statement Munich Lecturer
“All the teachers at Macromedia know just how much the students want a strong practical orientation within their university education. The students were able to apply their expertise as actual digital natives, while the MINI brand receives valuable stimuli for the further development of its digital strategy, as these stimuli come from a real target group.”
Chris Brandt
Macromedia University, Lecturer
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Statement Project Lead Berlin
“The cooperation with a cult brand like MINI poses far greater challenges to the students than is apparent to many at first glance. They must learn to critically scrutinise big successes. Applying scientific methods helps them in this regard. They have been given this opportunity by MINI and have not only achieved impressive results, but have also presented them very professionally. They can be very proud of what they have achieved.”
Prof. Dr. Brigitte Kleinselbeck
Macromedia University, Berlin Faculty