Sep 22, 2008 12:31 PM

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#4 Best Vehicle-Based Experiential Campaign

HOP Across America
Agency: Civic Entertainment Group, Engage Marketing
Client: Smarterville Inc.

To update its image and boost retail sales, Hooked on Phonics hit the road on a cross-country tour to give kids a hands-on experience with the brand. It transformed an ordinary school bus into an interactive playground, and stopped at retail outlets in 10 markets over a six-week period. Visitors boarded the bus, where they sampled products at three demonstration stations. In each market, Hooked on Phonics donated $100,000 worth of product; it also gave $1 million in products to national education partner First Book. Each of the 16,000 kids who visited the bus received a branded backpack. In addition, the company worked with the mayor’s office in each city to identify and honor “Literacy Leaders” for contributions to child literacy. It also recruited pro athletes whose foundations promote child literacy. More than 23,000 people visited the bus, and awareness of HOP products in stores increased 12 percentage points (from 30% to 42%). The firm also received increased distribution at Wal-Mart, from three SKUs at 1,380 stores to six SKUs at 2,200 stores, and landed its first distribution deals with Target and Toys ’R Us.

Gore-Tex and Windstopper Know What’s Inside Tour
Agency: Marketing Werks
Client: W.L. Gore and Associates

Gore-Tex hit the pavement on a multi-city tour to show people just what their products are really made of. It created a mobile interactive lab that let visitors test for themselves the breathability of its gear and whether it was windproof and waterproof. Inside the tour vehicle, consumers dialed up their own weather conditions to put Gore-Tex and Windstopper products to the ultimate test. People controlled the severity of the wind, the abundance of rain, and the intensity of the bitter cold in the weather chamber. Participants then received a lesson about the science behind the items. A screen showed video footage of key products and testing from the Gore-Tex labs. The effort included a cause-marketing overlay. Gore-Tex partnered with One Warm Coat and collected new or gently worn coats and shoes to donate back into the community. The tour traveled 43,032 miles, making stops at 39 events and 18 retail stops. And the company made an impression, drawing in 833,053 attendees over 127 days. The campaign also earn PR buzz from publications in large markets including Los Angeles and Boston.

Panasonic Living in High Definition
Agency: Next Marketing
Client: Panasonic North America

Panasonic knows that nothing beats a hands-on experience. So the brand hit the road with a multi-city tour to promote its lineup of high definition (HD) products. It sent four custom-built rigs to retail outlets, sporting events and state fairs to show people its product attributes in hopes of driving sales. Each truck featured walk-though displays of high-definition electronics environments, including Panasonic’s 103-inch plasma TV. Visitors received free SD cards to capture images from sampling digital cameras, camcorders and network cameras. Local radio and print ads helped promote the tour. Panasonic executed 200 event days during the nearly four-month-long tour, reaching 24,000 consumers. Of that group, 60% reported a purchase within 30 days and 90% opted into the firm’s e-marketing program. The brand had a 13% increase in the number of people who were highly likely to recommend Panasonic to a friend. What’s more, 84% said the experience somewhat to greatly improved their opinion of the brand, and 88% said they would likely or definitely buy Panasonic.

TRex Trek 2007
Agency: :The Borden Agency
Client: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
See Category #3

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