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HICOM-Chevrolet Sdn Bhd
Issue 10 | March 2009
Agency
Arc Worldwide
Creative Team
Tan Kien Eng - Executive Creative Director ; Theresa Tsang – Creative Director; Valerie Chen - Creative Director ; Koh Siok Yee - Art Director ;
Production Team
Ong Chee Hin; Liew Kam Yong ; Fok Soop Chin
Other Credits
Jason John Sinclair - Account Management; Jimmy Khaw - Account Management
Date
August – September 2008
Background
In an effort to boost short-term sales, Chevrolet organised a weekend Tent Sale from 5 September – 7 September 2008. The focus of this event was to sell 24 pre-owned corporate vehicles ranging from the Aveo to the Optra Magnum, Optra Magnum Estate and Captiva. The task was to reassure drivers that the vehicles were ‘second hand’ only by name and price as they were, in fact, in virtually new condition.
Idea
To communicate that these were good-as-new Chevys being sold at used-car prices, a mailer to prospects from Chevy’s database went out one week before the Tent Sale. The pack contained a life-sized plastic seat wrapper identical to the ones found in brand new Chevrolets. The message on the plastic wrapper read, ‘Our Chevys are so new, you may find some of this still wrapped around our car seats.’
Results
In just three days, all 24 pre-owned vehicles in the sale found buyers, as did 10 new vehicles, which translates to RM2.25m in sales. The average sale per day for previous sales events had been just four cars. This was an increment of almost three times that result. The Tent Sale also garnered 490 new prospects through test drives and proved that Chevrolet was a force to be reckoned with.
Target audience
Prospects from the Chevy test-drive database.
Volume/Size of campaign
2,130 mailings
Our Thoughts
This idea is so simple it very nearly didn’t make it through into the magazine. It just looked too darned obvious. But, actually, it’s a very skilful bit of thinking. The message isn’t some bland euphemism about the money you can save – it’s just a straight-forward announcement. BUT it uses the medium of mail brilliantly, getting the recipient, through both touch and smell, to feel what it’s like when you unwrap a new car – that strange plasticky perfume they always have. So the appeal of this pack is emotional rather than rational. And the results speak for themselves.