Price Cuts
HICOM-Chevrolet Sdn Bhd
Issue 10 | March 2009
Agency
Arc Worldwide
Creative Team
Tan Kien Eng - Managing Director / Executive Creative Director ; Theresa Tsang - Creative Director; Valerie Chen - Creative Director ; Koh Siok Yee - Art Director; Benjamin Woo - Copywriter
Production Team
Ong Chee Hin; Liew Kam Yong; Fok Soop Chin
Other Credits
Jason John Sinclair - Account Management; Iskandar Putra - Account Management; Jimmy Khaw - Account Management
Date
July - September 2008
Background
Recent increases in fuel prices have resulted in rising costs not just of transportation, but of food and housing as well. The problem was how to encourage first-time buyers to buy a Chevy at a time when their instincts were to be even more prudent with their money.
Idea
While car competitors zigged with short-term offers, Chevrolet zagged with a long-term offer - 67% off the price of Chevy spare parts for life! Prospects were sent a mailer that talked bout how drivers were having to make cuts to cope with rising costs. Only in this case, Chevy were making cuts as well. Cuts that would help drivers save in the long run, if they owned a Chevy. The idea of the cuts was expressed through band-aids with offers printed on them.
Results
Prior to the campaign rollout, Chevrolet sold an average of 44 vehicles per month for the first half of 2008 but once the campaign got into gear, sales revved up. 58 vehicles were sold in August (14 more than in July) and 74 vehicles in September, resulting in an incremental sales turnover of RM3.1m.
Target audience
A database of non-Chevrolet owners looking to upgrade ? above the national car category.
Volume/ size of the campaign
3,300 mailings
Our Thoughts
The car business is in trouble. Even if you can afford a new car, you don’t want to look flash buying one at a time when others around you are struggling. So why most car advertising still blathers on about iconic style or ‘built for the pace of modern life’, I have no idea. That’s why I love this pack. It acknowledges that these are tough times and it congratulates recipients on being canny enough to take advantage of them.