The joy of saving
When even Audi drivers stick a BMW emblem on their car, there is certainly a good idea behind it. Or money. Or both.
Last year, BMW celebrated its 100th birthday. In Russia, Bayerische Motorenwerke presented its customers with gifts - because, as we all know, small gifts keep friendships alive.
And the gifts can be really small in order to have the full effect. FCB Moscow based its anniversary campaign on the fact that drivers in Russia leave no stone unturned when it comes to saving the smallest amounts for parking spaces, for example - even if they are in a luxury car costing 100,000 euros. A phenomenon that seems somehow familiar and does not appear to be purely Russian.
To mark the opening of the Moscow-Solnechnogorsk section of the new M11 highway, FCB Moscow seized the opportunity and launched a remarkably simple - and remarkably effective - anniversary campaign together with BMW: from June 21 to August 31, BMW drivers were given the toll free of charge. Anyone sitting in a BMW was allowed to use a separate BMW lane, buy a free BMW ticket and was waved through with a friendly greeting on the exit - instead of being asked to pay like everyone else.
Unsurprisingly, the offer was very popular. By all BMW drivers. The fact that more and more non-BMW drivers were complaining on social media and wondering whether they could pretend to be BMW drivers in order to also drive for free heralded the second phase of the campaign. Now, anyone who "disguised" their car as a BMW could also drive toll-free. Suitable stickers and print templates were distributed and sold like hot cakes.
A total of 300,000 drivers benefited from the campaign and had the toll paid by BMW. Presumably the Russian BMW Group was happy to do so. The Audi with the BMW circles alone was probably worth the money. (hae)
