A well-deserved Effie for Ogilvy Social.Lab and Ford Belgium and Luxembourg
On Wednesday, December 1, the "Upgrade Your Tomorrow" campaign developed by Ogilvy Social.Lab for Ford Belgium and Luxembourg to deal with the cancellation of the 2021 Motor Show won a Bronze Award in the "Commerce & Shopper" category of the European Effies.
Brussels, 1st of December 2021 - When the Belgian Motor Show 2021 was postponed as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, potential car buyers and regular visitors to the show missed out. Indeed, the Motor Show, which is usually held in January, welcomes more than 500,000 visitors, giving them the opportunity to discover the latest in mobility and to take advantage of the promotions offered by exhibitors. This makes the event a crucial moment for the Belgian automotive sector, which generates an average of 38% of its turnover in the first quarter of the year.
An opportunity not to be missed for Ogilvy Social.Lab and Ford Belgium and Luxembourg, who have not been discouraged and have launched the "Upgrade Your Tomorrow" campaign together: a three-month communication campaign making the Motor Show experience accessible from home. At the heart of the campaign is Ford Lives - a four-day virtual car show. Broadcast live during the traditional Auto Show period, the Ford Lives consisted of eight key moments showcasing new Ford models and technologies, as well as broader mobility trends. Each session was broadcast in French and Dutch, and could be viewed on the Ford Belgium and Luxembourg websites and Facebook pages. Participants were invited to contact a dealer to take advantage of the show conditions and an additional €250 voucher.
To increase Ford Lives visibility and participation, a communication plan including social and digital media and direct mailing was put in place from mid-December. A TV, radio, poster, digital and social media campaign also informed the general public about the available promotions. The campaign ended at the end of February, encouraging users who had shown an interest in the brand during the early stages of the campaign to contact a dealer to receive an offer.
The results? More than one million people logged on to Ford Lives (more than double the number who visited the 2019 Auto Show) and more than 3.4 million people were exposed to the various touchpoints. Organic searches on the Ford website (Belgium and Luxembourg) increased by 33.78%. And most importantly: an increase in sales of Ford cars and commercial vehicles in BeLux (+8.05%) in a context of a decline in the Belgian and Luxembourg car market (-17.72%, for the same period). In a word, great results for this campaign by Ogilvy Social.Lab and Ford Belgium and Luxembourg.