The Truth About Smart 35Once the visitor had answered all the questions in a given section the narrator
would point out any wrong answers and highlight misconceptions about the
car.
Results
The site received more than 270,000 visitors within four months of launch and
visitors stayed on the site for an average time of more than 4 minutes.
With a very low level of media spend the campaign generated an impressive
2,113 requests for further information on smart cars during its first four
months.
Lessons
The results show the potential of a skilfully crafted digital campaign to harness
negative misconceptions or preconceptions about a brand and to re-educate
consumers in a positive way. The campaign highlights how the innovative
application of interactive rich media, applied in a focused and considered way,
can work effectively to engage and inform.
The aim of this campaign from the outset was to surprise and delight people
about a car that was already a talking point by revealing truthful, unburnished
facts about it in an entertaining and engaging way. That was certainly achieved,
but there was also potential to embrace people’s shifting perceptions and
opinions and build on them by integrating with relevant social platforms.
Doing so would have encouraged discussion and facilitated viral propagation
of the campaign through social media channels, and promoted broader online
conversations about the microsite and the smart brand among online friends.