Now that the BMW X3 has officially been launched, and the media attention from the Frankfurt International Auto Show has died down, it’s time to get down to the business of selling the third generation of BMW's popular Sports Activity Vehicle that is due to hit dealer showrooms in November. The X3's advertising campaign will emphasize the vehicle's sportiness, versatility, and sense of adventure, and will do so by showing the X3 "on a mission." A number of missions, actually, including the campaign kickoff with a virtual drive of the X3 on Mars.
The first “On a Mission” video showing where no X vehicle has gone before presents the X3 tooling around scientific stations on the surface of the Red Planet. Subsequent television spots will include extreme athletes. Continuation of the campaign spots will be on digital channels.
“‘On a Mission’ pays tribute to a life full of passion, inner drive and true dedication. The BMW X3 brings this dynamic to the automotive world and guarantees a thrilling driving experience, no matter where your passion takes you,” explained Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW.
It's probably a coincidence that the boundaries that the new X3 are pushing in this video are boundaries already targeted by electric vehicle proponent Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and who is currently developing a project to send colonizing humans to Mars. Now the X3—at least digitally—has reached there first.
BMW is definitely going after a younger dynamic target audience that relates to the digital content. Very important to the success of the campaign will be the social media reaction and BMW's own online presence.
Unless you have total recall, this will probably be your first virtual reality trip to the surface of Mars. BMW uses the changing landscape of the planet to demonstrate different aspects of the vehicle as part of the “BMW Personal Co-Pilot”.
“With the BMW X3 Mars mission we once again offer our customers and fans a unique experience—something completely new they have never seen before,” says Uwe Dreher, head of Brand Communications BMW, BMW i, and BMW M. “For me, that is how marketing should be: surprising, modern, with an entertaining wow effect.”
You can watch the video on any browser, but it will only look the way it's supposed to if you use a browser that supports 360° video, like Chrome. Safari, for example does not support the 360° presentation. You may also view the BMW X3 on its Mars mission on most smartphones through YouTube or using VR glasses. The video will also be integrated into BMW's online channels. You may even see it at selected BMW dealers.
Here is the BMW X3 On a Mission to Mars. If it doesn't look right, try copying the URL and pasting it into a 360°-compatible browser.
To view on your smartphone with a VR device, use your phone to connect at www.missiontomars.bmw.
A launch film is coming with photographer Pablo Durano following extreme mountain-biker Trond Hansen through the Chilean Andes mountains. This particular film will also highlight the limited edition Specialized for BMW Turbo Levo FSR 6 Fattie mountain bike. BMW appears to be killing two birds with one video here.
Coming soon will be more BMW X3s "on a mission" with extreme athletes. For example, Swede Freddie Meadows ice-surfs in the Arctic; free mountain rider Martin Söderström takes a daredevil ride across rocky ridges; and extreme campers Fatima Gil and Vicky Vega perch on the slopes of steep rock walls. BMW's intent is for the stunning natural surroundings to highlight the off-road abilities and performance of the new BMW X3.
BMW also says it will introduce an extensive interactive vehicle visualizer that individuals may use from within Facebook, but we have not yet seen what it looks like or how it works.
BMW created the mid-sized Sports Activity Vehicle segment in 2003 with the first-generation BMW X3. More than 1,500,000 X3s have been sold worldwide since, all built at BMW Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. The demand for the X3 has been such that BMW is converting its Rosslyn, South Africa plant to X3 production, and X3s will also be made in China.
The new BMW X3 is more connected, with more driver assistance features than ever. BMW says it has also upgraded the interior finish and that the latest X3 will have nearly all the features of the new 5 Series. That's a bold move by BMW, but what else would you expect from a company that has already sent an X vehicle to Mars?—Scott Blazey
[Photos and video courtesy of BMW AG.]
