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Mini and DraftFCB: driving big change

The eyes of car salesmen the world over might be nervously focused on New Zealand this week, as Mini pilots a radical new retail strategy.

In what it says is a world first, Mini is pulling its cars from the country’s dealerships in favour of an online store where punters can choose, personalise, finance and buy their new wheels from the comfort of their keyboards. The traditionalists who would rather see, touch, taste, smell and hear a car before they buy it still have the option of visiting the single pop-up brand store on Auckland’s Ponsonby Road before they click ‘Buy Now’, or can call an 0800 number to request a test drive from a Mobile Agent.

To mark the brave new campaign, Mini is releasing a new model: the Mini Soho. They’re so exclusive there are only 15 in the world, and they’re only available online in New Zealand.

Mini and agency DraftFCB have assigned each of the 15 cars a number—and apparently their own distinct personalities. Mini says there’s one to suit everyone “from the big and bold Mini Soho 1, to the naughty second child, to lucky number 7 and the daring number 9 with its nine lives”. It seems, however, that their personalities are more than skin deep—they all look fairly similar on the very cool website.

The company says there’s also a bunch of New Zealand firsts included in the launch, such as New Zealand’s first 3D cinema ad in conjunction with Val Morgan and Digipost, New Zealand’s first ‘cling’ poster campaign, exclusive ads on New Zealand’s new music channel C42, and the creation of a whole new medium it’s calling magazine-edge advertising, as seen in the latest issue of ProDesign.

Youtube Video

Youtube Video

There will also be a window display at fashion boutique Black Box, bar coasters, a painting with a rather hefty price tag, urban digital projections and a daredevil stunt.

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