2007 GOLD

AUTOMOTIVE, VEHICLES

MINI COVERT

MINI COOPER, MINI USA

Jim McDowell, President - MINI USA
Trudy Hardy, Mktg. Mgr. - MINI USA

BUTLER, SHINE, STERN & PARTNERS

John Butler, Creative Dir.
Mike Shine, Creative Dir.
Ed Cotton, Dir. of Strategy
Lyle Yetman, Copywriter
Mike Hughes, Art Dir.
JP Guiseppi, Art Dir.
Charlie Gschwend, Copywriter
Neil Smith, Account Dir.
Peter Koob, Broadcast Editor
Joseph Piro, Web Developer

The big idea was to advertise to the people who have already bought a MINI to build evangelism for the brand through creating buzz, deepening engagement and driving participation. Communications were encrypted so that only MINI owners with spy-like tools could decode them. We call it Covert. Think Mission Impossible meets James Bond meets advertising. Covert has achieved its goals of buzz (+75%), engagement (+21%), and participation. Over 3,500 owners joined for the first-ever MINI Takes the States coast-to-coast road rally in August.