Using word of mouth to energize a brand community

The automotive category generates a huge amount of buzz and passion in the world of social computing and very few auto brands generate more community and excitement than MINI. So we were thrilled at the chance to work with MINI and their ad agency BSSP to help them better understand what makes the MINI community tick and how to ensure it stays strong.

Anthropological research defines community as a group of people who are connected by a) a common set of rituals and traditions b) a shared consciousness and c) a sense of moral responsibility. These same traits characterize the behavior of the most vibrant online communities, and MINI is no exception. From their “moding” vernacular, to the “MINI Wave,” to the surprising interest in the lives of other owners – this is an owners group unlike any other we have studied.

The challenge was to distill all of this learning into a set of benchmarks that could be used to track the health of the community and generate insights that could be used to inform owner communications initiatives.

In 2006 & 2007 MINI developed a number of owner’s initiatives that generated a ton of buzz and enthusiasm, which helped maintain brand interest in a slow new model year. In fact, one of these initiatives won a 2007 Gold Effie for marketing effectiveness. And in the spring of 2007 we were invited to co-present a case study at a WOMMA Conference with BSSP on our collective work. It has been a productive and fun partnership for us and we hope you will find our brief case study insightful.

Posted by Mark Witthoefft on October 23, 2007