Title	THE 8 EXPERIENCE
Brand	BMW (SWITZERLAND) AG
Product/Service	BMW 8
Category	C01. Guerrilla Marketing & Stunts
Entrant	SERVICEPLAN SUISSE Zürich, SWITZERLAND
Idea Creation	SERVICEPLAN SUISSE Zürich, SWITZERLAND
Production	SHINING PICTURES Zürich, SWITZERLAND

Name	Company	Position
Raul Serrat	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Executive Creative Direction
Simon Staub	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Creative Direction
Florian Birkner	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Creative Direction
Dieter Boller	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Senior Copywriter
Günter Zumbach	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Copywriter
Daniel Hesse	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Senior Art Director
Nathalie Jakober	Serviceplan Suisse AG	Art Buying / Agency Producer
Marco Lutz	Marco Lutz	Director
Leonardo Sanfilippo	Shining Pictures GmbH	Producer
Federico Bettini	Jingle Jungle AG	Music engineer

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

The BMW 8 Series is the flagship model of BMW’s new luxury line. Access to discerning target group can only be achieved through an idea that shapes an experience for potential buyers, and reaches them outside of traditional channels.

Background

There were three months to go before the premiere of the new BMW 8 Series. At this point, the new 8 Series’ appearance was still a tightly guarded secret. As its unveiling drew nearer, speculation about the car’s design began to mount. But how could we build interest in a car we couldn’t show?

Describe the creative idea

We let only one person test drive the new BMW 8 Series before its launch. Someone who cannot see the car, and so would feel it all the more vividly: Michael Fehr, a writer who has been almost blind since birth. Michael’s test drive experience was poetically captured in a short film, published before the car’s official reveal, enabling us to promote the car without showing it.

Describe the strategy

We had to address a discerning target audience interested in art and culture – people who are open to the purchase of a 220,000-euro car, but difficult to reach over traditional communication channels. So, we gave them an exclusive preview of the BMW 8 Series before its official launch, with a poetic introduction by the almost blind writer Michael Fehr.

Describe the execution

The test drive was carried out on a closed site under the supervision of professionals. Michael Fehr’s experience was captured in a short film and announced with a teaser before the car’s official reveal.

List the results

The stunt was a resounding success: achieving a record number of 128 test drive registrations within the first two weeks. Pre-orders for the new BMW 8 Series exceeded all expectations, with +120%. The reactions have been extremely positive overall, and the story was covered in numerous media reports.