Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi was the newest player in the most hotly contested segment of the Canadian car market: small cars. Competing against established players like Hyundai and Kia, Mitsubishi needed to find a stance that was both relevant and unclaimed. To add challenge to challenge, this had to be done with a budget that amounted to a 1.7% share-of-voice.

BBDO found the answer in Mitsubishi’s heritage as a longtime winner in international rally racing, which suggested endurance, speed and agility. These weren’t just the attributes of a car – they were the attributes of an athlete.

In terms of execution, the biggest challenge was in breaking category conventions. BBDO created a series of athletic-inspired spots culminating in the “Robots” creative, where assembly-line machines came to life to play a game of pick-up basketball. The campaign carried over into the interactive space with online banner ads in which a robot jams the wheel on a Mitsubishi car.

Results were spectacular. Mitsubishi sales increased by 53% in 2007, making it the fastest-growing player in the Canadian market. That growth has continued into 2008: through June, Mitsubishi achieved additional year-over-year sales growth of 18%, nearly eight times the industry average. The “Robots” creative was picked up by Mitsubishi USA, where it was tied into sponsorship of the NBA Finals.