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International Launch of BMW Welt
Paul Holmes 22 Apr 2009
After seven years of planning and four years of construction, the BMW Group opened BMW Welt
on 20 October 2007 at headquarters in Munich. In the unique building designed by star-architecture
office Coop Himmelb(l)au, visitors can discover The Art of Being BMW. Brand and product
presentations, the special experience of car collection, exhibitions, a junior campus, gastronomy and
shops are ready to be explored. For the first time the company was confronted with the challenge of
communicating a very special product not only the launch of a new vehicle, but also the opening of
a unique building, an event area and concept which should assume symbolic power for the entire
company and brand. The complexity of the building and its content required new communication
paths for a company which is experienced mainly in product, economic and corporate
communication.

The communication of the launch of such a product represented major challenges for BMW and
the agency involved: 1. BMW Group was not the first car manufacturer who offered a staging of the
collection as well as the brand. As for the communication, it was expected that the uniqueness of
BMW Welt would be emphasized and not be interpreted as me-too product. 2. BMW Group engages
customers and fans from all over the world the communication briefing therefore stated the clear
instruction to enthuse for BMW Welt internationally although it is a local concept well, a building.
3. A bridge was to be erected in communication, representing the ground for a successful opening.
The architect and the owner faced numerous challenges due to the innovative design. This resulted in
delays to the opening on several occasions which had to be nationally and internationally absorbed
by communication planning.

Objective of the campaign
International announcement of BMW Welt, i.e. addressing and enthusing customers and visitors
worldwide
Positioning of BMW Welt as overall concept, as a place to meet the company and the brand
Presentation of BMW Welt as unique concept and clearly differentiated from the competition
Development of excitement to optimally prepare the opening of the BMW Welt and attract as
many visitors as possible (goal: 850.000 visitors per year)

Strategy and measures
The international communication strategy of the BMW Welt is based on four success factors:
1. global message architecture which allows seamless communication worldwide
2. media strategy with a pure focus on global influencing media in the beginning
3. identification of architecture as an international key topic
4. addressing mass media due in time for the opening event

1. Global message architecture: As for every product launch, it was crucial for the communication
of BMW Welt t provides the basis for standard global communication. The demand was made to
communication that these messages reflect in the majority of publications and the assessment of
decision makers, customers and visitors. Please find an excerpt of messages below:

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BMW Welt stands for the unique meeting with the company and brand of BMW. Nowhere can the
company and brand of BMW be experienced in such concentrated form. It demonstrates the
dedication and the responsibility of the company and it is a clear commitment to Munich as a
important location to BMW.
BMW Welt is far more than a pure brand site. It positions itself as a place to meet which as
does the company and brand brings people together, inspires and enthuses them.
BMW Welt engages its visitors with all senses and offers remarkable experiences. BMW Welt
therefore creates unforgettable moments for every visitor memorable moments.
BMW Welt excels with its fantastic architectural design which again emphasizes the existing
BMW architecture at the site and harmonizes with the existing stand architecture at the same time.

2. Focus on global influencing media: Ketchums task was to address customers and visitors
throughout the world. To this end, the agency first identified the core markets of the company and
brought them in line with the core markets of the city of Munich. As a new tourist attraction in
Munich, BMW Welt also addresses the customers of Munich: its inhabitants as well as tourists.
The intersection between BMW and Munich customers defined the strategically most important
markets and therefore the global communication focuses: 17 countries on 3 continents. Starting point
of the communication was, however, not regionally. Before country-specific communication, the
task was to raise global attention as well as covetousness and a must have seen feeling for the
building in Munich. First the campaign selectively started in the three
media centers of the world: New York, London and Peking. 16 global influencing media, such as the
New York Times, Financial Times Europe, Bejing Youth Daily, as well selected German core
media, such as the Sddeutsche Zeitung, WirtschaftsWoche, Lufthansa Magazin, were identified.
They were individually addressed before the opening event in order to place quality articles on the
wide range of topics of BMW Welt in so-called copy media three months before the launch and to
gradually increase the media interest. A topic catalogue was defined in close cooperation between
BMW and Ketchum on the basis of which an exclusive press address was organized. This resulted in
publications such as in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Wall Street Journal
(Weekend), Wallpaper, Fortune Magazine, ORF, WirtschaftsWoche, Manager Magazin, Five To
Nine, etc. Only after this phase did the public relations in the individual countries start; supported by
a international PR-Toolbox with all basic information, material for press releases, briefings and news
hooks for individual media pitchings.

3. Architecture as international core topic: Architecture turned out to be the most sustainable topic
internationally, it therefore had the role of the global agenda setting. While in the daily, business and
lifestyle press only core media reported selectively in advance, the architecture and design press was
comprehensively and broadly involved. The only press event before the opening was devoted to the
topic of architecture only, taking place 18/19 July. With the motto BMW Welt. Architecture.
BMW invited more than 14 international and 14 German media together with the architect Prof Wolf
D. Prix to offer inclusive insights. The thus generated clippings provided the ground for broad
reporting for the opening event of 20 October.

4. Development of suspense and mass communication for the opening event: To increase the media
interest towards the opening event, a targeted countdown phase was initiated nationally and
internationally. The core markets were given a comprehensive PR tool box equipped with all

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relevant tools for local press work, such as core messages, strategy, press texts, Q&A, images, etc.
They were presented in the internal press club of 17 countries.

Two countdown releases (6 weeks and 1 week before the opening event) heralded the direct launch
phase. These also included numerous press dates on site with building site tours, extensive
background meetings as well as exclusive photo shootings.

More than 500 international press representatives took up the invitation to the press conference on
17 October, three days before the first public days on 20 and 21 October. The 70-page press folder
on the opening event of BMW World was available in seven languages.

Results:
BMW Welt was celebrated throughout the world in a total over 1,000 articles in more than 20
countries (e.g. Australia, Bulgaria, China, Dubai, UK, Norway, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, South
Africa, Ukraine, Hungary, US). The core media strategy turned out to be successful and effective.
Coverage evaluation showed that
85 % of the defined global influencing media was achieved positive and substantial articles had
been achieved in all global influencing media titels. These publications were successfully quoted
from other media, e.g. the first article in the New York Times was used 20 times by other media
(print and online) in at least four different countries.
The architecture event generated 17 publications in leading special interest titles worldwide
The content media analysis proved an overall positive reporting:
The core messages were taken up internationally in more than 73 % of articles. (e.g. Heritage and
Horsepower: New York Times 27 July, Munich cathedral is consecrated to cars : International
Herald Tribune 27 July, Car-chitecture: New museums enshrine the brand: The Wall Street
Journal 5 October, Sturm und Drang: Wallpaper Ed. 10/07, Pilgerstdte zu den inneren Werte der
Marke: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung 21 October)
The comparison with the ranges of other German car manufacturers is made, but BMW Welt was
never negatively described me-too product, it was in fact often emphasized that BMW has the
global plan.
65 % of the articles recommended a visit or mentioned the BMW Welt as a place to see.
More than 500,000 visitors came to BMW Welt October to December 2007

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