Cars at the Mall and SOCIAL MEDIA

[Jeff Kershner]

Hey Jeff,

Perfect opportunity for you to jump on the Location Based Marketing movement. Couple quick ideas:

Have people post their pictures to CarZar (Using either the iPhone App or the Web App) Those using the iPhone app can also post their location to Foursquare or Gowalla, plus Facebook & Twitter via the API's within the app.

I'm testing several different promotions and would love to help you with a short test run; I can make you a custom badge for either the vehicle or the dealership name. This virtual scavenger hunt engages the consumer and helps the dealership with deeper interaction and brand sharing with an final reward to the participant. (Whatever you choose)

Or...

Have people use Foursquare or Gowalla (two of the most active macro LBS platforms) to check-in and post their pics.

This is part of the reason why I created CarZar, to create a community around this type of targeted activity.

Unfortunately, niche activity like this within the macro-platforms such as Foursquare & Gowalla are being lost in the shuffle...I've got over 70 automotive related badges within the CarZar platform already.

Let me know...glad to help ya man.

Sweet idea Eric. I totally over looked your CarZar app. My only fear with this is that it would be a little over Hagerstonions heads. I'm mayor of half of the places in Hagerstown..HA! Heck - I want to do the QR codes but im even afraid this might be a lost cause in this town. Maybe I'll be surprised.

Let's chat some more off the forums. I'll give ya call later this week to discuss.


Love to hear some ideas from others.

 

[Eric Miltsch]

I hear ya...definitely still early for some users. (QR Codes fall in the same category IMO - seems like the only people who know about QR Codes are the marketers implementing them)

Pictures are the easiest form of social sharing...I have some other thoughts around this.

Talk later...

 

[ed.brooks]

Jeff, I love the photo contest idea. It get's them involved with the car, sounds like fun and almost anyone in the mall would have the equipment (a camera phone) necessary to participate. I'm really intrigued by QR Codes and, if it were me, I'd include one as an experiment.

My gut tells me very few people know what a QR Code is, much less have a QR Code scanner app on their smartphone. But I'd love to be proven wrong on this!

 

[Stefan]

Get every retailer in the mall involved! Make it where everybody wants to stop by your car before they start spending any money!*Call it the QR crawl/walk or something like that. Every retailer will have a QR by their register with some special offer that you can only get if you have first scanned the QR that will unlock all doors - the one that is on your car...*
*
** *

 

[jakewirth]

Jeff, I would promote a contest in which shoppers had the opportunity to pitch the car on display to your dealership. Let them sell you on the car, from their perspective. They walk around the 2011 Camry SE, sit inside, personalize equipment, touch/feel and etc... All the while, they may be selling themselves on the vehicle. They could record a video from their phone or take a picture and write a quick review to be submitted. Offer a prize for the best pitch, maybe a driving the the New Toyota for a week. Wouldn't they show their friends and family this amazing vehicle?

The mall traffic would be engaged by the sign that says "Sell this Car and Win it." They would definitely have a fun and memorable experience by going through the process.

Just an idea...

 

[Chip Grueter]

I'm not sure a car sitting in a mall will get a user to download an iPhone app in order to enter a contest. However a big ass sign that reads:

Become a Facebook Fan and
WIN THIS CAR

definitely will draw attention. Short of that, what would draw YOU to engage with a car sitting in a mall?

You could have a photo contest: Whoever takes a photo with the most amount of people standing around the car wins _______________ . Then have the person upload the photo to your fan page. That photo gets tagged by a whole bunch of people in it and it ends up on all those (local!) people's walls....profit....

Chip-

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

Become a Facebook Fan and
WIN THIS CAR

Chip, that's a mighty big price tag to get a facebook fan!

 

[JohnScott]

Get two large tvs 42+, 2 consoles of your choice, 2 comfy chairs a copy of FORZA (since gran turismo isnt out yet).

You have a contest, a race with the car you're showing, or a car from that product line. Lets say you were showing Acura's , you would use the NSX. You can use the software in the game to PAINT the car with your company logo. The race can be a short cone time trial, or a quick 2 lap race.
You could have big banners, a camera filming the "drivers", competitions between Mom and daughter, a board showing the top ten, etc etc.

The results of this contest could be posted on your FB page or your blog. The prize could be anything, but something good enough to make them want to see results.

It will attract attention. It will give you time to sell the parents while the kids are distracted. It will attract adults, lots of them.


How you harvest the emails or FB contacts is up to you, there are many ways to do it.

Yes, you can avoid having a line of kids who are just cruising the mall by requiring anyone under 18 to be accompanied by an adult.

 

[Chip Grueter]

Chip, that's a mighty big price tag to get a facebook fan!

Can you really put a price on social media???

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Great ideas from everyone!!

I've decided to keep this time around very simple...

Encourage people to take a photos of themselves using their phone
Send us the the photo via email or text
Find us on facebook to see your photo

Winners will be contact directly. This way we are not going against any facebook rules.

I know this is simple - but I want to keep it that way!

More thoughts!!






We'll also be using QR Codes and pushing to either the mobile or facebook page.