• Fiat wants to use its new 500 to change brand perceptions
• It runs a 500-hour campaign ending with the UK’s first terrestrial channel sponsorship
• Visits to the Fiat website soar as the 500 sells out

The challenge

Fifty years after it first launched, the Fiat 500 was being rebuilt, redesigned and relaunched. The Italian carmaker had seen the impact that the new Mini had delivered and wanted the 500 to be equally successful with the same consumers.

The challenge was not just to create demand for the new vehicle, but also to change consumer perceptions of Fiat quality right across the Fiat range.
Research showed that the 500, which had already launched in Europe, made consumers smile so this became a clear part of the strategy.

Starcom identified January 21st – officially the most depressing day of the year and 500 hours since the start of 2008– as a time when consumers would be in need of cheering up.

The TV solution

The centrepiece of an integrated campaign was the UK’s first-ever channel sponsorship.

For one evening, Five effectively became Channel 500 with bespoke idents in the evening and ads in every break ensure that no other car advertiser would take share of voice.

Within each 25-second ident, Fiat branding appeared for 15 seconds with the cars effectively becoming the channel icon.

Five’s motor show Fifth Gear started on the 500th hour and at the end of the show there was a feature about the Fiat 500, which had been named the show’s Car of the Year.

At Zero Hour, there was also a spectacular launch event at the London Eye, hosted by Virgin Radio DJs and broadcast live.

In the run up to the channel sponsorship, Fiat also ran 100 countdown spots – all meticulously timed to ensure they aired at the correct moment.

Other activity included press and online.

Results

The 500-hour activity significantly boosted interest in Fiat. Visits to the Fiat website rose by more than 200%, boosting not just the Fiat 500 but also the Grande Punto and Bravo models.

Brand conversations about Fiat rose dramatically, Mini drivers flocked to Fiat sales rooms to check out the new 500, models sold out in launch week and waiting lists continued to grow.

Fiat 500s were sold on eBay for more than the list price.

“The sponsorship of Five really was the jewel in the crown of our whole communications activity for the 500 launch. Being the first every advertiser to sponsor an entire channel in UK terrestrial TV history pushed the boundaries of creative media execution and matched our own ambitions as a progressive, forward thinking and innovative brand. The idea on its own was excellent but the collaboration between all the agencies and the broadcaster to make it happen was truly outstanding.”

Roland Ellison, Brand Manager, Fiat