Nissan makes long-term bet on Instagram
Nissan plans to pull away from its car rivals by positioning Instagram as a long-term platform for reaching new and existing younger customers.
The strategy launches today (6 March) through the car marque’s “JukeDNA” social media campaign to promote the new design and beefed-up personalisation options found in the new Juke car. The update was unveiled earlier this week (4 March) at the Geneva Motor Show as a car that gives drivers an unprecedented level of control over its design ranging from contrasting interior and exterior colour choices to added accessories.
Nissan first introduced personalisation features to the Juke brand last year, however, its debut on Instagram is the first pan-European push to extend the feature to its social media communities. The company is asking fans to share a picture that represents their personality using the #JukeDNA hashtag on Instagram or Twitter. In return, Nissan will send them an image of their own personalised Juke based on the colours and special effects used in the original photograph.
The company says the “simple” mechanic should prove popular with fans after research revealed many have already been sharing their own Juke pictures on the Facebook-owned site. Around 2,000 people are expected to take part over the campaign’s two week running period, according to Nissan and awareness should jump by “25 per cent” during this time.
Activity will switch to more general content once the campaign ends including the use of the recently added Instagram video feature as well as posts of the new Juke Nismo R5 car. Nissan says the content plan is partly inspired by GE’s profile on the network along with Visa’s recent Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic efforts.
David Parkinson, general manger for social and digital engagement at Nissan Europe, says it plans to use the social network as a long-term marketing platform for reaching car buyers with a creative streak. It is untapped channel for reaching potential car buyers due to the limited presence from rival brands, he adds.
Instagram is still a relatively new medium for brands, a situation the social network tried to address earlier this year when it published a best practice guide for marketers.
Parkinson says: “When you look at the people generally using Instagram, which is generally late teens up until mid to late thirties, then you have the perfect Juke target buyer.
The Instagram initiative dovetails with a wider TV campaign set to run in the coming weeks that will continue the personalisation theme. It forms part of Nissan’s “crossover leadership strategy” that pushes its Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail SUVs as best in class. The business plans to ramp up social media investment for all three brands over the coming 12 months.
Separately, Nissan is exploring how it can bring Snapchat and Jelly into its marketing mix.