Campaign of the week – Mini’s Not Normal Messages

by Stratton Craig

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This week, it wasn’t an advert but a clever campaign that caught our eye.  Mini has released a short video detailing how they used interactive billboards around London to personalise messages for Mini drivers that drove past.
Building on their previous ‘Not Normal’ campaign, Mini placed human spotters between Earls Court and West Kensington that identified Mini vehicles driving past them. These spotters fed the information to their team, including the colour, model of Mini and the driver’s appearance. This information was then translated onto the customised, upcoming billboards which featured statements like ‘Hey grey Coupe, you look buff today, grrr!’ and ‘Hey red Mini, what’s your secret?’ Live pictures of the passing Minis were displayed on the billboards, surprising Mini customers as they drove along the road.
Motorists were then invited to make a stop nearby, where they were rewarded just for being Mini drivers. Messages such as ‘Fancy a bacon butty?’ were displayed to Mini drivers, encouraging them to pause their journey and visit a bacon-sandwich loaded team waiting at the next garage. Other treats included smoothies, cold drinks and even bouquets for drivers’ other halves. Some lucky motorists gained a half tank of petrol or a takeaway dinner.
The campaign was launched to celebrate the unique relationship between Mini drivers and their vehicles. Mini motorists were celebrated as being in their own exclusive, unusual clique. The effort saluted a total of 1,941 different Mini vehicles, making it a highly personalised act of gratitude and a very effective campaign.
What we like about Mini’s ‘Not Normal’ campaign is how it has interpreted the phrase ‘Not Normal’ to denote a wholly positive meaning. Celebrating Mini-drivers as non-conformist, Mini then places itself on the market as an unconventional, rebellious brand – thus making it more appealing to the consumer. The colloquial language used on the billboards also made us laugh. Not only did we enjoy the cheeky, targeted phrasing but it cleverly emphasised Mini’s maverick position on advertising, too. Mini therefore does not have to adhere to the usual language standards that other brands have to. Cheeky, slightly eccentric and wholly ‘Not Normal’, Mini has succeeded in creating a campaign as unusual and delightful as the brand itself.