The Christmas Safety Card
BMW BELUX
Issue 46 | March 2018
Agency
Air Brussels
Creative Team
ECD Eric Hollander Creative Directors Steven Janssens, Joeri Van Den Broeck, Dieter De Ridder Creatives Ruben De Praetere, Yves Van Hacht
Production Team
Eckelwood Gunter Blocken, Tuyen Pham Selectron Stefaan Lybaert
Other Credits
Account Director Ophélie Van Hagendoren Digital Project Manager Siebe Lefebure Sound Production Company Sonicville Connection Planner Max Van Santen Illustrator Joost Jansen Client BMW BELUX Steven De Deyne, Wim Verbeurgt
Date
December 2017
Background
Every year, BMW wishes its customers a happy new year of exhilarating but safe driving pleasure. This year, BMW wanted to do more than just wishful thinking. They wanted to make sure their drivers really did have extra safety when they were on the road.
Idea
The 'Christmas Safety Card' was developed in collaboration with electronics company Selectron. It was a Christmas card designed not to stand on the mantelpiece but to be hung from the rear-view mirror of the recipient's BMW.
Embedded in the card, a micro-sensor measured the driver's on-road behaviour. If the car was being driven dangerously, it reacted with a spoken message from Santa, "Ho, ho, ho".
The sensor measured the G-forces and activated when the car accelerated too fast or braked too sharply or turned too quickly through corners.
The card was mailed to members of the BMW M League, who had recently bought a car and had participated in a BMW Track Day, drivers who would want to get the most out of their cars in a responsible manner.
Results
A tracking survey showed that 80% of the target audience who received the direct mail hung the card in their car.
There was a lot positive feedback from the wider BMW community. Fans sent video clips of them using the card.
Those who didn't own an M expressed their desire to own one, if only to receive the card. Because their kids loved it, the card made BMW drivers more thoughtful about how they drive in winter.
Our Thoughts
This is another example of 'phygital' communications, the meeting point between digital electronics and real-world experiences.
It is also a brilliant piece of brand communication.
BMW have positioned themselves as a brand at the cutting edge of technology, so it stands to reason that everything they do should be cutting edge. Including their Christmas cards. The paradox they have exploited so brilliantly is that in urging M drivers to be safer, they are enhancing the ferocious performance capabilities of the cars. What BMW owner would not want to set Santa off?