School of Economics and Business, Sarajevo

27TH of March 2017 Student: Lana Bečiragić

Index: 4151-MM/18
SUBJECT: Marketing Communication Management

CASE: Launching the BMW Z3 roadster

QUESTIONS

1. What factors underlie BMW’s desire to shift to a “non-traditional” marketing

venue for the Z3 launch?

Becoming the topic of the day in people’s heads was the main desire of BMW’s team. Profit
and demand are important but in order to achieve that people have to start think about BMW as
the only car for them. They have to be associate with it and start to love it as a brand, rather as
BMW but a brand. The Z3 had to be more than just an ordinary car which will transport people
from the point A to the point B. They wanted it to be the main focus on daily discussions. Using
traditional mass media this would be harder to achieve, even impossible, but using non-
traditional marketing they were recognized as a “different” and people have started to recognize
them as such, which is mostly their marketing policy nowadays as well. The perfect strategic
move was to put Z3 in James Bond’s movie since it’s pretty much known that people in general
want to have things that are “fensi” and putting Z3 in a movie as better than any other
commercial.

2. Do you agree with McDowell that the Z3 launch qualifies as a “paradigm shift” in
marketing for BMW? For marketers in general?

A paradigm shift is defined as a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions…

As such, in my opinion, it worked for BMW but it’s not a general rule and for sure it’s not a
paradigm shift in general, but for the BMW. Saying it qualifies in marketing for BMW would
for sure at some point meant undermining efforts that other companies have done which would
be unacceptable. In the end, the idea that BMW had was really good one. The marketing that
qualifies as paradigm shift was done in some companies before so this might be new for BMW
but not for the market in general.
 3. McDowell claims that he will never go back to traditional marketing after getting
a taste of non-traditional venue. Do you agree?

People get bored if you don’t offered them something different. In this case if people get to
recognize BMW in form of non-traditional marketing after some time their focus on it will
become lower and lower. That’s why I don’t agree with McDowell. Market is a place where
things happen fast and they, as a manufacturers, have to constantly be up to date with any
innovation (even marketing ones) in order to present their product it the best way imaginable.
After a series of non-traditional marketing it could be a refreshment to see BMW in some
traditional mass media. Beside this, no one is creative enough to think about new marketing
approach in every month or two, and sometimes we can realize traditional marketing as a
“taking a breath” rather as a non-applicable ads.

4. Was the Z3 launch successful? How do you know?

Z3 launch was successful because it managed to generate a lot of interest and sales volume
increase. A lot of revenue came in from the Z3 and BMW was satisfied with it. People were
talking about a car far before it was available for the sale and it was a huge success for them.
Even before official launch people knew about the car as soon as they saw it. Basically, that
recognition helped BMW to gain a lot of sales and repurchases. People made a connection
between car and poplar character and identified with the car at that point. If JB traded Aston
Martin for BMW that anyone can.

5. Helmut Panke has engaged you as a consultant on design of the Phase II plan.
What specific objective(s) would you set? What budget and media plan would you
propose?

For the Phase II the most important thing would be to make sure that BMW, as a brand, stay in
the mind of consumers as a relevant one. It’s important to emphasize the image of lifestyle that
comes with this car and that they’re buying an American product since it will be made in USA
with German technology and design, so the consumers get “2in1” product. Commercials had to
reach a target groups, using both traditional and non-traditional media marketing. The budget
has to cover all expenses with an extra money for unforeseen costs. This case is around 15
years old and now it’s obvious that BMW did a great marketing things.