Competition among the car care industry is tough. Customer engagement marketers looking to build brand loyalty in this industry are not only competing against a host of national, regional, and local shops, but they are also competing for the time of busy consumers, many of which are constantly being pulled in multiple directions at once.
These were among the considerations behind the design of two new customer engagement campaigns from Meineke, one of the nation’s leading automotive car care and repair brands.
The first comes via a new advertising campaign called "On With Life,” which will launch this month on TV and then, later in 2015, across a host of print, social media, and in-store marketing channels. The second will take the form of a new loyalty program set to launch this fall.
Through a mix of humor and empathy, the concept of the ad campaign will communicate that Meineke understands how complicated daily routines can be, and how hard it is to manage car care on top of everything else life throws at people.
The core idea is that taking care of a car should not take over one’s life. And the new integrated marketing campaign will demonstrate how Meineke can, and will, introduce a semblance of convenience and simplicity into the lives of its customers.
“Meeting and exceeding customer expectations has been, and will remain, a priority for us at Meineke, as well as for every owner in our system,” Artemio Garza, Meineke CMO, told Loyalty360. “The campaign’s implementation is a direct response to that priority. It was built around customer desires and needs. We know customers crave simplicity and convenience.”
Another significant aspect of the new ad campaign is that it also promises to be relatable to the everyday lives of consumers. And this is increasingly becoming the key to personal relevance, which is a vital strategy for customer engagement marketers now.
Of the TV spots, which will precede the integrated multimedia campaign, most will feature people in everyday situations including kids getting ready for school, family grilling, Saturday outings, and other scenarios that are unfortunately interrupted by the troublesomeness of automotive mishaps.
"Our approach goes beyond a simple advertising campaign," Garza said. "We want to provide an integrated customer experience built around our new brand, which means Meineke will be convenient, reliable and transparent for customers in every interaction. In a fragmented market like today's car care industry, where there is not one dominant national brand, we believe Meineke has the opportunity to stand out from the crowd by providing the best possible car care experience."
The all-new loyalty program will also further bolster this best-in-class car care customer experience. Details of the program are still largely under wraps at the moment. But it will reward customers for repeat visits and encourage them to visit Meineke for a host of repairs.
“To date, there is not an existing rewards program for an automotive company as well-rounded as ours plans to be, so I’m eager to see it come to life,” Garza continued. “The concept behind the rewards program is based on customer research and what we learned customers want from their car care partner, who we believe is the most important part. That’s probably what sets the program apart the most. It’s not us guessing what customers want. It’s a direct response to what we know they desire.”