For the first time since 1996, Porsche was introducing an all-new Boxster to the market – a market where the Boxster has enjoyed year-on-year growth. For the launch of this new car, Porsche wanted to appeal to a younger, more style conscious audience – in other words, the people who purchase and covet the Boxster.
We began by looking not at the car, but the types of men and women who own (or wish to own) the car. Boxster drivers tend to be young and style conscious, with packed social calendars: they are on the go day and night, not only to see but also to be seen. Our research indicated that unlike many other global markets, Boxster owners in China are mainly worried about the brand and exterior design of their car, and less concerned with the driving experience or new technologies it contains.
This gave us our key insight: when buying a Boxster in China, the consumer is not only buying a car, they are buying the image and lifestyle that goes along with the car.
Our launch experience consisted of three audiences: media, dealers, and potential point of sales consumers – in total, 1700 people over 11 days.
Guests were equipped with personalised QR codes that enabled them to capture additional information as well as share their learning through social networks, and across a closed dealer network for guests at the event. These QR codes also enabled us to collect vast amounts of specific data for post experience measurement.
For our launch experience, guests entered a small box through a tunnel, with music pulsing to build the excitement. Once inside, they found themselves surrounded by a 270 degree projection screen where we showcased a short, powerful film that defined the Boxster lifestyle.
Following this, there was an interactive design and technology workshop that ended with the CEO of Porsche personally thanking guests for attending.
The guests thought the night was ending, as they had already been introduced to the new Boxster. But, they had not yet lived the lifestyle.
The room in which the guests were seated suddenly plunged into darkness. Set to a massive soundtrack and light show, the walls around the guests began to lift, and we completely shifted their environmental reality, showing that they were actually inside a massive space: a box within a Box(ster). Around them on all sides was an immense physical installation: the lifestyle of the new Boxster, brought to life.
This physical installation was divided into day and night, and featured AR technology as well as unlockable content, accessible via iPad and Smartphones via QR codes.
Our experience led to overwhelmingly positive reviews from Media for the new Boxster, as well as the highest levels of participation and learning from the dealer audience in Porsche China’s 15 year history in country.
Most excitingly of all, sales of the new Boxster were 360% higher than projected by Porsche, with Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou leading the charge. Not by coincidence, these three cities also led consumers through our experience.
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