More Mini

Since its introduction in 2002, the modern Mini Cooper and its drop-top counterpart have become style icons. That bulldog bearing, piercing bi-xenon headlights and cheeky (if optional) Union Jack are just some of the reasons the Mini is easily identified on sight.

While there’s no doubt who the father is, the Clubman is different enough to suggest the mold was altered. It includes a split barn door; a fifth door to get passengers into the rear seat; more rear legroom; more trunk space; and higher gas mileage. Then there’s the size, which raised the question of how a Mini with 9.5 extra inches and 200 additional pounds could have the same go-kart handling as the original.

Enter Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners. The Sausalito, Calif., agency, which has held the Mini USA account since December 2005, added the international Clubman launch in November 2006, following a shootout with seven of Mini’s agencies from around the world. The independent was charged with launching the new model in more than 15 international markets and to a fan base loyal to the Mini’s original styling. But would consumers reject it as the Mini family’s red-headed stepchild?

Background

In March 2002, BMW’s Mini Cooper touched down in the home of the Big Gulp, super-size fries and SUVs. The British classic, introduced in 1959 during a European gas crisis, had been revamped with sleek lines, bold colors and a stylish nod to its swinging ’60s past. Importantly, it also had a relatively low-entry price point. But the Mini Cooper’s Lilliputian dimensions might have sunk it in a country enamored with Suburbans.

By urging consumers to “Think small” — via humorous print and outdoor ads, and guerrilla tactics like mounting a Mini on a Hummer around the U.S. — Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Miami gave the brand cachet among the urban creative class and self-styled nonconformists. Brand awareness grew to 53 percent in December 2002 from 12 percent in the fall of 2001, and Mini sold 30,000 units by the end of March 2003, its first year on the market, according to the BMW Press Club. The Mini also won a slew of awards and “created a new segment in the marketplace: premium small car,” says Todd Turner, president of consultancy Car Concepts in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

In December 2005, Butler took over the account from Crispin and flush sales continued. In 2005, Mini introduced its convertible to warm reviews. In 2007, the Cooper was redesigned to include more comfortable seating and a more efficient engine.

Strategy

In light of the Mini Cooper’s unique styling and brand personality, Butler found itself walking a tightrope for the Clubman, priced slightly higher than the Mini Cooper at $20,850. “We didn’t want to lose the soul of that brand,” says Chris Cardinal, group business director for Butler. “We had to make sure people recognized that this is still a Mini.”

The agency eschewed the concept of overtly selling the Clubman’s practical aspects. “These are things better communicated on the dealer level,” says agency CCO John Butler. Instead, it focused on two approaches: introducing the Clubman as the latest member of the Mini series, and acknowledging it as the family oddball, showcasing the new design while emphasizing qualities shared with its predecessor — frisky handling, unique styling and a fun vibe.

“[We were] targeting the same folks who had embraced Mini from the start — open-minded, trendsetting creative types who want to be seen as unique,” Butler says.

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