MINI

MINI 'Defy Labels' campaign image featuring a dark silhouette of a woman standing in front of a car with the headlights on.

3D animated illustration of the number 100 in a pink color.

TAKING A CHEEKY REBEL MAINSTREAM

Neon green hand-drawn line stroke on black background

Defy Labels

Illustration of 2 white sparkles pulsating.

Capabilities

Creative

Design

Production

PROBLEM

After 10 years of growth with BSSP cultivating MINI as the counterculture underdog, the next frontier was with mainstream audiences looking for a larger vehicle. But image rules in car culture, and they saw MINI as “cute” or a “chick car” and one that simply didn’t fit their lifestyles.

OUTSIDE-INSIGHT

A societal rise in divisive labeling, stoked by social media, can only be answered by a brand with a long history of crossing societal boundaries. A car from England that is proudly driven by everyone, from royalty to pop stars like the Beatles, and, of course, plain ol’ regular folks.

Red, orange, and yellow animated flame illustration.

SOLUTION

Confront the labels that the brand and its owners have been given to demonstrate that MINI is much more than a frivolous small-car brand. It’s a brand with both substance, soul, and a larger size. It’s a car that helps Defy Labels.

MEDIUM

Our media team applied a grassroots-at-all-levels mentality to MINI. This meant that every media decision needed creative thinking. From a spot in the Superbowl, a web of digital and social content, to activations in sponsorships like the Olympics where we teamed up with athletes overcoming adversity on the way to the world stage.

MINI 'Defy Labels' display banner ad on a laptop computer.

Tony Hawk leaning on a black MINI Countryman with red stripes.

Tweet by Abby Wambach on a smartphone about MINI's Defy Labels campaign.

MINI Facebook post featuring the Defy Labels campaign.

Coca-Cola Tweet mentioning @MINIUSA #DefyLabels and #CokeMini.

2 animated illustrated eyes growing and showing lines around them symbolizing excitement.

Ibtihaj Muhammad facing away holding the American flag.

MINI salutes U.S. Olympians who defy labels with a front view of a MINI car.

OUTSIZED IMPACT

Brand consumer buzz reached an 18-month high. NPS soared 140% higher than baseline. What really matters is that 74% of total visits to the website were new and unique visitors and leads ballooned nearly 15% for the duration of the campaign.

Oh, and the Washington Post called our effort “a masterpiece.”