Apps that sell cars. Innovative campaigns from Jeep, Mercedes, Nissan, BMC and Volkswagen

Most SUVs never cross the city limits and venture into the wild. They satisfy their customers by simply showcasing them as adventourous than actually participating in adventure. In an effort to position Jeep, the iconic 4x4 brand, as a truly adventourous machine, its advertisng agency, Leo Burnett, created a mobile app 'GPS to get lost' for its Argentinian markets. The device allows Jeep drivers to literally get lost in nature. The "Get Lost" app on Jeeps' GPS device, guides the driver to unknown places in the midst of nature through offroading when it is pressed. Experience it from the comfort of your homes in the following video.

British Motor Company (BMC) used a fun mobile geolocation multiplayer reality game to engage with customers for the launch of Mini Countryman. The game gives its users near impossible challenges like: stay at least 50 metres away from everybody else in Stockholm city. And if they succeed they win the new MINI Countryman!! Check out the game and fun around it in this video. For more log on minigetawaystockholm.com.


Volkswagen has been at the forefront in using digital media for advertising. Featured below is a game produced by them to launch GTI that induces users to experience this vehicle.
And the result was - 485 million impressions in the first 6 weeks. - 200 cars were sold to registered GTI Players.


Volkswagen in Norway persuaded drivers of the benefits of a car, via print advertising, without getting them to do a real-life test drive through this app. It allows users to 'test drive' the car within a print ad, using Augmented Reality. The print ads appeared in some of Norway's most popular print publications. Having downloaded the app, readers held their phone over the print ad to make the car 'drive' and could test out three different features of the vehicle: Lane Assist, Adaptive Lights and Cruise Control


Nissan added some humour to promote Juke via an amazing comic application, Mission: Donuts. I wonder how many people will click on the ad. But the happy few will be very surprised. The "Juke Guy" walks through the first comic book iAd. There are five chapters in this app: turbo-charged getaways, hometown hotties, donut boxes, grumpy bosses and even bonus donuts with exclusive content - and if you complete all five you get a chance to win a Nissan Juke. Plus the bragging rights of finishing the mission.

[More: Best QR code Campaigns]

To mark the 125th birthday of the motor car Mercedes-Benz Singapore ran a QR Code Mercedes-Benz 125 race (featured below). Each weekend between 26 August and 18 September contestants had to find 5 Mercedes-Benz cars with QR Codes within designated areas in Singapore. The fastest to find all 5 will won a pair of Grandstand tickets to the Singapore Night Race and a weekend test drive with Mercedes-Benz. The overall fastest player for all four weekends got a pair of return air tickets to visit the Mercedes-Benz factory and museum in Germany.

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For now check out these 5 Innovative campaigns by car makers.

1] Mercedes uses QR codes to camouflage its new car

2] Ford's pinball game

3] Smart's campaign to prove that electronic cars are fun to drive

4] Volkswagen's 'The Fun Theory' campaign