Peugeot claims world first with socially driven 208 launch

This is interesting. French car maker Peugeot has launched its 208 with what it is calling a world first for digital campaigns.

The launch saw Lucky du Plessis, a comedian and 94.7 Highveld Stereo DJ, embark on a mission in and around Johannesburg driven by the tweets of online users. “Let your TWEETS drive” allows Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers to dictate where Lucky goes, what he eats for lunch and even the questions he asks his guests! All this is done while being live-streamed to the Peugeot SA Facebook page and on SkyRoomLive.

The agency responsible, Popimedia, claims that a seeding campaign asking the question “Who is Lucky du Plessis” successfully “intrigued digital users into wondering what Peugeot had up their sleeves”.

“Twitter influencers and celebrities alike were lured into questioning the identity of the anonymous comedian until the beginning of the campaign on 25 September 2012,” it says.

The campaign, it says, also helped Peugeot grow the number of likes on its Facebook page.

Clara Métivier-Beukes, General Manager for marketing at Peugeot South Africa says “The first week of the campaign has been a massive achievement in terms of exposure, new fans and talkability”.

Ryan Silberman, COO of Popimedia, reckons that, “The depth and interactivity of this campaign allows online users to be a part of the decision-making process and interact live with Lucky and further entrenches the Peugeot 208’s brand positioning of ‘Let your body drive’.”