mazda 3

campaign

ANDREA OXLEY
GABRIELLA CHELINI
KARA DAVIS
LYNDON KARP
TAYLOR MAY
 table of EXECUTIVE
contents SUMMARY
1 Executive Summary The automotive industry is saturated with brands that inundate car
2 Mazda at a Glance, Objectives, & SWOT buyers with facts, figures, and frustration. Mazda has always been
a brand that is proud of its Hiroshima spirit or the “challenger spirit”
3 Research
and its ability to create the joy in the driving experience. So, the
4 Brand Barriers challenge we currently face is standing out from other automotive
5 Target Audience brands and showing car buyers the many reasons to choose Mazda
6 Brand Positioning from the start.

7 Creative Funnel We’ve decided to create an advertising campaign that embraces

9 Big Idea this challenge and focuses on a new way to buy a car. By addressing
10 Big Idea Explanation first-time buyers’ wants, needs, and values we can launch Mazda
into a new generation of buyers. Additionally, by promoting our
11 Visual Guidelines
idea of “the right way” to buy a car, we can change the perception
12 The “First” Right Way to Buy of the car-buying process for those who have already struggled
13 Commercials through it.
14 Out of Home
We could show you a campaign that plays it safe and looks like the
15 Digital & Experiential ads that our consumers would expect from a car brand, but we
16 Social Media would be doing our targeted audience a disservice. It’s our goal
17 Paid Social & Activations to create a campaign, based on our research, that will tastefully
appeal to the new generation of buyers we intend to reach.
18 Partnerships
19 Media Objectives & Strategies & There are a lot of firsts that are awkward and frustrating, but buying a
Budget Breakdown car doesn’t have to be with Mazda on the passenger’s side.
20 Media Flowchart
Though we experience different walks of life, one thing remains the
21 Evaluation Tools same: starting anything new is uncomfortable, but buying a car
22 Thank you doesn’t have to be with Mazda on the passenger’s side.

1
 mazda at a glance Objectives
Mazda is a multinational automaker based in Hiroshima, CHANGE THE:
Japan that sells passenger cars and commercial vehicles. BRAND PERCEPTION
While Mazda offers a number of versatile products, an
CAR-BUYING PROCESS
insight from our research shows that younger audiences,
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIENT AND BRAND
specifically first-time car buyers, perceive the brand as
cheap and conservative. The challenge that Mazda
faces today is expanding upon its high brand awareness
and establishing a new brand perception.

swot analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

Sole manufacturer to
produce cars with Wankel
engines
Use of SKYACTIV technology
Mazda gives a lot of
Older demographic focused
marketing
Retention rate of 34%
Brand perception is not as
strong as competitors, such as
The target market is doing
much more research before
they buy
Acceptance and potential
growth of SKYACTIV
technologies
Rising fuel prices hampering
automobile sales
Weight of the competition
both above and below their
perception level
Lower: Honda, Toyota, Nissan

importance on innovation, Honda and Toyota Higher: Cadillac, Lexus, Audi

trends, environmental safety The Bio-Car: First car made

and driving comfort. with bioplastic exterior Negative foreign car
stereotypes

2
 our
research
research meathods
Over a four month period we conducted primary and secondary research across several outlets in order to gain market insights on the car buying
process, as well as Mazda specifically. The information gathered came from in-person interviews, dealership visits and survey responses. The
information provided details the consumer mindset within the 22-29 year old age range.

20+ 150+ 15+

dealership visits surveys in-person questioning

how would you describe mazda?

affordable 0 100 luxury

38
on average

WHAT TYPE OF ADVERTISING what is your perception

ATTRACTS YOU MOST? of the brand?

humorous 36% recognized Mazda’s brand & Vehicles associated 90%

relatable 24% say they own or have owned a mada 28%
logical 11% felt indifferent toowards any association towards mazda 40%
3
brand
barriers
1 2
“THEY’RE NO (insert
luxury brand)”
Due to the volatility of the
automotive industry, consumers
constantly compare brands to
one another. A regular outcome
during the research process was
the idea that Mazda is sufficient,
BUT in terms of luxury standards,
it falls flat. This perception is a
bump in the road to our targeted
younger demographic because
of their desire to have the best of
everything. Rather than settling for,
in this context a Mazda, this target
would rather wait for something
that encompasses it all.
“i think i’ve
been in one”
Mazda is a well recognized brand
in everyday conversation, but
according to a younger target,
their recollection of actually riding
in a Mazda is faint. When riding in
a Mazda, a consumer should be
able to recognize and associate
their experience with Mazda.
Our targeted audience values
experience above all else. Mazda
should be able to satisfy this
demand as their products have
what it takes to create memorable
experiences.
3
“i dont have
an opinion”
Unlike other products or brands,
the consumers’ opinion on
Mazda’s brand identity is
undistinguishable. Younger
demographics see Mazda as an
ordinary car company, therefore,
the have no strong opinion of
the brand. The lack of consumer
reaction, shows the lack of
amplification of Mazda’s voice
and values.
4
 Target
Audience
primary audience
First-timers
The “First Timers” are young adults who have yet to
buy a car on their own. After hearing stories of what
comes with the process of buying a car, they have
become hesitant to go out there and do it. They
see buying a car as a bothersome task rather than
something to look forward to. The First Timer’s want an
easy way to find a car, drive that car, then buy it,
NO HASSLE NECESSARY.
5
secondary audience
been-there-done-thats
The Been-There-Done-Thats” are looking for something
new, but dread going through the exhausting
dealership process. Because they lead busy lives,
taking 7 hours out of their Saturday to buy a car, is just
not feasible. If a brand has the ability to minimize the
stress and maximize the ease, paying a premium would
not be an issue. Been-There-Done-Thats need more
time to do anything and everything else,
OTHER THAN BUYING A CAR.
brand
positioning

luxury

where mazda is now

We have created a positioning scale to understand
the current standing of the Mazda brand and to
identify where we should sit in the category. The two
axes are measured based of off perception of brand
personality, conservative or youthful, and brand
description, luxury or practical.

co n s e rvat i v e
Mazda’s brand currently has a solid standing in

you th fu l
the American automobile industry, but in the eyes
of younger demographics, there are numerous
preconceived notions. In relation to their competitors,
Mazda is seen as conservative and practical.

where mazda needs to be

Mazda’s current position is not necessarily bad,
but with the current “Feel Alive” branding and the
challenge to target younger audiences, this is not
conducive to success. Through targeted executions
and experiences the consumer perception of Mazda
will shift its location on this scale. This new position is
intended to brand Mazda as youthful and luxurious,
while keeping the driver feeling alive.

p rac t i ca l

6
 creative
funnel

strategic idea
Whether a consumer falls into the category of a “First-Timer” looking to buy
their first car, or a “Been-There-Done-That” shopping for a new car, buying a
Mazda should be looked at as something exciting rather than a nuisance. The
Mazda brand and its diverse catalog of vehicles is distinct in the automotive
category, but just like every other car company, they struggle to maintain
ease and simplicity in the car-buying process.

story
For the First-Timers, buying a car is a terrifying and ominous experience due
to the industry’s multitude of options, locations, and history of inconvenience.
They choose Mazda because the brand understands these issues and directly
combats the negative perceptions by disrupting the buying process.

For the Been-There-Done-Thats, buying a car “the right way” with Mazda or
with the maximum amount of knowledge and minimum amount of effort
sways them to purchase their car. They choose Mazda because of the level of
transparency during the buying process and the ease of purchase.

tone
Relatable, Humorous, Straightforward

Big idea
Enter our big idea...

7
8
 the big
idea

the new
way to
start

9
THE BIG IDEA EXPLaNATION
Though we experience different walks of life, one thing remains the
same: starting anything new is uncomfortable. Mazda is dedicated to
putting cars on the road that provide a joyful driving experience, but our
customers’ journey does not start there. With “The Right Way to Buy,” we
give our consumers the key to buy a car and start their lives in a brand
new way..minus the dealership experience.

Our target audience is accustomed to buying anything with the click of

a button or a tap of the finger. They’ve heard the stories of never-ending
negotiations and tedious paperwork; they may have even experienced
it themselves. For these reasons, they dread the car-buying process. By
emphasizing our open arms and enthusiasm for car buyers, specifically
first-time buyers, we’ll provide a direct source of comfort and security from
the start. With all questions answered, all doubts quelled, and guidance
provided, their only job is to say “yes” to Mazda.

10
 Visual
Guidelines
AESTHETIC DIRECTION
When considering the aesthetics for the Mazda 3 marketing campaign, we prioritized finding a tone that reinforces the
new direction for our brand perception. We created a color palette, style elements, as well typography to align with the
tone of our campaign. The tone of the campaign is straightforward, relatable and humorous, so we chose a color scheme
and typography to reflect that.

COLOR SCHEME
The color scheme we chose includes bright and modern colors included from both the cool and warm sides of the color spectrum to enhance contrast. The bright colors such as
yellow and orange are used heavily in the typography to catch the viewer’s eyes in our print and outdoor advertisements. Yellow represents joy, enlightenment, energy, and a
cheerful spirit which are all qualities that we want Mazda buyers to emulate. The specific color of mustard yellow that we chose is popular amongst the youthful generation that we
are targeting with this campaign. The cool teal colors used in the campaign evoke feelings of creativity, reliability, and trustworthiness.

TYPOGRAPHY
The typography chosen for this campaign is a sans serif typeface by the name of “Lemon Milk”. Lemon Milk was chosen to bring a modern, clean, sharp, and striking feeling to each
aspect of the marketing plan. Lemon Milk will tastefully catch the viewers eyes and allow our advertisements to stand out in a crowd.

Lem on m i lk
ab c d efg h i jk lm n o p qr s t u v w x y z 0 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 9 ; @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) = + -

11
THE right
WAY tO BUY

step 1
download the mazda app

step 2
choose your make, model, and package

step 3
schedule appointment - we come to you!

step 4
try it out

step 5
keep it

12
 commercials

creative DIRECTION
Using a humorous and relatable tone, these commercials emphasize Mazda’s ability recognize that you can’t start at the end
of your journey. Mazda’s new way to start shows consumers that while some first steps might seem impossible, there are ways to
make life’s road bumps a little bit easier. These spots showcase a first date, a first job, and a first dog in order to show that while
you can’t start at the finish line, you can make your starting point a little more bearable.

first: date first: DOG first: Job

Opens on a couple at a the altar of their Opens on Brandon at work, presenting a
Opens on a guy, Sam, and his dog, Oliver,
wedding; the frame freezes and we cut to the Powerpoint during an important meeting
reaching the top of a hiking trail, Oliver is off-
couple, Emma and Tim, on their first date at a looking confident and well-informed. We cut to
leash, well-behaved, and following all of Sam’s
nice restaurant. Emma’s laugh reveals a piece of Brandon on his first day as an intern, returning
commands. We cut to Sam’s apartment, he’s
spinach stuck in her teeth and Tim doesn’t know from a coffee run with trays of iced coffees and
sitting on the couch with his hands in his head as
whether or not he should tell her. Emma speaks danishes for his boss. As he opens the door to the
Oliver tears the apartment to shreds. A voice-over
and the spinach flies from her mouth across the conference room he trips, spilling all of the food
says, “you can’t start there, you have to start here
table. In self-defense Tim throws his hand up, and coffee mid-meeting and landing on his boss’
first” and Mazda’s logo appears on the screen.
blocking the spinach from hitting his face and feet. A voice-over says, “you can’t start there,
knocking a bottle of red wine into Emma’s lap. A you’ve got to start here first” and Mazda’s logo
voice-over says, “you can’t start there, you have appears on the screen.
to start here first” and Mazda’s logo appears on
the screen.

13
out of home

billboard ad
Our double billboards will feature the Mazda 3 and focus on
how Mazda offers a “new way to buy” a car. The purpose of
the first billboard is to show our target audience that buying a
car shouldn’t mean tons of paperwork, words, and frustration.
The purpose of the second billboard is to provide a solution to
the tedious car-buying process: buying a car can be as simple
as downloading an app and answering a few questions.

bus ad
Our double bus ads will function in the same way as our
billboards; however, we will also include a standalone bus ad
that features the Mazda 3 and reads ready “Try the New Way
to Buy,” a direct call to action that entices the viewers and
begs the question “what IS the new way to buy?”

14
 digital

spotify ad gps Ads LYFT ROULETTE

Whether they’re walking to school or on the bus to
work, Spotify ads will remind consumers of the joy of
driving a Mazda 3 and how easily they can purchase
it using “the right way” to buy a car with Mazda. After
listening to the short, 30-second ad, listeners redeem
one hour of uninterrupted music.
Instead of the typical icons to track their location
on Waze and Google Maps, consumers will be able
to activate a fun Mazda 3 icon on their map app.
Because Waze and Google Maps offers transit
and walking routes in addition to driving, we have
the opportunity to, on a smaller level, help our
consumers from the start.
Schedule a Lyft for your night out the last week of
September. If the Lyft driver owns a Mazda, your ride
is on us. Not only is this a pleasant surprise and reward
for the passengers, this makes the passengers hope for
a Mazda driver throughout the week when using the
app. Travelers are left with the idea that Mazda has
them covered right from the start of their journey.

experiential

weekend whip event escape room: a new way out

Mazda will set up tents at college campuses such as UCLA, Chapman
University, Cal State Long Beach, and USC where students can sign up to foster
a Mazda 3 over the weekend. Students will apply and sign up for their car
on Wednesday. On Friday, our Mazda staff will deliver their Mazda 3 to their
driveway and pick it up from them on Monday morning. At any point or after
the process, students will have the option to purchase and keep the car.
Mazda will host an Escape Room in LA called “A New Way Out” around
October to celebrate Halloween and advertise the Mazda 3. Those who
participate in this event and finish it within an allotted time will be eligible to
put their names in a raffle to win a new Mazda 3. The end of the Escape Room
will lead them right back to the start--this time, with Mazda by their side.

Whip [(h)wip/] noun - Millenial slang for car

15
SOCIAL MEDIA
instagram
Instagram will become the place where Mazda’s
creativity and aesthetic relevance will shine. In
addition to posting creative content from the new
campaign, Mazda will post photography that
appeals to millennials adoration for cohesive themes,
inspirational images, and relevant content.
FREQUENCY: 1-2 POSTS A WEEK
facebook
Facebook will be used as the epicenter for all of
Mazda’s social media platforms. In addition to the
creative content we’ll share from Instagram and
YouTube, Facebook will provide customer service
that engages audience with helpful resources,
Q+As, relevant humor, and company updates.
FREQUENCY: 1-2 POSTS A WEEK
twitter
In order to increase our relevance among our
target audience, Twitter will be used for comedy
and customer service. Twitter provides the opportunity
to intimately engage with our customers, address
questions, comments, concerns, etc. quickly
and efficiently.
FREQUENCY: 2-3 POSTS A WEEK; REPLIES AS NECESSARY
16
 paid social

spotify
playlists
Mazda will select various types of “driving music” and organize it into playlists based on the various
characteristics of our new generation of buyers. There will be upbeat music for the life maximizers, thought-
provoking music for the creatives, international music for the wanderlusters, and a little bit of everything for those
seeking inspiration with all the bells and whistles. The purpose of these playlists is to relate to our audience on a
personal level, exhibit our shared values, and quite literally enhance the driving experience.

Activations

student financing refferal program

Mazda will offer a low income, no money down financing
option for full-time college students. This offer emphasizes
Mazda’s dedication and prioritization of the “challenger
spirit” and ambitious attitude. When we take a chance on
our new generation, they’ll take a chance on us.
Mazda’s referral program will give first-time buyers the
opportunity to receive a free oil change in exchange for
introducing their friends and family to the ease of Mazda’s
car buying process.

17
partnerships

instagram influencers
There is no better way to reach our targeted audience than through third-party testimonials. Our audience is more willing to listen to their
friends, family, and those individuals with which they personally associate themselves on social media when it comes to making purchases.
For that reason, we will adopt specific Instagram influencers who we feel best exhibit the shared values of Mazda and our target audiences.
Each influencer will be given a Mazda 3 to drive around and enjoy. In exchange, they will post content about their experiences.

Chris Burkard Nastasia Passport

A professional photographer by trade, She’s inspired thousands of women to

Burkard contributes to titles like National
Geographic regularly, and it only takes
one look at his feed to understand
why. When it comes to landscape
photography, his work is second to none.
step outside their comfort zone and see
more of the world. Her next endeavor
is to expand the Dame Traveler brand
outside of web and social.

TED X - A NEW LIFE

Mazda will sponsor a TedX talk on UCLA campus. Audience members will have the opportunity to hear from inspirational speakers who
have channeled their inner “challenger spirit” to overcome times of distress. The speakers will also provide helpful tips and tricks for students
starting their new lives during and after college. We want our target audience to know that we value the challenger spirit and that our care
for them surpasses selling cars.

Beyond 12 Non-Profit
Beyond 12 is a national non-profit organization that partners with K-12 schools in order to help first-generation college students achieve their
goals. This partnership will launch alongside the “First:” campaign and will reinforce Mazda’s dedication to our new generation of buyers
and future first-time car buyers as well as the “challenger spirit.” First-generation, prospective college students will have the opportunity to
apply for an “Independent Achievers” scholarship sponsored by Mazda. Mazda will donate a yearly scholarship to its chosen scholars, and
at the end of their four-year college career, Mazda will gift the scholarship recipients with their first car, a Mazda.

18
 media objectives budget
& strategies breakdown

media objective
We created a campaign that targets the First-Timers and Been-
There-Done-That’s within the LA and OC region with the goal of
increasing brand awareness and driving purchase while further
saturating share of voice within the region.

media strategy
This media plan will span over a three-month period, covering
three pivotal car buying weekends: Labor Day, Halloween, and
Thanksgiving. By increasing media spend over the high-volume
weekends, the consumer will be exposed to advertising at an
increased amount.

designated market areas

Los Angeles and Orange County

19
media
flowchart
September October November

2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 2 9 16 23 NET TOTALS

DIGITAL $525,000.00

Spotify
GPS Ads (Waze & Google Maps)
Lyft Roulette

SOCIAL MEDIA $280,000.00

Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

COMMERCIALS $700,000.00

Online Cable
Hulu Pre-Roll
Youtube Pre- Roll

OUT OF HOME $595,000.00

Billboard
Digital Billboard
Bus

EXPERIENTIAL $280,000.00

Weekend Whip Event

VR Escape Room
Referral
Student Financing

PARTNERSHIPS $245,000.00

Influencers
TEDx
Beyond 12

PRODUCTION $525,000.00
CONTINGENCY $350,000.00

$3,500,000.00

20
 evaluation
tools

the success of our campaign

will be evaluated by:
Social listening on all of Mazda’s platforms

[ Tracking links
This can be used to show the relationship between marketing efforts and campaigns online and their results. By including a
unique link, you can see the traffic that is coming from that source.

[ App downloads and reviews

This can be an important tool to ensure the effectiveness of the app being downloaded in the first place. Reviews are also
beneficial in deciding how to move forward and update the application in the future.

[ Google Analytics Ad Reports

By using a mixture of pre-created custom and standard reports, you can gain valuable insight to your users demographics and
online behaviors.

[ Multi-channel network wrap reports

This is a segment inside of Google Analytics that has five different funnel reports for use. With these reports you can track the
comparison of the number of conversions and assisted conversions over a selected time period, as well as the two groups
separately. There is also a path length funnel, which is presented by a bar graph of number of times a consumer visited
the website before purchasing anything.

[ Nielsen, Kantar Media, Experian, and Admall media tracking

By using companies such as Nielsen we can measure audiences. Nielsen measures national TV viewing using their meter
technology to electronically capture all viewing from their nationally projectable sample of panelists.

21
thank
you!

Mazda,

By finding the perfect intersection between customer

and company and going places no automotive brand
has ever gone before, we’ve shifted Mazda’s brand
perception to relevant, trusted, and beloved. In a
campaign full of new beginnings, we want to be with
you at the start of yours into a new generation of buyers.

Thank you.

ooMPH. Advertising

22
 ANDREA OXLEY
GABRIELLA CHELINI
KARA DAVIS
LYNDON KARP
TAYLOR MAY