A multi-channel strategy, from traditional PR activities to a 1:1 snow sculpture of The Stig, secured a total reach of 2.5 million for Top Gear in Norway and resulted in a 61% increase in viewers and 99% increase in market share for BBC Brit.
PREAMBLE
BACKGROUND
In Norway Top Gear airs on BBC Brit, one of the newest channels in the market. Statistics show that Top Gear’s core target group (men -40) watch less TV than before. Thus, the first challenge was to reach the target group via other channels, to encourage them to tune in to watch the new season of Top Gear.
GOAL
Create awareness, engagement, and highlight the channel and TX info of Top Gear in all communication. Reach out to the target group and young women.
STRATEGY
We had to find new channels to reach our target audiences. We teamed up with a group of YouTubers, with a younger and more loyal audience compared to traditional media. That way we could reach a narrower target audience, as well as a wider audience through traditional PR activities.
IMPLEMENTATION
True to the Top Gear content, we challenged three male and one female YouTuber to compete against each other in a go-kart race. We also asked them to include highlights from the new season, the channel and TX time of Top Gear in their videos. Each of them also had a competition where the followers could take part by leaving a comment stating the channel and TX time of Top Gear, to ensure that everyone picked up the key message.
To reach a wider audience we also shared relevant info and video clips with various publications. The premiere episode was filmed in Norway, which was an important focus for us in the communication. Last, but not least, we placed a huge snow sculpture of The Stig in a central location in Oslo. This lead to buzz in social media, and was a fun and extravagant way to make Top Gear top-of-mind of a broader audience.
RESULTS
The Youtube collaborations, traditional PR activities and sculpture stunt, led to:
- Great engagement among the Youtubers’ followers. The Youtubers had a total of 200.000 subscribers, and the videos received almost 1.000 comments repeating the key message
- Attention in some of the largest media in Norway, such as the top tier outlets Aftenposten and NRK
- A total media reach of 2,5 million
- An overall result of 61% increase in viewers and 99% increase in market share, and an all-time high for BBC Brit.
