Meguiar's Car Care Products - 100 Years and Counting
Up 'til then:
Meguiar's had been around for 100 years and had a reputation among hardcore car buffs for being a quality name in car wax. The name had heritage, a cache. If you wanted the best looking finish for your car, you wanted Meguiar's. They associated themselves with the auto collector, the "serious" car guy. The name is very well known in that segment of the market.
From then on:
Meguiar's wanted/needed to connect with the rest of their potential market, while still staying in touch with their current market. And the way they could touch the entire market was to speak a language that the whole market will understand. What is the common thread among people who buy and restore cars? Between car lovers, and motorcycle lovers, and boat lovers? Between the corporate CEO who restored a 1934 Duesenberg SJ Torpedo Phaeton and a 1931 Bugatti Coupe Napoleon, and the college kid who spends every spare moment tricking out his silver '99 Eclipse? Between the 1963 Porsche 356 Super 90 owner who competes in road races and the 38 year old single mother who spends all her free time on rallys riding her yellow 2000 Ducatti 996.
There is a common thread that weaves its way through all these people. It's how they feel about their vehicle - or even more importantly how their vehicle makes them feel. As one person said to me: "It's not just a car, it's a picture frame." Regardless of price, age or social status, our special vehicles are like members of the family. We care for them, watch them grow and show them off. It's a personal relationship. We beam with pride when someone comments about our car just like we would if someone commented about our son getting accepted at Harvard.
The reason we each own (maybe a better term is "care for") each machine may vary from person to person. But the fact that we do care is universal. It makes us feel special. Special among our peers. Special around people we've never met before.
How we did it:
First, we needed to touch that core relationship between the person and their vehicle. If we bring that to life, the market will relate to us because we'll have formed a shared bond. A common understanding. And all consumers want to feel their "unique" needs are understood. In Meguiar's case, it was deeper than the shine. It was about what's under the shine.
We needed to demonstrate that Meguiar's understood that it's the relationship that's valued. By focusing on the uniqueness and individuality of the person and his/her vehicle, we'll be put in a higher place of status in our consumer's mind. We won't be about a "group," we'll be about Bob and his '55 Renault CV4 P.I.E. Secondly, we don't just associate with the "elite." We'll associate with "car lovers," whomever they are. In whatever social bracket, age range, gender or occupation they may fall. To each, their car is special to them. And we want to own the soul of each of those consumers, not because they are part of a larger group, but because of their individuality and uniqueness. We will associate with the elite collector, but only on the level that they are also individuals and unique people.
Produced while at Mousetrap Advertising & Marketing.