Unconventional marketing tactic yielded by a Chinese electric vehicle brand: Adrenaline-pumping bungee jumps provided free of charge
Unusual marketing tactics have long been a staple in the automotive industry, with companies often employing outlandish strategies to attract attention to their new models. One Chinese EV manufacturer, Leapmotor, is taking this strategy in a new direction with a unique promotion for its upcoming launch in the UK.
Instead of traditional means, Leapmotor plans to offer free bungee jumps at a London pop-up showroom from June 3-4. The promotional tactic is linked to a brand name play on words, encouraging potential buyers to "take a leap" into electric vehicle ownership while also crossing an item off their bucket list.
Interested participants can participate in the bungee jump, which normally costs £99, at the showroom, browsing Leapmotor's new T03 city car and C10 SUV. The jumps will be available from 10am to 5pm both days, allowing attendees to admire the vehicles from a more conventional vantage point as well.
Leapmotor's promotion is not the most outlandish automotive marketing stunt to date. Over the years, the industry has seen a wide variety of unconventional promotions. In 2020, for instance, Volkswagen Norway created a one-of-a-kind electric office chair, boasting car-like features and a removable battery, to promote its ID range.
How does Leapmotor's promotion compare to other PR efforts? A look back at history reveals various campaigns that have left lasting impressions. In 2015, Jaguar sent its new XF saloon along a high-wire over Canary Wharf, demonstrating the vehicle's lightweight construction through a daring feat.
Similarly, Skoda once spent half a million pounds to create a life-size Fabia made entirely of cake to boost sales of its second-generation supermini. While these campaigns were intended to generate buzz, they also had a utilitarian purpose – in Skoda's case, the advertisement resulted in millions of views and national press coverage.
Volvo stands out with its extreme crash test promotion from 2022. The Swedish car brand dropped ten of its cars, including SUVs and saloons, from a 100ft crane to simulate high-speed crashes in an effort to better understand their vehicles' safety standards. This campaign was unusual but commendable, as it aimed to improve the safety knowledge of emergency services and potentially save lives.
As Leapmotor prepares to enter the UK market with its bungee jump promotion, only time will tell if the stunt will rank among the most impressive and memorable marketing ploys in automotive history.
Leapmotor's upcoming promotion, offering free bungee jumps in London, combines the thrill of outdoor-living with the opportunity to explore their new T03 city car and C10 SUV, blurring the lines between home-and-garden activities and insurance-protected adventures. This unique tactic, while different from traditional marketing strategies, shares a common goal with earlier memorable campaigns, such as Skoda's life-sized cake car and Volvo's extreme crash tests, which aimed to generate buzz and offer a utilitarian purpose, ultimately enhancing brand visibility and consumer engagement.
