Creative Brief

Sparke F

Submit to

James R. Haft

Faculty of Communication Arts,

Chulalongkorn University

By Vinita Kasemsupapun 504 53643 28

Sarintorn Puangyoykaew 504 54666 28

Orakarn Chantaramungkorn 504 53769 28

Creative Brief

Marketing Background:

*Market Place: SPARKE F is a new launching electric car in Thailand. It will position at the 1st place in electric car market. As there is no electric car in Thailand, SPARKE F is the market leader with no competitor. At present, the earth is facing environmental problems as a result of economic development which ignores environmental development. The increase in the number of vehicles has led to an increase of gasoline usage resulting in both noise and air pollution. In addition, the oil price has also increased recently. Due to the rising cost of fuel and the environmental damage it causes to our world, many car owners or buyers are looking for an alternative way to save money. Fuel supply is finite and the price of gas is only going to rise higher and higher. The oil prices will rise going forward, probably in a range around the 30% per year. That is where an electric car has its advantages. International study shows global gains in consideration electric vehicles. Worldwide, 45% of all motorists reported that increasing fuel prices have forced them to change their driving behavior to lower their fuel consumption. Environmental considerations and increasing fuel prices were equally important motivators. It is know that eventually electrics will take over. In the end, all vehicles will be electric because petroleum will be too scarce and bio-fuels cannot be scaled with foreseeable technology to substitute very much. The auto industry can no longer rely almost exclusively on oil to supply the world's automotive energy requirements. So it is really the timing of the transition to electric cars. Rising oil prices and improvements in battery technology are fueling new interest in developing electric cars. It is so much for very cheap, fuel efficient cars. Electric car is the other end of the technology spectrum. With those opportunities, SPARKE F wants to be the leader of electric car market in Thailand. With a luxurious design of SPARKE F, we also want to enter into the luxury car market in Thailand and gain some market share.

To do this, SPARKE F has come up with a campaign to introduce the electric car to our target groups. The campaign includes: - 4 prints ads - 2 TVCs - 2 Radio spots We also aim to create awareness and increase sales of our electric car by using Integrate Marketing Communication (IMC) and Public Relations (PR).

Competitive Frame:

Being the first electric car in Thailand, Sparke F, therefore, does not have any direct competitors. However, it does have competitors that share the same target group as itself. We will, therefore, consider these products as our primary competitors. Primary Competitors

• Cars that have the same price range as Sparke F o Lexus is250 o Mercedes Benz C200 o BMW series 320 D o Audi A4

• Eco-friendly cars o Hybrid

Toyota Prius Lexus 450 D Alphard

o Hydrogen

Indirect Competitors • Public transportation

o BTS o MRT o Taxi o Buses

A: Because Sparke F is the first electric car in Thailand; it does not

have any direct competitors yet B: Primary Competitors- cars with similar price range as Sparke F C: Primary Competitors- eco-friendly cars including hybrid and

hydrogen cars D: Indirect Competitors- public transportation including BTS, MRT,

Buses and Taxi E: Share of wallet- consumers may choose spend their money on

these activities, rather than spending it on our product category Primary Competitors

1. Cars with the same price range as Sparke F

Lexus is250 • Price: 2,990,000 • Impressive interior and exterior design • Superior technology when compare to its price and

competitors • Advanced engine- produces less pollution

No direct competition

Lexus is250

Mercedes Benz C200

BMW series 320D

Audi A4

Toyota Prius

Lexus 450D

Alphard Hydrogen

BTS

MRT

Taxi Buses Travel Housing

Investments

Luxurious clothing

Electronic appliance

• Lexus is supported by its mother brand, Toyota, which is one of the leading car brands in Thailand

• Small in size • Very few motor options and additional features • Expensive compare to its features and competitors

Mercedes Benz C200

• Price: 3,590,000 • One of the leading cars in terms of safety for drivers and

passengers • Small but powerful engine • Classic interior and exterior design • Mercedes is

o The leading car brand in the Europian car market in Thailand

o Considered as the most reliable and safe car out there • Expensive • Car parts are assembled in Thailand • Focus on selling the Mercedes Benz brand, not the product

itself • Expensive after service costs

BMW series 320 D • Price: 3,300,000 • High performance • Big interior space • Good handling • Sleek design, interior and exterior • Reliable maintenance and service with warranty • BMW is the number 2 largest European car market share in

Thailand • High maintenance cost • Engine is not as powerful as its competitors • Heavy and slow when compared to its competitors

Audi A4 • Price: 3,290,000 • High performance engine- won the best engine award for the

past three executive years • The whole car is imported, not in parts • With the whole car being imported, consumers belief that it

will have a better performance than cars from other brands that are assembled in Thai factory

• No official dealer in Thailand, customers can only make purchase at dealers that import the brand

• Not a popular brand in the Thai market • Lack of spare parts available for maintenance • Must be imported therefore can be very expensive and time-

consuming • Bad brand reputation from previous models

2. Eco-friendly cars

Because we will also be focusing on selling the eco-friendly promise of Sparke F and establish Sparke F in the eco-friendly car market, we must also consider other types of eco-friendly car as our primary competitors. Hybrid Advantages

• Hybrids combine clean energy of the electrical motor with the power of the gas-powered engine, which results into lower emissions and better mileage.

• The advantage of the hybrid car is that it can rectify the complaints in the both systems and balances the use of electrical energy and gasoline engine, in their optimum levels.

• Hybrid Cars Saves Gas/fuel • Thanks to the ever-improving technology, hybrids perform at

par with the normal gas-powered vehicles, if not better. • The future for hybrids looks bright with rapid developments in

hybrid technology to improve engine efficiency. • Due to the Regenerative Braking technology, the batteries

need not be charged by an external source.

Disadvantages • High cost • More weight due to battery packs. • They have a complicated system, which needs to be taken

care of by experienced mechanics only. • Spare parts maybe hard to find and may be costly. • Usually, hybrids have a lower acceleration than that their

normal counterparts

Toyota Prius • The world’s first and number-one selling hybrid car. • From its first debut in 1997, more than one million cars were

sold. • Toyota is a one of the world’s most established and strongest

brand.

• Many Toyota users are accustomed to systems and functions in the brand’s car.

• Users friendly • EV Drive Mode can reduce noise and emission from

combustion • The world’s first solar cell energy driven interior air

circulation. • Price in Thailand is estimated at 850,000 baht.

Lexus GS 450 H

• The world’s first rear-drive full-hybrid vehicle • Powerful acceleration • Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) rating

Alphard • Luxury MPV • Spacey, comfortable • Toyota is a one of the world’s most established and strongest

brand. • Many Toyota users are accustomed to systems and functions

in the brand’s car. • Seven- or eight-seater with new technology, memory seat • "by-wire" technology that monitors brake pedal pressure and

vehicle speed in order to calculate the optimum hydraulic pressure.

Hydrogen Advantages

• hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant of all chemical elements

• no smog-forming exhaust gases • no carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming • no worries about diminishing oil supplies and rising prices • Unlike batteries, which store electricity, fuel cells make

electricity as they go • Greater efficiency. The same amount of hydrogen will take a

fuel cell car at least twice as far as one with a converted internal combustion engine

• The benefit of hydrogen is that it will always be a "domestic resource" since it can be made with a variety of feedstocks, including water and methane, and local energy sources including renewables, such as wind, hydro, biogas and solar.

Disadvantages • Difficult to store dangerous • Highly flammable • The hydrogen must be packed tightly into a car’s tank;

otherwise a filling stop will be needed every few kilometres. • Large amounts of energy are needed to strongly compress the

hydrogen, or liquefy it • Tanks designed to hold hydrogen at extremely high pressures,

or at temperatures approaching absolute zero, are heavy and expensive

• Extremely expensive • Significant questions remain about fuel cells’ reliability,

durability, and performance under various conditions

SWOT Analysis:

Strengths

• Pure electric car • Eco-friendly: no tailpipe emissions • Distinct elegantly design • High performance engine • Completely independent on oil • Can be recharged with common household electricity • Fully charged in only 45 minutes • Non-hazardous and recyclable batteries • Cheaper to operate than normal fuel consumption or

hybrid cars with the same, or even better, acceleration power

• Built in a host of safeguards against theft and unauthorized use

• 100% torque, 100% of the time (peak torque begins at 0 rpm and stays powerful at 14,000 rpm)

• First electric car in Thailand • Seats seven people

Weaknesses

• Need more time to recharge the battery for the car compared to normal fuel consumption cars

• Lack of knowledge about electric engines in consumers • Special care from experienced mechanics is needed for

maintenance • Spare parts maybe hard to find and may be costly • New brand in the Thai market, still unknown • Limited number of service centers

Opportunities

• Increase in the eco-friendly trends and movements • The unstable oil price • The limited amount of non-renewable resources • The increase in the availability of electricity • Electricity can be produced through many renewable

energy sources such as bio-waste, wind and water • Open market for electric car • No direct competition in the Thai market • Target group has become more interested about their

self-image • Government support

Threats

• Famous brands such as Toyota and Camry are introducing electric cars under their own brands in recent future

• The increase in popularity of hybrid cars in the car market

• Thai people’s view on fuel consumption car as a more reliable car

• Due to traffic and lack of parking spots, people are now using the public transportation more

• Improved public transport • Economic recession • Political issue

Product:

• Product name: Sparke F • Slogan: Fast. Fierce. Free • Tagline: Electrify your journey • Price: 3,200,000

Product features:

Performance Specifications*

Style 5 seats, white exterior design

Drivetrain Single speed fixed gear with electrically actuated parking lock mechanism and mechanical lubrication pump

Motor

375 volt AC induction air-cooled electric motor with variable frequency drive. Output 248 peak horsepower (185kW) and 276 ft/lbs (375 nm) of torque. Redline 14,000 rpm.

Chassis

Resin-bonded and riveted extruded aluminum monoquoque. Four-wheel independent suspension featuring upper and lower unequal length wishbones and co-axial coil spring telescopic dampers.

Brakes Hydraulically operated. Tandem master cylinder with vacuum servo and anti-lock braking system.

Acceleration 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds Top Speed 125 mph (electronically limited)

Range About 300 miles (based on EPA combined city/highway cycle)

Battery Life Five years or 100,000 miles

Battery Custom microprocessor-controlled lithium-ion battery with 6,831 individual cells. Weight 992 lbs.

Full Charge About 45 minutes using the Tesla Motors High Power Connector.

Questions Answers

- Why Sparke F? We tried to come up with a

succinct and catchy name that expresses the unique characteristic of the car which is “pure electric.” However, if it were Bolt or Volt, Thai people will have difficulties pronouncing

it and that can hurt the perception and image of the brand psychologically. Finally, the Board had agreed on Sparke F. The name can be pronounced easily by Thais and contains vivid image of powerful electric while F stands for three best personalities of the model; fast, fierce and free – which become our slogan.

- Why “electrify your journey”? The word “journey” is regarded

as long distance drive. However, in this context, we do not think of a journey as a drive but as a human life. Sparke F will power up and boost up your life whenever and wherever you want and make you live pleasurable as a leader for years to come – because Sparke F has longest drive range compared to the car up to date, and more importantly, is not dependable on specific

- How is the Sparke F different from other electric vehicles? The Sparke F shines in the very

areas that previous electric cars fell short – design, performance, and efficiency. It is beautiful to look at, as fast or faster than most combustion engine cars, and has vastly improved driving range than previous EVs. In addition, previous generation electric cars were tethered to their charging stations. One could only drive so far before having to return to a charging station for a re-charge. The Sparke F also carries a charging unit on-board, and provides the flexibility of pulling electricity from a number of power sources

with the optional Mobile Connector.

- How fast is it? Zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph. But this is not the whole story. Because it has no clutch pedal and a very wide, flat torque curve, the acceleration of the Sparke F is much more available to enjoy: just step on the accelerator and go.

- How long does it take to recharge?

That depends on how far the battery has been discharged and what source is being used to charge the batteries. A full charge using the High Power Connector can be achieved in as little as 3.5 hours.

Ideally you plug the car in when you get home, and unplug it when you drive away in the morning. The High Power Connector has been designed for use as the primary source for recharging the Roadster battery at home.

- What are the benefits of driving an electric car?

Electric vehicles (EVs) do not have an internal combustion engine. The batteries are recharged from the electric power grid, for example your home electric system. Hybrid vehicles have both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. In most systems the internal combustion engine is used to recharge the batteries as well as power the car directly when necessary, but the only way you get energy

into the car is to put gas into the gas tank. Therefore hybrids, while more efficient than standard cars, still use petroleum products and at the current time none on the market can use energy from the power grid or "plug in."

- Is the EV a more environmentally friendly transportation solution?

Yes. EVs are the most efficient

cars on the road. This means they cost less per mile to drive, use less fuel per mile, and produce less pollution per mile.

- What's the difference between an EV and a hybrid? There are many: reduced

dependence on foreign oil, zero emissions, and a cost of less than two cents per mile driven.

Advertising/Communication Objectives:

- to create awareness of Sparke F - to build luxurious image - to encourage website traffic among target group

Target audience: Demographics>>

• Age: 25-45 • Sex: Male • Income: BHT100, 000+ • Occupation: Executives • Marital Status: Single (Primary target), Married (Secondary

target) • Geographic location: Urban • Education: University Graduates • Socioeconomics: B-A Upper Middle Class • Nationality: Thai and foreigners living in Thailand

Psychographics>>

• Environmentally conscious • Powerful • Energetic • Competitive • Affluent • Confident • Social status and self-image conscious • Technology savvy

Promise/Consumer Benefit (Unique Selling Point): Sparke F is the fast and fierce looking electric car that gives executive men superior performance and driving experience. Critical support:

• Sparke F possesses a super car power. o 248 HP o 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds

• Sparke F has fierce look and luxurious image. • Sparke F offers the farthest driving distance per charge

compared to other electric vehicle up to date. o 300 miles per charge

• Sparke F is a pure electric car. Tone and Manner:

• Print Ads o Print Ad 1 (Vroom!) cool, classy, powerful o Print Ad 2-4 (Tigers of Cement Jungle) powerful,

fierce • TVC

o Vroom! mystic, classy, powerful o White Tiger of Cement Jungle powerful, fierce

• Radio spots o Vroom! 1 mystic, classy, powerful o Vroom! 2 powerful, firm

Mandatories:

- Print Ads o All of the print ads must be printed on quality papers. o The first print ad (Vroom!) must be printed in full color. o The Tigers of Cement Jungle are in grayscale to create

fierce image and to break through clutter. o Copy: “pure electric. 300 miles per charge.

248 HP. 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds.” and “www.sparkef.com”

o Tagline: “Electrify your journey” o Slogan: “Fast. Fierce. Free.” o Font: Formal, credible, respectful

- TVC o Both TVCs end with a model of a car place beside

Sparke F logo on a black background and tagline and slogan.

o Copy: “www.sparkef.com” o Tagline: “Electrify your journey” o Slogan: “Fast. Fierce. Free.” o Font: Formal, credible, respectful o

- Radio spots o MVO must have excellent accent and firm and steady

voice. o Vroom! 1

Tagline: “Coming this Bangkok Motor show” Slogan

o Vroom! 2 What is required:

- Traditional media o 4 print ads o 2 TVCs o 2 radio spots

- PR o Events o Press releases

- IMC o Interactive media o Sales promotion o Events o Direct marketing o Out-of-Home media

Billboards

Transit advertising Movie theater

o Product placement o TV show o TV/Radio sponsorship o Buzz/viral marketing

- Production budget = 250 million baht

Print Ads:

• Aim to be consistent with the whole advertising campaign to maximize the contact points of the target group so that they can recall the brand easily

Print Ad 1 Vroom!

• Reveal only rear part of the car and limited information

• Build awareness and excitement of the launch of the car

• Build curiosity so that the ad will linger in the audiences’ thoughts and encourage them to seek for more information

Tone and manner:

• Cool • Classy • Powerful

Print Ad 2, 3, 4 Tigers of Cement Jungle

• Compare Sparke F with fierce tigers as they possess the same characteristic; fast, fierce and free

• Use monotone color to build classic and luxurious image as well as to break through clutter

Tone and manner:

• Powerful • Fierce

TVC Vroom!

• Arouse curiosity of target audiences by showing only parts of the car each for a short period of time so that…

o the ad will linger in their thoughts o the ad will create luxurious image not only to target

audiences but also other people outside the target group

o target audiences will look for more information on the website, where the company can provide more information

o target audiences will visit Sparke F’s booth at Bangkok Motor Show 2010 to experience the real car

• Show high performance of the car through the roars of engine • Differentiate Sparke F from fossil fuel cars by making the

static comes out of tyre marks so that the audiences know that the car is electric car

TVC 1 Vroom!

Tone and manner:

• Mystic • Classy • Powerful

Audio Visual

SFX: Roar of engine

A part of Sparke F is fading in and fading out according to the roar of engine.

A part of Sparke F is fading in and fading out according to the roar of engine.

A part of Sparke F is fading in and fading out according to the roar of engine.

SFX: Roar of engine

SFX: Roar of engine

SFX: Roar of engine

A part of Sparke F is fading in and fading out according to the roar of engine.

Audio Visual

SFX: Sound of a car speeding away very fast as the sound becomes softer, but the sound of electric static remains.

A part of Sparke F is fading in and fading out according to the roar of engine.

A pointer in speedometer is moving according to the sound of engine, showing how powerful the engine is.

Scene of Sparke F is speeding away from the back, leaving static on the street.

SFX: Roars of engine becomes faster and faster

SFX: Roar of engine

MVO: Sparke F. Coming this Bangkok Motor Show. SFX: Sound of the electric static lingers.

The copy “Coming this Bangkok Motor Show” appears and then Sparke F logo, slogan, tagline and website follow on a black background.

TVC 2 White Tiger of Cement Jungle

• Build powerful and fierce image of Sparke F • Show high performance and long-distance drive

ability of the car Tone and manner:

• Powerful • Fierce

Audio Visual

SFX: Exciting ethnic African song

Panorama view of savannah field in Africa.

From high bird eye view, a white tiger and a lion is chasing each other in the field.

The camera closeups the two big cats racing from the front.

SFX: Exciting ethnic African song

SFX: Exciting ethnic African song

SFX: Exciting ethnic African song. The same song becomes more modern and urban.

The camera pans to their backs, showing that they are running toward a black-out city at dawn.

Audio Visual

SFX: The song stops loudly as the white tiger makes its first step on the floor. SFX: The sound of the wind blows.

The shot then changes to the side of a street where the big cats are chasing. People are startled of what they see. The lion begins to show its tiredness and slows down.

The white tiger leaves the lion behind farther and father from the bird eye view of high rises of the city. The lion slows down and stops running.

The sun has set and the night has come to this black-out city. The white tiger walks gracefully to the edge of a skyscraper, looking down the city of darkness.

SFX: Exciting modern African song

SFX: Exciting modern African song

SFX: Powerful roar of the tiger. It roars loudly.

Audio Visual

Lights come back to the city in repercussion from the building that the white tiger stands.

A model of Sparke F and the logo emerge. The model turns around itself slowly. The slogan appears one by one; Fast. Fierce. Free., the tagline “Electrify your journey” and the website URL.

SFX: The roar of the tiger slowly transforms into the roar of engine. MVO: Sparke F. Electrify your journey.

SFX: The roars of the tiger lingers with sound of the light turns on each time.

Radio Scripts:

Radio 1 SFX: Roars of engine faster and faster Sound of a car speeds away very fast and sound of static

VO: Male VO: Sparke F. Coming this Bangkok Motor Show.

Radio 2 SFX: Engine roars Engine roars louder Engine roars even louder Sound of a car speeds away very fast and sound of static

VO: Male VO: Fast. Male VO: Fierce. Male VO: Free. Male VO: Sparke F electrify your journey. Visit your local dealer now. www.sparkef.com

Media plan Media Strategies: In order to deliver on the objectives, we have first set the reach and frequency objectives as followed.

• Reach objective: plan to reach at least 80% of the prospect groups

• Frequency objective: do the high-frequency strategies Rationale: high-frequency strategy work most effectively with the advertising/communication objectives that are

- Create awareness and excitement of new product/event - Build image of the product - Maintain awareness - Generate sales leads and motivate the target groups to

look for information - Suitable for high involvement product

Target Strategy: For the target audience strategies, we firstly consider the target reach of the program and select the media by looking at target information such as: media use, geography, and consumption patterns. The information brings us to the most price effective strategies to implement with right target audience, at the right time and place.

• Geographic strategy: As our prospects are those between B-A class, we decide to do the heavy-up schedule in the special regions/cities (big and business cities).

• Media usage strategy: We plan to use the distribution strategy, meaning that we would like to use several media base on the implementing of our IMC tools: print media, electronic media, interactive media, and out of home.

• Timing Strategy: Print media – magazines: continuous strategy – newspapers: pulsing strategy Electronic media – TVC and radio spot: pulsing strategy Interactive media – internet: continuous strategy Out of home – Billboard and BTS: continuous strategy Rationale: 1. Continuous strategy is used to create awareness

and maintain awareness.

2. Pulsing strategy is used to * peak intensify public awareness and

excitement about Sparke F before its launch at Bangkok Motor Show * valley maintain awareness without being so intrusive that the ad can reduce the effectiveness of the advertising (wear out)

Rationale: Working habit Because our target group is young executive who normally watch and read news in the early morning to update current affairs before they go to work and have time to relax after dinner until late night. Therefore, we chose vehicles and media that suit with their interests and time. This working habit also allows us to reach them most effectively on radio channels during driving time; 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Furthermore, when the audience is in traffic, it is the time that he/she will think about car most. Driving back and forth workplace also is impossible to ignore Out-of-Home media such as billboards. The reasons why we focus on Sunday newspapers are that many of the business persons have Sunday off and Sunday newspapers tend to have lighter editorial articles such as lifestyles. Thus, the readers spend more time with the papers as well as advertisements. The relaxing mood also makes them more receptive to the ads. Transit Media We chose BTS because BTS is also a pure electric vehicle similar to Sparke F. The wrap will parody this common characteristic by showing that our car is 20 times faster. Furthermore, the BTS is one of the main mass transportation in Bangkok with large number of users everyday. It also goes to many public places in the heart of Bangkok such as Thonglor, Sukhumvit and Silom. They are business areas where not only our target but also many people spend their time. Therefore, we can build the desired image to the mass.

Lifestyle Most men in our target group are interested in automobiles, gadgets, sports and night lives, so we decided to reach them through various vehicles which share the same audience as us. Moreover, our prospects are prone to have long surfing time in the Internet and use interactive function. Since the Internet is a fragmented medium and has very low cost, we can reach the target directly at a very low price. For example, car webboards. Why magazines? Even though we use pulsing strategy on many media such as TV and newspaper, our media plan has continuous strategy on magazines. Magazine has many benefits. Its editorial content lends the brand credibility. Most of car magazines have review section for new cars and opinions and comments of these opinion leaders will pose much influence upon readers, much more than advertisements that are perceived as biased. These readers will then share their attitudes with friends and families. In addition, since magazine has long life span, every time an audience reads the magazine, he/she will see the ad again.