From location aware and integrated apps, to motorsport games and “Top Trump” style stats, the industry has been leading the way in consumer engagement. Read more about BMW, Rolls Royce and Ford apps for smartphones and iPads. http://www.exiconglobal.com/report-download/automotive

1. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
BRANDS ON APPS
AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE – Q3 2010
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2. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
INTRODUCTION
The first in a series of updates on how brands across major
industry sectors are embracing mobile as part of their digital,
marketing or product strategy.
In our study, we reviewed over 700 branded mobile
applications and summarized the key findings and trends to
give you a snapshot of who is doing what and how.
This update focuses on the Automotive Industry.
Other updates for brands will be available soon for the
following industries:
• Airlines • FMCG
• Fashion • Cosmetics
• Accessories/Jewelry • Restaurants
• Retail • Alcoholic Beverages
• Banking & Finance • Hospitality
To automatically receive Exicon’s Branded App Updates,
subscribe at http://digital.exicon.mobi/reports
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3. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
AUTOMOTIVE BRANDS HAVE EMBRACED MOBILE APPLICATIONS
700+ apps reviewed to date
11 %
11% of the apps we reviewed in our study were
automotive apps.
The automotive industry was an early adopter in the
application space.
On average a brand in the auto industry has 2.6 apps vs
an average of 1.4 across all industries.
Include dealer apps and that average jumps to 9.7.
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4. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
LUXURY BRANDS
LED THE WAY
2 of the first 4
apps created were BMW Mercedes-Benz Toyota
automotive apps
Luxury vehicle brands, BMW
and Audi were among the first
to market alongside major
brands Coca Cola & McDonalds.
Now all the major auto brands Nissan Volkswagen Audi
are on board.
Auto app downloads
exceed ALL other
categories Mazda Seat
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5. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
iPHONE LED THE CHARGE
Specific features such as the accelerometer, have clearly driven
TOP FEATURES &
app development. As other smartphones adopt these features,
other platforms will catch up.
TEST DRIVES
Location-aware capabilities, integrated maps, product catalogs
and personalization options have proven to facilitate real requests
from users either by helping to locate the closest dealer, enabling
customization of car models or by submitting requests for real
test drives.
80%
increase in sales leads
and test driving requests
TOP APP FEATURES IN AUTOMOTIVE
The top 6
features
stimulate
test driving
requests
VW Real Racing GTI
Quickly became the most
downloaded auto app, despite
the fact that mobile was the only
digital promotion channel used.
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6. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
GAMES ARE INTEGRAL
30% TO AUTOMOTIVE APPS
of Automotive Apps
include games
4M
Downloads
First Auto App on iTunes
Audi’s A4 Driving Challenge
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7. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
GAMES ARE OFTEN
INDEPENDENTLY DEVELOPED
Games cost! Typically games are developed by specialized
4.3M
downloads
game development companies.
An effective solution can be to leverage the success of an
Volkswagen partnered with developers ‘Firemint existing game, developed by an independent developer,
Real’ to create a winning mobile game for the and customize it for a new model. The advantage is that
launch of the new VW GTI. there is an existing game, user base, brand and appealing
user experience.
Alternatively, brands can use one game ‘engine’ and
multiple ‘skins’ to leverage the cost of development across
multiple models.
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8. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
Interestingly, Ferrari have reduced the price
over time. When GT Evolution was first MOST BRANDED
released in Dec ‘08 it cost US$9.99, then
dropped to US$5.99 in mid ’09, US$1.00 in mid APPS ARE FREE
’10 and is now selling for US$0.99.
Ferrari, however, charges
US$0.99
Ferrari GT Evolution Ferrari Sound app
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9. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
DIFFERENT BRANDS FOLLOW 2 VERY DIFFERENT
STRATEGIES
HQ COMMISSIONED
Car brands are among the strongest “Brand Guardians”.
Only focus on HQ However, there has been evidence of a proactive approach
1 towards dealer applications in order to enable the local
commissioned apps penetration of branded applications in the different markets
and support channel sales.
Corporate HQ – BMW Group Local HQ – BMW France
Premium App Advanced App
Commissioned by BMW Group Commissioned by BMW France
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10. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
DEALER INITIATED
MOBILE APPS
• 150+ additional apps issued at dealer level,
independent of global or regional HQ
• “Dealer apps” enable car dealers to market their
own business (particularly popular in US & Canada)
Local Dealer – BMW Atlanta • Toyota, for example has 24 dealer apps
Basic App • The most effective dealer apps can be driven by
Commissioned by Dealer
“App Wizards” thereby protecting the brand image
as well as facilitating the rapid roll-out by dealers.
2 MOST POPULAR FEATURES USED IN DEALER APPS:
1. Location aware
2. Integrated maps
Empower 3. Phone dialer
dealers to 4. Twitter integration
create their 5. Facebook integration
Basic app
own apps Commissioned by Dealer
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11. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
Most apps reviewed were commissioned by
‘Global’ HQ in N. America or Western Europe.
GLOBAL VS LOCAL
However, increasingly, apps are commissioned
by the ‘Local’ HQ & localized for specific
markets.
“An average sales increase ranging from 18 to 22 % when
More impactful is when the content is market developers make their app available in a local language.”
specific, which is a good argument for
promoting a localized dealer app strategy . Head of Product Marketing, Global App Store
Mercedes also has multiple versions including Chinese
Portuguese app in Brazil, commissioned by Audi Brazil
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12. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
THE APP IS JUST THE START
INTEGRATION IS KEY
Facebook Sites Online Game iPhone App Micro-Sites
and Apps Promo
Twitter Blogs & Feeds
MySpace YouTube Mobile Website
Channel
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13. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
YOU NEED TO BE PLANNING FOR
WHAT’S COMING NEXT
VW was the 1st auto brand
with an app for the iPad
VW DAS iPad App
Launched in June 2010, in time for the release of the iPad in the Middle East.
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14. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
MINI GETAWAY STOCKHOLM IPHONE APP
A brilliant idea from MINI. A mobile geo-location
APPS WE LIKE
multi-player reality game, built around a play-to-
win concept. This app not only offers players a
fun experience but has a great incentive, with a
brand new MINI Countryman up for grabs.
The way it works is, players have to hunt down and catch a virtual MINI
in Stockholm. Then the real challenge begins, as they now need to
escape with it and stay at least 50 meters away from everybody else in
the city. The player who manages to keep the virtual MINI in his iPhone
at the end of the game week wins a real new MINI Countryman.
Keep it for a week and the
real thing is yours.
Locate the virtual MINI Within 50m of the car, ‘Dodge’ your enemies &
‘steal’ it onto your device keep the virtual mini safe
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15. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST
This app by luxury maker Rolls Royce stands out
APPS WE LIKE
because it uses the product interaction and UGC
Ghost is the essence of Rolls -Royce in its simplest, purest
features to let consumers create their custom
form. Whatever you have in mind, you can see it take shape
Rolls-Royce Ghost model.
with the Rolls-Royce Ghost App. Also available as an iPad
The quality of the brand is conveyed throughout the app. Customers app.
can immerse themselves in the design process and explore the
possibilities of exterior color, leather upholstery and wood veneer.
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16. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
TOYOTA PRIUS EXPERIENCE
Part of an overall multi-touch point digital
APPS WE LIKE
marketing initiative. Provides users interactive
information about the car & a way to engage
with the model’s billboard ads.
In a mini game, a 360° view and the integration of Augmented
Reality users can see a virtual car model with further information
by pointing camera at the billboard ad. The mini game also deals
with the ecological innovation of the Prius model – educating users
about alternative energy power.
Interaction Product Education Multi-Touch
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17. AUTOMOTIVE UPDATE
This report was brought to you by
Exicon Digital. Exicon Digital is a hub
for brand marketers & agencies to get
everything they need to build
successful applications. Find out
more at http://digital.exicon.mobi
If you enjoyed this report, then you might be
interested in participating in The Expedition, a series
of invitation-only workshops about going mobile.
Visit our website to download a copy of this report and
subscribe to receive other industry reports.
Together with leading local brands, agencies and
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developers, you’ll hear first-hand from people who
have been in the trenches. You’ll also be able to
discuss how to apply the learnings to your brand as
Other updates for brands will be available soon for the well as meet the relevant people who can make it
following industries. happen.
• FMCG Let us know which cities you’d be interested in
• Airlines
attending and we’ll be in touch when we’re in your
• Fashion • Cosmetics
neck of the woods.
• Accessories/Jewelry • Restaurants
• Retail • Alcoholic Beverages Go to http://digital.exicon.mobi/new/expedition.php
• Banking & Finance • Hospitality
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