EXCLUSIVE TO TRENDWATCHING PREMIUM CLIENTS

AUTOMOTIVEINDUSTRY UPDATE

AUGUST 2015

premium.trendwatching.com 2AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY UPDATE | AUGUST 2015

WELCOME

...to TrendWatching’s Automotive Industry Update, exclusively for Premium clients.

This update provides an unmissable window on Automotive insights and innovations. The Feature Trend – chosen from the 100+ trends you have access to as a client – is backed with a contextualized hero example and examples of best practice to inspire your own trend-led innovations.

Enjoy, and good luck!

STATUS SEEKERS HUMAN BRANDS

BETTERMENT BETTER BUSINESS

YOUNIVERSE UBITECH

LOCAL LOVE INFOLUST

PLAYSUMERS FUZZYNOMICS

EPHEMERAL PRICING PANDEMONIUM

HELPFULL POST-DEMOGRAPHIC

JOYNING REMAPPED

NOTE: When viewing the kickass innovations from page 8 onward, look out for the trend tags! Each example is labeled with its related mega-trends (listed below), followed by the corresponding sub-trend.

SEE ALL AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION EXAMPLES ONLINE »

FEATURING

PERKONOMICSFor car owners, the little extras can make

a big difference

PERKONOMICS

Perks satisfy consumers’ desire for novel forms of status, privilege, exclusivity and/or convenience. But it’s a two-way street: automotive brands that offer extras will strengthen relationships with customers, attract attention and escape commoditization.

For car owners, the little extras can make a big difference

// OVERWHELMING OPTIONS

In today’s crowded automotive arena, there are almost

limitless buying options. Little extras can cut through

the noise and make decision-making easier.

// (DIS)LOYALTY

Loyalty has been replaced by a quest for the automotive

brand that offers the most. Show that you understand

your customer’s concerns and/or needs with add-ons

that bring something they can’t get elsewhere.

// STATUS STORIES

Consumers in the experience economy derive status

from the stories associated with their purchases as

much as the product itself. Perks and add-ons mean a

great STATUS STORY to tell.

// NEW VALUES

Automaker-branded luggage, watches and fountain pens

are old news. Now, consumers are looking for perks that

offer a status boost but also align with their EMBEDDED

GENEROSITY values, as Audi did by partnering with

TOMS on a limited edition range of shoes.

// BUDDY UP

Partner up with a brand to offer surprising or unexpected

perks. See how Porsche offered free test-drives to

Lufthansa’s first class and private jet passengers.

// TAILOR MADE

Elevate perks above the norm by making them as

CUSTOMYZED as possible. After all, consumers will

always appreciate automotive brands that go the

extra mile to show they really care.

WHY NEXT

HUMAN BR ANDS:

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SEE IN THE DATABASE

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AUTOMOTIVE | PERKONOMICS INNOVATION EXAMPLES

FASTNEDEV network funds expansion via investors

club

June 2015 saw the launch of the Fastned Founders Club: a

program giving investors in the electronic vehicle charging

company free access to its charging station network for life.

Designed to help the Netherlands-based company expand its

roadside EV charging network, any investor purchasing at least

2,500 shares (costing EUR 10 each) in Fastned automatically

becomes part of the club. Fastned plans to build 200 EV

charging stations by 2017.

We don’t need to tell you that crowdfunding has

revolutionized the retail landscape. Today, many consumers

are willing to fund new businesses, committing pledges that

often far exceed the apparent worth of the perks on offer

(see PRESUMERS for some great examples). But the Fastned

Founders Club goes beyond the conventional ‘lifetime access’

perk. Tapping into the desire to contribute positively and

live according to one’s values actually offers a new bonus: to

extend the appeal of EVs and make them accessible to even

more drivers. Therefore, the real perk is the status boost that

comes from enabling positive change and making the world

a better place. The chance to meet likeminded donors at an

annual Founders Dinner is yet another bonus.

EUROPE

HUMAN BR ANDS : PERKONOMICS

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AUTOMOTIVE | PERKONOMICS INNOVATION EXAMPLES

AUDI & AMAZON

Customers’ cars used as shopping delivery location

PORSCHE

Airline offers passengers supercar driving experience

AUDI

Automaker creates limited edition charitable shoes

April 2015 saw Amazon and Audi announce the

launch of a pilot initiative in Munich, allowing

Amazon Prime members to choose to have their

shopping delivered directly to the trunk of their

Audi car. Shoppers add the estimated location

of their car for the delivery window, and logistics

company DHL uses Audi technology to locate the

vehicle and open the trunk with Audi’s Keyless

Entry technology. Once the delivery driver closes

the trunk, the car is automatically relocked.

From June 2015, the Porsche First Class

Excitement package is available to all first class

Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines or Swiss passengers

departing from Munich. Customers traveling first

class – or via Lufthansa private jet – can enjoy a

three-hour test drive of a Porsche 911 or Panamera

for EUR 99. Via a partnership with Avis, passengers

can also opt for a 24-hour rental package priced at

EUR 304.

In Q3 2015, Audi partnered with TOMS on an

exclusive shoe available only to people buying or

hiring a vehicle from the automaker for a limited

period – during the Summer of Audi event. Via

the US promotion, 55,000 pairs of TOMS shoes

were made, with the company giving away the

same amount of charity pairs for kids. The gray

limited edition shoes were emblazoned with the

Toms logo in red and featured a motif with Audi’s

signature rings in white.

EUROPE EUROPE NORTH AMERICA

HUMAN BR ANDS : PERKONOMICS

15

KICKASS INNOVATIONSAUTOMOTIVE

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AUTOMOTIVE | KICKASS INNOVATIONS

CHRYSLER

Automaker pays for employees’ college degrees

MINI SINGAPORE

Automaker offers stranded drivers test drives to their destination

SAMSUNG

Screen-integrated truck boosts road safety

In May 2015, Chrysler announced that its US

dealers would offer employees no-cost, no-

debt college education through the company’s

Degrees@Work program. The bachelor’s and

master’s degrees are offered via a partnership with

Strayer University, with each course available online

as well as at Strayer’s campus locations throughout

the US. Employees at all US-based Chrysler, Jeep,

Dodge, Ram and FIAT dealerships are eligible to

participate in the offer.

April 2015 saw MINI Singapore launch We Tow You

Drive: a campaign offering test drives to stranded

drivers. During the campaign, the automotive

brand partnered with a local breakdown recovery

service, responding to stranded drivers in real-

time. Drivers could take a test drive in a MINI to

their next destination, before giving the car back to

a representative at the completion of their journey.

Unveiled in June 2015, Samsung‘s Safety Truck

is designed to improve road safety via a wireless

camera system. The reverse of the truck has a

video wall with four screens which transmit video

captured by a wireless camera mounted to the

front of the vehicle, meaning that drivers can see

when it’s safe to overtake. The truck also features a

night vision mode, and the prototype system was

successfully trialed in Argentina.

BETTER BUSINESS / BRAND MOVEMENTS HELPFULL / TRYVERTISING HELPFULL / SAFETY NET

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AUTOMOTIVE | KICKASS INNOVATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSIT

Ice buckets made from car parts highlight dangers of drink driving

GOMORE

Music festival-goers offered free parking for sharing rides

WAZE

Children’s voices help reduce reckless driving

In April 2015, the Department of Transit (DETRAN)

in Paraná, Brazil launched a campaign warning

about the dangers of drink driving. According

to the institution’s statistics, in 2014, more than

48,000 deaths in Brazil were caused by drink

driving, with more than 5,000 occurring in the

state of Paraná. To highlight the dangers, DETRAN

created the Crash Bucket: an ice bucket made

from parts of crashed cars. Placed in bars in across

the state, the buckets also included the message:

“Take care. The next one may be made with the

rest of your car”.

In June 2015, the Roskilde music festival partnered

with Danish ride-sharing platform GoMore. 100

parking spaces were reserved for people who

offered transport to other festival-goers via

GoMore, plus a range of prizes available for drivers

and passengers alike. To access free parking,

drivers needed to print out a special voucher or

save this to their cellphone. Participants also had

the chance to win festival tickets for Roskilde 2016

by taking a photo of their ride-sharing experience

and posting this to social media

In response to statistics showing road traffic injuries

as the eighth leading cause of death globally,

Waze and telecommunications company Maxis

created a road safety reminder. The voice of

children was introduced as a pack option on the

navigation app after a study determining that nine

out of ten parents drive more safely when their kids

are in the car. Initially launched in Malaysia, the

option was available globally from June 2015.

HUMAN BRANDS / MATURIALISM INFOLUST / SAFETY NETFUZZYNOMICS / P2P

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AUTOMOTIVE | KICKASS INNOVATIONS

PEUGEOT

Automaker pays those choosing not to buy post-test-drive

ECALL

Emergency alert system improves road accident response

FERRARI

Luxury automaker’s app allows consumers to custom-create vehicles

June 2015 saw Peugeot dealerships in Brazil unveil

a promotion offering people BRL 500 (around USD

150) for test-driving a 208 vehicle. Anyone who

test-drives the car and then decides not to buy one

can claim the cash. Customers needed to purchase

a competing vehicle (from a selection including

similar cars from Honda, Volkswagen and Ford)

within seven days of trying out a Peugeot 208.

In April 2015, the European Parliament voted for all

new cars and light vans to include an emergency

eCall system as standard from March 2018. The

eCall device alerts rescue services automatically

when an accident occurs, using the existing 112

emergency number, and provides basic data such

as the type of vehicle involved and fuel type,

as well as the accident’s time and location. The

measure, which adds around EUR 100 to the price

of a new car, also circumvents problems created by

language barriers.

In April 2015, Ferrari launched an augmented

reality app allowing consumers in the US to custom-

create cars in-store. Holding an iPad in front of their

chosen vehicle, customers can select their model’s

paint color, wheel types, optional components

and brake caliper colors, observing the detailed

effects on screen. The customization process is

complimentary, and can also be recorded as a

15-second video and shared via email.

YOUNIVERSE / CUSTOMYZEDINFOLUST / SAFETY NETPRICING PANDEMONIUM / DEALER-CHIC

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AUTOMOTIVE | KICKASS INNOVATIONS

JAGUAR

Luxury car brand shares the mood of Wimbledon

VOLKSWAGEN

Car brand teaches Chinese children to build air purifiers

FIAT

Interactive billboard helps motorists to parallel-park

As part of its partnership with Wimbledon,

Jaguar launched a campaign during the tennis

championship in July 2015. Using sensory

technology, ‘Feel Wimbledon’ captured the

emotion spectators felt at the tournament and then

shared the results with people across the UK via

outdoor screens and a dedicated website. Selected

fans at the tournament were given biometric

wristbands to measure their heart rate, motion and

location whilst ground sensors monitored crowd

movement and audio levels.

In June 2015, Volkswagen launched a pilot

program to teach school children in China about

air quality and pollution. The ‘Clean Air In A Box’

initiative provided children with DIY kits to show

how they could build affordable air purifiers for the

classroom using a small electric fan, a carton box

and a Volkswagen cabin air filter. The brand plans

to continue the program in schools across China.

In June 2015, Fiat created an interactive billboard

which helped drivers assess the distance behind

their car, as they reversed into a space on a street

in Frankfurt. Designed to promote Fiat’s Parking

Assist technology, the billboard was fitted with

ultrasonic parking-assist sensors which responded

to sensors fitted to a car already parked on the

spot. The billboard featured pre-recorded videos

showing a variety of individuals, including a

young man, a little girl, an old man, and a woman

in a revealing bunny outfit, demonstrating the

diminishing distance by drawing their hands

together as the car reversed.

HUMAN BRANDS / BRAND MOVEMENTSEPHEMERAL / LIVING THE LIVE HELPFULL / BRAND BUTLERS

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AUTOMOTIVE | KICKASS INNOVATIONS

FORD

Automaker’s system simplifies reversing with a truck

FIAT

In-taxi wifi activated only when seat belts are used

TOYOTA

Automaker’s radio ad automatically switches cellphones off

In May 2015, Ford announced that its 2016 F-150

truck would come with Pro Trailer Backup Assist

to help drivers reverse with a trailer attached. The

system takes around ten minutes to set up for any

trailer, with the dimensions entered via the on-

board computer and a sticker added to the hitch

to aid the camera in monitoring its movement.

Once the trailer is configured, when a driver wants

to reverse, they simply turn a knob on the truck’s

dashboard and leave the vehicle to control the

steering, gas, and brakes.

April 2015 saw Fiat Brazil partner with Use Taxi on

Wi-Fi Salva Vidas (The Wifi Lifeguard) to educate

passengers about the importance of using seat

belts. In-taxi wifi devices detected when the belt

was buckled and then enabled free wifi, which was

available for the duration of the journey.

Q2 2015 saw Toyota Sweden create a radio ad

which used Siri or Google Voice to switch off

cellphones. The radio ad ran during rush hour, and

explained the dangers of using a cellphone while

driving, before activating voice command. The

ad then switched the device into airplane mode,

making it impossible to receive calls or send SMS.

BETTERMENT / CURRENCIES OF CHANGE INFOLUST / SAFETY NETEPHEMERAL / TIME SAVIORS

DON’T FORGETINNOVATIONS THAT INSPIRE NEW PRODUCTS, SERVICES

AND CAMPAIGNS CAN COME FROM ANY INDUSTRY.CHECK OUT THESE 8 EXAMPLES AND GET INSPIRED!

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AUTOMOTIVE | DON’T FORGET!

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS FINANCIAL SERVICES FOOD & BEVERAGE

MOBILE & TELECOMSMEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

TRAVEL

RETAIL

GIVESURANCECompany allows customers to donate a cut of their insurance

payments to charity »

SURESLIMChocolate flyer encourages

weight-loss »

TURING ROBOTIC INDUltra-secure cellphone is

indestructible »

KEYS N KRATESLocation-based mobile music video features user-generated images »

RÉMY MARTINSmart bottle caps provide authenticity guarantee »

TOPSHOPFashion retailer hosts blogger-led

photography school »

GOOGLE / LEVI STRAUSSFabric project integrates wearable

technology control into jeans »

LUXURY

TAM AIRLINESAirline produces personalized on-

board magazines »

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