BMW has incorporated a mobile application into its ongoing ?Joy? campaign to highlight its high-performance cars and the sheer driving pleasure they give owners.

The launch of the new BMW Hong Kong iPhone application is to further enrich the meaning of Joy by creating an interactive and dynamic platform to strengthen engagement with customers. The application, created by Green Tomato Ltd., will encourage enthusiasts to experience the joy of BMW and access the brand from a new and different dimension.

?BMW targets a trendsetting audience that appreciates the aesthetic of technology and has an appetite for quality information and hence a significant percentage of BMW target demographic is using smartphones,? said Anna Tang, marketing manager of BMW Concessionaires Ltd, Hong Kong.

?The iOS platform alone contributes over half of the smartphone market in Hong Kong and that is the why the BMW Hong Kong app was firstly launched on iOS,? she said. ?We are also actively studying the possibility of bringing the app to other smartphone platforms.?

BMW Joy
BMW?s Joy campaign was a new brand positioning program that the carmaker launched in the second half of 2009.

The effort spanned high-impact television placements on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC during popular events such as the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the Academy Awards.

For example, throughout NBC?s two-week televised coverage of the Winter Games, BMW was the sole automotive sponsor of the network?s ?Olympic Moments of Joy? segments highlighting real-life stories about Olympic athletes.

As the year progressed the campaign continued to span TV and also included social media, video, a dedicated microsite, online advertising and print ads.

Joy app
The purpose of the application is to remind consumers that the feeling of joy is a core value of the BMW brand. It also aspires future BMW owners and lets them experience the excitement offered by the wide range of the brand?s luxurious cars.

Since the second half of 2009, "Joy is BMW" has been used as a slogan.

The Joy of BMW covers several levels of emotions, including driving pleasure and dreams realization. It not only represents high-performance cars filled with sheer driving pleasure, but also innovation and outgoing optimism.

BMW strives to provide the most advanced technology, the best design and the most complete driving pleasure. The launch of the BMW Hong Kong iPhone application is to communicate these brand values to customers.

?BMW is about technology and innovations, and we see the importance of incorporating mobile advertising in the marketing mix,? Ms. Tang said.

"Other than routine SMS communications with customers on service reminders and upcoming events, BMW HK has done a trial ad placement in Yahoo?s mobile platform in July 2010, and unexpectedly this ad has been entitled to the Best Mobile Solution award with the highest click-through-rate among all advertisers,? she said.

?This further proves BMW?s lovers and core target customers could be reached more directly via the mobile space."

Dan Butcher reported for this story.

Final take
Here is one of the BMW Joy TV ads:

/>