Unusual key visual attracts a lot of attention in the industry
Pastel shades and heart-shaped rims: the Ferrari F430 by Pascal Klein picks up on current tuning trends and disproves many a common cliché about the scene. Perhaps that's why it was one of the most talked about vehicles at the last Essen Motor Show. Even more unusual than its looks is the story behind the Italian sports car: Klein, from Saarland, acquired the vehicle in boxes of individual parts following a total loss. Almost 10,000 fans then followed on YouTube how he gave the F430 a new lease of life. The makers of the Essen Motor Show liked the result so much that they made a car from the tuning community the motif for their new advertising campaign for the first time.
"It is a clear message to the fans: you may be able to present yourself at other events, but we celebrate you and put your car in the spotlight. The Essen Motor Show stands for courage, emotion and diversity. The new key visual embodies all three values perfectly," explains Ralf Sawatzki, Project Manager of the Essen Motor Show. Of course, heart-shaped rims and delicate colors are not everyone's cup of tea, but "you don't have to please everyone," says Alexander Wege, Managing Director of crossover communication. The Cologne-based advertising agency mastered the challenge of creating an eye-catching motif from a multi-colored template in pastel.
The audience is getting younger and more female
The new campaign has already achieved one thing: it stands out and is a topic of conversation. "The response has been consistently positive. Our exhibitors appreciate that we are breaking new ground and doing something out of the ordinary," says Sawatzki. At first glance, the results of the latest visitor survey also appear unusual: The average age of those surveyed fell from 39 to 35 years, while the proportion of women rose to 22 percent. The Essen Motor Show is thus dispelling two prejudices: firstly, that young people are no longer interested in cars and secondly, that tuning only interests men.
The last trade fair showed that the fascination with cars is unbroken and does not have to be at odds with increased climate awareness. Once again, a significant proportion of the vehicles on show had a sustainable drive system. So tuning also works with electric cars - perhaps this is why 82 percent of exhibitors consider the current economic situation in their industry to be favorable. However, this assessment may also be due to the positive impression of a successful trade fair: 96 percent of exhibitors recommend participation in the Essen Motor Show to others. With so much good word-of-mouth advertising, do you even need a campaign? Absolutely - and even more so when it is as visually appealing as Pascal Klein's Ferrari.
Further information: www.essen-motorshow.de
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