Mini Usa

MINI USA Case Study

1. Purpose

After working together for almost five years, Scheid, Roberts, and Reicher(SRR), MINI’s advertising agency, decided to resign the MINI account in order to pursue a larger account with a competing German automobile manufacturer. For Trudy Hardy, marketing manager for MINI USA, her fist challenge was finding a new but unique advertising agency before the end of the year.

2. Background

As a cultural icon in all of those automobiles, the original version of Mini was a success in the UK. After the acquisition of BMW, the new MINI model had been designed with a more evolutionary approach in terms of design combined with BMW’s reputation for delivering high-performance, driver-oriented cars.

In 2001, SRR become the advertising agency for MINI. The relationship between MINI and SRR was perfect: SRR had now grown to more than 300 employees from fewer than 50. And MINI’s unit sales from 24,590 in 2002 increased to 40.820 units in just four years.

3. Alternatives

A) Find a new but unique advertising agency

Based on former experience, Hardy started to develop a list of consultants to assist in the selection. She believed she could make it since she is familiar with the selection process.

Pros:

MINI had made success in last five years with old advertising strategy, the company can simply choose to keep using it.

A new advertising agency might bring some new idea, so that MINI can make another success.

Cons:

To pick a satisfied advertising agency, it is possible that Hardy cannot finish this job before December.

Possibly the new agency is not good as SRR, the new advertising strategy will fail.

B) MINI can establish their own advertising department

The MINI had been launched in US for almost five years. The employees of MINI, like Hardy, should have a better understanding of MINI than any other advertising agency.

Pros:

The relationship between MINI and advertising department will be long-term.

The employees all have the...