FUCHS, “Keep Going” Campaign
Fuchs is a relative newcomer to the synthetic engine oil category. Having had a late start, with most of the range being introduced to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2011-2012 without a significant launch campaign effort, the Fuchs synthetic range had been lagging far behind the major competitors. The category is highly competitive, with major players incentivizing regional distributors to move more units of their product.
We had to find a way to increase sales and capitalize on the market growth.
Having far fewer resources than the major competitors in the industry, we knew we could not compete with them in gaining the loyalty of the central buyers.
We would have to bypass the central buyers and workshops and go straight to the end user. If customers asked for Fuchs synthetic oil, workshop staff would oblige; and if they perceived an increased demand for Fuchs, the workshops would ensure that they have adequate supply.
We wanted to communicate one simple thought to our target audience:
“You can get more miles out of your car, without needing an oil change, by using Fuchs synthetic oil.”
Being in Saudi Arabia, we had very clear image of what our audience is like:
Our audience was young males aged 18-27 (since women do not drive in Saudi Arabia). These males may have entered the working world, but still hold onto their lifestyle from the university days. Their close friends are likely those that they grew up with – either being from their neighborhood or people they went to school with. When they were younger, they would take their fathers’ cars and cruise around town. This activity was borne out of necessity rather than preference. Given the country’s conservativeness, they lacked an adequate range of entertainment avenues, and hanging out at each other’s houses was problematic: since it would be difficult for the mother or female siblings to be at ease with a non-relative male in the household. This social activity of cruising stuck with them, and it is something they never quite let go of. After a couple of hours cruising, they would most likely stop at a shisha (hookah) café to watch a football game and play cards. They like to think of themselves as adventurers, but many of them have not travelled outside of the region and the extent of their adventures is limited to weekend beach trips (if they live in a coastal town) or a trip out to the desert. We knew this from extensive exposure to (and interaction with) them. If we can tap into their passions and aspirations, while positioning Fuchs Synthetic Oil as the facilitator, we can overcome indifference and establish a preference for Fuchs amongst the segment that is the core contributor to market growth.
Our big idea was to capture the collective imaginations of our target audience through an amalgamation of cruising, friendship, and football, used to tell an epic story of a long adventure made possible by Fuchs Synthetic Oil.
Over a series of videos shown on television and on YouTube, we told the story of two Saudi friends embarking on a road trip together. One of these wears traditional garments, while the other wears western clothing. This juxtaposition is reflective of today’s young adults in Saudi society. Utilizing YouTube was key to our media strategy success, as Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s highest YouTube viewership rates – since it serves as a portal to the outside world in this conservative country. Our core idea was simple enough: “Kamil”, or “Keep going…”
