“Land Rover aren’t just selling us the car.
They’re selling us the story.”
Hibernate? No Chance. #Hibernot
That was the brilliant message Land Rover ran, or drove, with all winter long.
Don't sit indoors. Get out there and enjoy life. Especially if it's in a Land Rover.
This was an epic cross media marketing strategy powered by a) a LOT of money and b) several agencies working to make it happen. But that doesn't mean there aren't lessons any business can pull from it.
Video was a major tool in the campaign and at the heart of it all was the #HIBERNOT family. Taking a 'real family' and making them trade their sofa for a week exploring and having fun together (in a Discovery Sport).
What's key here, is Land Rover aren't just selling us the car. They're selling us the story.
7 days of adventure for them to share. 7 videos for us to share.
“7 days of adventure for them to share.
7 videos for us to share.”
'Look at how this car brings the family together and lets them bond and live life in the way we all dream of, look Dad, you're not a loser in a xmas hat, you're a real man!' it says.
This could be your life too! Well, almost. Even if you could afford a Discovery Sport, it'd be an even bigger stretch to book Ray Mears to hang out with you for the day (genuinely - Day 3, Dad rather handily had to utilise the extra hidden seats in the boot to make way for their foraging hitch hiker).
This was a great campaign. Reclaiming 4x4s from the school run image they've gained over recent years and using great storytelling to sell us the lifestyle of a family united.
Honestly, #HIBERNOT is so immense in its ambition that I could talk about examples of what it did well for far too long. The best thing to do, if you're interested, is check out their site that has brought together all of the material.
The final day of Land Rover's Winter, was celebrated with this video:
So how can your business learn from #HIBERNOT?
Just think hard about this question:
How can you tell the story of what your product/service can do for real people?
Don't just sell a product. Sell a lifestyle. Sell a better version of me. I want to buy that change.
Show me how that's happened to someone else. Let me see the change.
It doesn't have to be 'sexy' like cars. It doesn't need a celebrity with a handy knack for surviving without matches. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't take vision, nor for that matter, a healthy budget, but it will set you apart from your competition if done right. It's about moving beyond an 'About' video and a 'How To' video and creating something special, sharing a story that shows just how awesome my life could be if I had your 'product' in it.