July 17, 2013
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is making use of multichannel efforts to propel its Goodwood Festival of Speed enterprises that is likely to excite auto enthusiasts and keep fans interested.
The British automaker chose to portray itself from angles ranging from ruthless speed to thoughtful charity to demonstrate to fans that it tries to engage them on different fronts. Rolls-Royce is continuing its efforts to maintain consumer interest through its social media.
"The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the most unique event of its kind in the world, drawing 185,000 visitors, many of whom are not prospective customers" said Andrew Ball, corporate communications manager of Rolls-Royce, Goodwood, England.
"Rolls-Royce is as much an aspirational brand as a multi-dimensional brand," he said.
"To show different areas and dynamics of our business, demonstrates the breadth that we have and the breadth of events that we take part in."
Numbers plus letters
Goodwood had a theme of speed for this year's festival that encouraged participants to come with their biggest, loudest and most brazen vehicles.
Rolls-Royce accepted the challenge with its Wraith model, the most powerful vehicle ever created by the brand. The Wraith may have provided the most exciting moments for fans as it climbed the Goodwood hill at 134 miles per hour.
Wraith model
Tempering the Wraith's brute force, Rolls-Royce cheered on its Fab1 Million project headed by Chris Evan in a pink Bespoke Ghost model. The Fab1 project aims to raise $1.5 million for breast cancer care in 2013.
The brand also deployed its soapbox challenge, a four-wheeled gravity racer that completed the course while reaching 72 miles per hour.
Since the festival takes place in West Sussex, Rolls-Royce feels that it may have had a hometown advantage.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
To ensure that fans recognize the significance of the festival and the effort put into it, Rolls-Royce is recapping the weekend's top moments via social media.
Rolls-Royce Facebook page
On Twitter, the brand is zooming in on specific aspects of the weekend.
Rolls-Royce Twitter page
Making the rounds
Rolls-Royce frequently uses social media to keep fans informed the brand's current events.
For example, the brand built social engagement with brand enthusiasts by giving them a play-by-play of its journey through a reenactment of 1913 Alpine Trial in Europe.
The British automaker had used a number of its digital and social platforms including its main Web site, Facebook page, Twitter account and a blog to chronicle the journey of its vehicles that are taking part in the trial. Rolls-Royce likely strengthened its relationship with fans by giving them an all-access look at its journey (see story).
Other luxury automakers viewed Goodwood as a place to show off their brand.
For instance, Jaguar Land Rover celebrated its creative aspirations at Goodwood with the debut of its Project 7 Concept Car while coaxing consumers to take a closer look at the 2014 Jaguar F-type.
The festival has drawn more than 100,000 fans in the past, making it an attractive event for brands looking to thrill potential consumers with experimental designs. Jaguar loaded the Project 7 car with legacy-based reference points such as its 7 victories at Le Mans and blue paintwork that is redolent of the Jaguar D-type cars of 1956 and 1957 (see story).
In the midst of so many other car brands, it is important to find a way to stand out.
"Goodwood is an opportunity to show our company and products to a very broad audience," Mr. Ball said.
"The Wraith hitting over 130 miles-per-hour and also achieving a sub 60 [second] time were definite highlights," he said.
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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