BMW iJack challenged the idea of a traditional car dealership and created 300 virtual showrooms across Dubai for free - by identifying new advertising media in the form of Google Maps listings that were completely free and open to everyone. We took our BMW EVs and photobombed every public charging station – physically and digitally – with photos and videos of our cars, including 360 views of the interior. We also integrated smart QR codes for viewers to book test drives directly, inventively leveraging Google Maps to completely digitalize the automotive purchase process.

Despite being a global leader in the adoption of electrification in recent years, the UAE’s public charging infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the rising number of electric vehicles – with only about 300 stations scattered across Dubai for almost all electric cars to share. Moreover, the long driving distances make it essential for EV owners to charge their vehicles at least twice a week on average. This is a source of anxiety for potential customers wanting to make the switch, with proximity to public charging stations being a crucial factor.

And as the last ones to enter the EV market, BMW had an important point to prove.

In the UAE, an emerging EV market, public charging stations are the primary source of energy. This makes proximity to them a key consideration for potential customers to make the switch – to a point where the first thing they do is look for charging stations near them, even before they visit the dealership.

Being the last ones to enter a highly competitive EV market, we wanted to capture people’s attention in a way that disrupts category norms. Most of all, we wanted our EV launch campaign to align with our sustainability commitment – that of utilizing resources in the most efficient way without compromising impact.

Recognizing that proximity to public charging stations was a key consideration, we took our EVs where the purchase decision was really made. Presenting BMW iJACK – turning Google Maps into the largest network of virtual showrooms by seeding a BMW electric car in the pictures listed by visitors. But how did we do it?

In a guerrilla effort to launch our electric range, we took our shiny beamers and photobombed every one of the 300 EV charging stations in broad daylight. So each time anyone, [including proud owners of Audi-Mercedes-Tesla-Porsche], looked for charging stations near them, our EVs pulled right up – making BMW top of mind. A covert operation, one year in the making, with smart QR codes intercepting every search with an invitation to test drive our cars.

We wanted to direct our campaign to existing and potential EV owners – a category that comprises nearly 70% of UAE residents. And with minimum spillover.

While our competitors were investing millions in advertising their electric cars, we identified new advertising real estate in the form of Google Maps listings that was completely free and open to everyone. All it took was a few BMW EVs, a list of public charging stations in Dubai and a smartphone, to make our cars the headliners across the city – capturing the attention of millions.

Armed with just a smartphone for one entire year, we covertly photobombed every single public charging station in Dubai with our BMW EVs. Instead of the usual pictures of the charging equipment, BMW electric vehicles became the stars of the show, strategically positioned at these locations. We featured the car from every angle, including 360 views of the interiors, capturing every detail for viewers to see – without even visiting the showroom. We also intercepted every search with smart QR codes that directly allowed people to book test drives.

Within a year, we had uploaded photos and videos of our EVs on every single one of the 300 charging station listings on Google Maps – creating hundreds of virtual showrooms all over Dubai.

We tried to keep it low-key, but then people took notice – including the region’s leading motoring channel, ArabGT. The iJack garnered over 2 million views organically on Google Maps, significantly driving consideration for BMW EVs. It also boosted test drives by 400% - with 2 out of 5 bookings from our virtual showrooms.

While our competitors spent millions on marketing their electric cars, we stayed true to our commitment of utilizing resources effectively – and spent zero dollars to get earned media worth 2.2 million dollars. From stealth to sophistication, BMW iJACK has come a long way in setting a new benchmark for how automotive brands spend their money.

It began as an incognito photobombing mobile stunt to create a Baader-Meinhof effect, where people started seeing BMWs in every charging station listing. This turned into a widely talked about digital hack that created more awareness that a heavily sponsored digital media investment couldn’t yield.