Around the world, consumers are used to monitoring everything they do. There are wearables and apps that help consumers strive for better performance in everything from running to eating and general health. Shell decided to apply this to driving for the first time.The creative idea used biometric technology, mobile apps, GPS and chatbots to gain the clearest ever picture of life on the road, any closer and we’d be sitting in the passenger seat. We designed a first of its kind data processing engine -drawing intelligence from 15,000 everyday journeys from 3,500 drivers worldwide, clocking over 35,000 miles, the equivalent of driving 1.5 times around the earth. We captured everything from mood, speed, distance, weather and traffic conditions to which passengers had the most positive impact on drivers’ mood. The data was mapped against personality indicators, gender and age, to analyse what factors influence performance and great journeys.

To launch its new fuels, Shell shared the experiences of ‘real drivers’ through data driven storytelling. In Malaysia and the Philippines, we addressed declining brand preference grabbing media coverage in news and lifestyle media and used influencers to grow the younger audience segment.In the Netherlands we infiltrated sceptical media and influencers, turning them into advocates through an immersive event, which even featured a comedy performance aboutDutch driver behaviours. In Turkey we busted gender stereotypes and shifted the media coverage from business correspondents to lifestyle editors and influencers for the first time. In South Africa we shaped the news agenda by uncovering truths around the impact of music on driving performance, stealing radio and TV airtime. In Germany, the land of efficiency, we drove column inches by proving its drivers are almost as efficient as their engines, and designed healthy food stations, satisfying the appetite of media and drivers.

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The campaign achieved a worldwide reach of 362+million across 330+ mainstream and lifestyle media outlets, including Huff Post, Top Gear, Bild, De Telegraaf,Women’s Health, Grazia and MTV. 74% of coverage was positive and 26% was neutral in tone, and over half (54%) included Shell in the headline.Collaborating with over 200 influencers globally, the campaign achieved an earned social reach of 12+million, with an engagement rate of nearly 20%. Best of all, the campaign was delivered without any paid advertising.

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The campaign increased brand perception across participating markets, including a preference shift from 6% to 10% inthe Netherlands and 39% to 40% in Malaysia, arresting a month-on-month decline. Source: Shell GCT Fuels KPIs 2017.

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The campaign ultimately drove a 14% sales uplift for Shell V-Power in the Netherlands, plus a 39% increase in food and beverage sales in Germany versus prior year. We are driving trust and loyalty, by uncovering human insights, and responding to the findings right across Shell’s retail business. Data is informing new products and experiences to make drives better and safer, including the introduction of slow release energy foods in Shell forecourts and exclusive Spotify playlists to reward Shell V-Power loyalty. Exciting connected car opportunities linked to emotion based steering wheel technology is also being secured. This is all part of Shell's move to scale up the experiment, taking it from a study into an insight engine, so that we can anticipate and deliver exactly what a driver needs for the best possible journey.