We aimed to make our brand message (Challenging conventions to make things better) crystal clear. We addressed three key points: (1) What convention to challenge, (2) how to challenge it, and (3) what would be made better.

1: On first dates, people often sit opposite each other awkwardly in bars or restaurants without saying much. Many of these dates fail because people sit face-to-face. Numerous psychological studies show that this hinders getting to know others.

2: Mazda is creating new side-by-side seating for the first date as part of a speed dating tour in the new Mazda MX-5. This makes the first date a shared experience in a relaxed environment with lots to talk about. Mazda is therefore helping to challenge the first date convention.

3: With the alternative/correct side-by-side seating, we are increasing the chances of a successful date and perhaps of finding the love of your life.

We told people about our marketing idea by distributing numerous ads in order to embed our brand message and encourage Switzerland's singles to get involved. Anyone interested could register on a website to take part in one of the Mazda Speed Dating tours.

The 72 speed dating tours were then held in seven cities (Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne, Lausanne, Geneva and Lugano) several times. On each 15-minute long trip, ten different couples then got to know each other in a fantastic, informal setting with lots to talk about. They stopped after 15 minutes, changed car and had their next date.

• Mazda brand awareness: +23% since before the campaign.

• Brand sympathy also increased by +29%.

• The key brand attributes "offers intelligent solutions" and "a brand that thinks differently" rose by +73% and +21% respectively.

• 70,000 unique website visitors.

• Over 3,550 singles registered on the website mazda-speeddating.ch.

• Corresponds to a 5% conversion rate

• Registered singles booked almost 5,650 trips

• 98% loved the speed dates so much they would have recommended Mazda Speed Dating to someone else immediately.

• At least six couples who met so are now a couple.

• Endless positive spoken and written feedback from participants.

• The number of Mazda cars sold in Switzerland rose by +4.5% compared with 2015 by the end of the campaign(although the overall market dropped by -3.5% in the same period).

• Mazda therefore increased its market share by 8.2% on 2015 as of October 2016.

Bringing brand philosophy to life: We have proved that we are living out our brand philosophy to "Challenge convention to make things better" to the max, including in our marketing.

Motivation-driven idea: We have come up with an idea that essentially feeds off the forces that drive people. People have heard our message and are interested.

Innovation: We have dared to do something that other car brands would not dare to do. A large-scale commitment campaign that has touched people's hearts.

Creating real value: Ultimately we have even brought people together: We have had fun LIVING marketing.

Target audience

Young, well-educated trendsetters. Mostly young professionals who challenge the status quo and are keen to explore new things. They love to be creative, to experiment and consume. "Can do" and "I want everything" attitude to have, to be and to indulge.

Key trends and passion points for this audience are:

• Reward consumption

• Life as showroom

• Experience as status symbol

• Co-creating

• Fascination for new technologies

• Hypermobility

Approach

Mazda has very clearly defined the typical Mazda customer experience: The convention is to define WHAT has to be done (process oriented).

We are once again acting and thinking differently – reverse thinking. We have defined what feelings to trigger in the customer – the MAZDA BLUEPRINT, allowing people to decide how to achieve this for themselves. The success is measured using answers to four questions:

• Was it easy to interact?

• Was the interaction personal?

• Was I pleasantly surprised?

• Can I relate to Mazda?

Mazda is the car brand that constantly questions and overcomes convention in every area to make things better; not just cars but the lives of its customers too.

In a highly dynamic, extremely competitive and declining market (-4% compared to 2015 as of late September), Mazda's marketing budgets are limited and smaller than those of its competitors.

In challenging convention to make things better, Mazda is constantly on the lookout for innovative ways to interact with (potential) new customers, ideally winning product commitment.?

• Further improve brand awareness by 10% min.

• Increase brand sympathy by 10% min.

• Improve brand familiarity with core attributes of "a brand that thinks differently"

• Get 1,300 participants min. with an average age of 35 to 45

• Win young and urban fans of the brand

• Get 1,300 applicants min. for the event (speed dating trips)

• Create a positive brand experience