Opening up BMW to the millennial market with a pop-up store

Opening up BMW to the millennial market with a pop-up store

A thoughtful product launch that excites a younger audience

The Challenge

The revolutionary BMW i8 was designed for younger tech enthusiasts with a sense of environmental responsibility. However, this audience did not visit traditional car yards and sales environments. BMW was looking for a way to get young consumers excited about the new i8 and the innovation behind the product.

Our Approach

To launch the new i8, Set Creative helped BMW bring the car to the audience in a retail environment they preferred – the shopping mall. Our team identified Orange County in Southern California as the perfect market for our experience. This region featured audiences with the right mindset for the vehicle’s environmental credentials as well as the right level of spending power. Plus, they loved to spend time shopping at high-end malls.

Our team took inspiration from experience-first luxury retailers and built a 10-week pop-up store focused exclusively on positioning the i8 as the future of BMW innovation. Visitors could personalize their BMW with a range of materials and decals made available in the customization area. Finally, highly trained sales associates helped expand the conversation to the entire BMW range, directly feeding local dealerships with informed leads and test drive opportunities.

The Results

Over 85,000 consumers toured the BMW i8 launch pop-up in 10 weeks. The experience increased sales by 33% in the markets where they took place. BMW dealerships quickly requested a more permanent version of the retail space. Additionally, BMW asked Set Creative to take this pop-up a step further and design a more agile concept for a roll-out in markets across the US.