Photo: Buick
General Motors and Amazon are no strangers to collaboration. As of late 2020, four Buick vehicles include a built-in Amazon Alexa feature that allows drivers to access all the benefits of Alexa without attaching their smart device to the vehicle. Beginning in late August, Buick and Amazon will be taking their partnership to the next level with a wide-reaching promotional campaign.
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Buick and Amazon Alexa partner up
From now until mid-September, Buick and Amazon will be running ads on various platforms that promote their collaboration. In addition to the ads, the campaign includes an Amazon-dedicated virtual showroom and the introduction of a custom shopping “utterance” for Alexa. This special phrase — “Alexa, tell me about Buick SUVs.” — is the first of its kind, marking the first time an automaker has been given a custom utterance.
The campaign is set to coincide with promotion for the upcoming 2021 Buick Envision. The vehicle will join the current Encore GX and Enclave — along with the 2018 Regal and Lacrosse — as Buick’s latest Alexa-compatible vehicle.
Having fun
While this campaign obviously serves to promote vehicles that feature Alexa integration, creating greater brand recognition and understanding is another major goal. “Buick’s biggest hurdle is its brand perception,” says Buick Advertising/Media Operations Manager Kate Hrabovsky in a recent interview with Marketing Daily. “There is what we call a false familiarity — people think they know the brand, but they don’t. Getting people to think differently about Buick is a motivation behind everything we do. We are a brand that’s not afraid to take risks and have some fun.”
By the look of the currently viewable ads, “fun” is definitely the name of the game. And this may only be the beginning. “We intend to continue working with Amazon on future initiatives,” Hrabovsky adds.
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The marketing campaign between Buick and Alexa is set to run for the next few weeks. You can find the ads and other special material across various social media platforms, online video sites, streaming services, and on broadcast TV.
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