"NOT NORMAL" – start of new MINI brand campaign

Cross-media campaign conveys individuality, unconventionality, creativity and energy

Munich. The new MINI brand campaign is starting today, with the claim "NOT NORMAL". The worldwide campaign conveys the brand's individual, high-energy attitude to life. "NOT NORMAL" shines the spotlight on MINI's strong, independent character – driving a MINI is expressing the way you live.

"Brand strength has always been one of the main success factors of MINI. The continuous development of our unique brand forms the basis for further growth in the relevant customer segments and is at the heart of our communication activities", explains Ralf Schepull, Head of MINI Brand Communication, talking about the background to the integrated campaign.

In the campaign, emotionally charged images of the MINI brand world and various MINI models are linked with the slogan "NOT NORMAL" and presented worldwide through all communication channels. The campaign will use both classic media, such as print, film and outside advertising, and also – in particular – the digital media. "More than any other brand in the automobile industry, MINI represents a strong emotional and personal connection between the driver, the vehicle and the brand", explains Philipp Thomssen, Head of MINI Communication Strategy, Advertising and Community Marketing, describing the background to the campaign. "This connection is based on a shared attitude: MINI has always been the rebel of the automobile world, and represents an unusually emotional brand and individual products. This expression of individuality and unconventionality is what constitutes its charm for countless MINI fans. It is this attitude that is expressed in the campaign concept and the 'NOT NORMAL' claim."

The brand campaign will be launched by the online film "NOT NORMAL", which contrasts the greyness of everyday life with the bright colours of individuality and conveys the MINI attitude to life authentically and energetically. Part of the classic communication concept is the TV spot "Bear". In typical MINI style, the spot tells a short, humorous story starring a bear in the main role. NOT NORMAL and "like a friend” at the same time. The print campaign features the MINI brand and product world in various motifs in order to tell emotional, unconventional, humorous "NOT NORMAL" stories. A standardised look and feel in the visual language has been created for all the motifs. Alongside the classic communication channels, the campaign will also run online – especially in the social media. Users / the community will be literally integrated into the images of the online film and print motifs and will themselves become part of MINI.

The brand campaign was produced partly in cooperation with the director Ralf Schmerberg. The artist and director from Berlin was chosen because of his authentic, intuitive way of making films. To go with the spirit of MINI, the film was shot in real surroundings and international artists were invited to Berlin for the filming.

The film can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R_D4V-Ns3Y

The agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners from San Francisco was responsible for creating and realising the campaign.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Martina Napoleone, Business and Finance Communications, Marketing
Telephone: +49 89 382-14908, fax: +49 89 382-24418, martina.napoleone@bmw.de

Alexander Bilgeri, Head of Business, Finance and Sustainability Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-24544, fax: +49 89 382-24418, alexander.bilgeri@bmw.de

Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com

e-mail: presse@bmw.de

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 29 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

 In 2011, the BMW Group sold about 1.67 million cars and more than 113,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2011 was euro 7.38 billion on revenues amounting to euro 68.82 billion. At 31 December 2011, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 100,000 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last eight years.

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