Toyota Tundra Bass Pro Shops Tour

Client/BrandToyota TundraLead AgencyAMCITime Frame/MarketsJune-December 2004 at leading sporting enthusiast retailer Bass Pro Shops. There were 16 primary cities, starting in Harrisburg, PA, and concluding in Houston, and 50 to 60 impromptu guerrilla marketing stops in smaller locations along the way. The tour covered most of the Eastern seaboard including Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, as well as portions of the heartland, including Louisiana, Texas, Michigan and Illinois.ObjectivesGain direct access to truck buyers loyal to domestic brands. Create an opportunity for domestic truck buyers to experience the full-size, V-8-powered Toyota Tundra first-hand.Boost sales of Toyota's full-size pickup, a market segment in which the brand has been under-represented.Target AudienceThe target audience was domestic truck owners who would not otherwise put Toyota Tundra on their purchase consideration list when shopping for a new vehicle. These buyers match the demographics of Bass Pro Shops customers: 42-year-old males who use their truck primarily for personal use and secondarily for recreation.StrategyThe Toyota Bass Pro Street Drives helped the car maker achieve its goals by leveraging an existing partnership with Bass Pro Shops, one of the nation's premier outdoor retailers. Bass Pro Shops are like Wal-Mart Supercenters that cater specifically to the hunting, fishing and camping crowd with sprawling retailtainment environments as large as 200,000 square feet. These complexes, complete with such attractions as indoor archery and firing ranges, draw customers from literally hundreds of miles around -- many of whom are full-size pickup truck owners and enthusiasts. As the official truck of Bass Pro Shops, Toyota had access to these prime prospects via the parking lots of select locations.That's where a 10-person crew would set up Toyota-themed tents and signage, a Tundra dramatically positioned on an articulated display that called attention to the structural integrity of its chassis and body structure. The crew also made five new Tundras available to shoppers for test drives. On each drive, a knowledgeable product specialist would ride along to answer questions. The drives were configured to demonstrate the four-door Tundra's most prominent features.At the conclusion of the drives, the prospects were invited to fill out a one-page evaluation form so that Toyota could capture feedback and sales leads. In exchange, participants received a $15 Bass Pro Shops gift card. To maximize Toyota's investment, the crew made stops en route from one Bass Pro Shop to the next, seeking locations likely to be frequented by pickup truck owners -- such as Lowe's, The Home Depot and Target stores. The caravan of five Tundras along with a 20-foot truck trailer festooned in Toyota-themed wrap took up temporary residence in parking lots. Crews handed out free Toyota hats to anyone who dropped by, gave the Tundra a look and filled out a mini-questionnaire. Important FactorsThe key to this campaign was the close alignment of the Toyota and Bass Pro Shop brands. Toyota was motivated to reach truck owners, and nearly 50% of Bass Pro Shop customers drive trucks. In turn, Bass Pro Shops was motivated to build on its experiential shopping concept, particularly to support the opening of six new outlets in 2004.ResultsMore than 15,000 Bass Pro Shop customers took a test drive, nearly double projections.An additional 2,600 prospects were reached via the impromptu stops between official events, also nearly double projections.83% of the audience currently owned a competing truck brand. 93% came away with a more positive take on Toyota and the Tundra. 32% requested that a Toyota dealer contact them to explore purchase options.

Toyota Tundra Bass Pro Shops Tour

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