MINI Marks Countryman Geneva Debut with MINIWOOD Viral Video

New crossover gets the star treatment

MINIWOOD - it sounds like your girlfriend's/wife's worst nightmare, but no, it's the title of the latest viral video from MINI.

Created to promote the introduction of the Countryman at the Geneva Motor Show, the video follows a group of young professionals on a clandestine mission to get a "hyper-dimensional projection of 'MINIWOOD' onto the mountain cliff facing the city." The projection is created by using a jigsaw to cut 'MINI' and 'WOOD' into pieces of particleboard, then after some careful setup, the Countryman's "slightly modified" high-beams are shined through them.

While you're probably motivated to pull out your toolbox, be forewarned, this is a mock "making-of" video. The real (30 meter by 192 meter) image was created by several "high-performance projectors with 348,000 Ansi lumen." They illuminated an area of over 5,760 square meters thanks to their massive output of 28,000 watts.

Besides the lighting display, MINI plastered Geneva with MINIWOOD stars (which are placed on downtown sidewalks) and film posters entitled "MINI Countryman - GETAWAY."

According to Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, head of MINI Communications, "Guerrilla marketing plays an especially important part in MINI communications. That is why the launch of the new MINI Countryman will also be accompanied by characteristically unconventional and eye-catching marketing campaigns that are deliberately designed to appeal to the brand's modern target groups."

Source: MINI

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MINI brings Hollywood to Geneva for the world premiere of the new MINI Countryman.

Geneva. MINI brings Hollywood to Geneva. The launch of the new star of the MINI family - the MINI Countryman - at the 80th Salon International de l'Auto provides reason enough for an unconventional marketing campaign: The city built on Lake Geneva is being renamed "MINIWOOD" by way of a huge projected image, creating a rival to the Hollywood dream factory in Los Angeles. The gigantic projection of the "MINIWOOD" sign onto Mont Salève on French soil is one of the largest projections of its kind.

The projected image is 30 metres high and 192 metres wide. In the evening light it is visible for miles around to Geneva residents as well as the many visitors to the Motor Show.

This unconventional campaign involves powerful technology: High-performance projectors with 348,000 Ansi lumen illuminate an area of over 5,760 square metres with an output of more than 28,000 watt.

The projection will be complemented by a short video in typical MINI style. This "viral" will show how the projection is realised and will be widely distributed in the Internet.

Film posters entitled "MINI Countryman - GETAWAY" will publicise the guerrilla action and hence the world debut of the fourth member of the MINI family, raising public awareness and highlighting the MINI presence in Geneva. The "Making of" video will also be posted on MINI's official YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/MINI, and MINI Countryman's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/MINI.Countryman.

MINIWOOD would not be complete without the celebrated "Walk of Fame". So, as Motor Show visitors walk from the airport to the Palexpo, for example, they are guided by "MINIWOOD stars". Walkways through busy areas of downtown Geneva have also been adorned with stars to strengthen MINI's presence in the city centre.

MINIWOOD is brought to life through "red carpet parking": In true Hollywood style, a MINI Countryman is parked and displayed on a red carpet on the streets of Geneva. A sign right next to the newest MINI star bears the slogan "I BECAME FAMOUS IN MINIWOOD - MINI COUNTRYMAN. GETAWAY."

Thanks to a wide variety of communications activities in connection with the 80th International Motor Show in Geneva, the MINI Countryman is set to be the toast of the town. The MINIWOOD concept is the brand's latest guerrilla action and confirms once again that MINI makes an unconventional statement.

"Guerrilla marketing plays an especially important part in MINI communications. That is why the launch of the new MINI Countryman will also be accompanied by characteristically unconventional and eye-catching marketing campaigns that are deliberately designed to appeal to the brand's modern target groups," explains Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, head of MINI Brand Communication.