Speaking at a media event in Darwin, Northern Territory, last week, Mr Smith said that an increased marketing budget would be used to allow Australians to view Haval products in digital media, or while shopping, without visiting dealers.
“Above-the-line (marketing) still represents a large part of our spend but through-the-line is where we can have more intimate conversations with people,” he stated.
“We need to have a very focussed effort because our customers want time explaining who we are, what we are, what we stand for and the why – why do Haval do what they do?
“Experiential (is) where we can have a long conversation without the challenge of having the dealerships and having to go to a dealership. We did (shopping centre) activations at the start when we launched the brand and … we’ll be in every major capital city in various locations through August and September trying to have those conversations.”
Mr Smith confirmed that Haval will preview the H7 seven-seat large SUV at these shopping centre activations around the country later this year ahead of its launch in early 2018 when it will become the brand’s newest model in the line-up.
Asked what areas Haval will target for its shopping centre activations, the chief marketing officer replied: “At this stage we’ll be everywhere, we won’t just be in one particular branch, we’ll be in every location.
“I don’t want to be in a location that’s three-and-a-half hours away from the nearest dealer but, within reason, within metro environments, within an hour’s drive,” he added.
“People say ‘oh you’ve got to be at Chadstone’ (Melbourne) and we do. But we also need to be where our customer is likely to be. I’d love to be at Penrith (Sydney western suburbs), I want to be in the south of Brisbane, I want to be in Cairns, I want to be in Darwin.”
Haval could never balance its marketing outlay on a cost-per-unit basis given its low volumes in the Australian market, Mr Smith agreed, however he also said it was important to show Chinese headquarters its material results.
“If you divide our spend versus our volume, it never makes sense,” he said.
“But in saying that, that’s why a lot of this is still brand building, we’re still trying to lay the foundations of the ‘why’. I don’t want to ‘nickel and dime’ it.
“The Q3 (third-quarter 2017) represents a very important time for us. Q3 represents our first major retail campaign where it’s not just a price, it’s our second real big investment in above-line.”
A recently unveiled TVC has been released where a Haval H6 is driving past new houses with a family on board, before waving to a family occupying vacant land with only a Mercedes-Benz GLE out the front alongside a family dressed in pyjamas – the tagline being ‘luxury you don’t have to sell your house for’.
Mr Smith said that the GLE was not specifically targeted for the campaign, however the ad was a first step in selling Haval as an affordable luxury brand.
“To be perfectly honest with you I didn’t know what car they (ad agency) were going to pick,” he joked.
“I think our statement was more aimed at (the fact that there are) difficulties with people to afford cars and houses and the whole package at the same time.
“Our tagline is ‘have it all’ and we want Australian families to enjoy that and that’s really what we’re trying to say was that with Haval; you can have this great Australian dream as well as having this great SUV.”
A major, as-yet undisclosed marketing push is now confirmed, Mr Smith revealed, alongside TVCs specifically targeting the H6 and forthcoming H7.
“Then (there will be) our H6 TVC where it’s not just a generic vanilla ad, it tries to challenge things a little bit, try to challenge what people think and why they buy a car and all that,” he said.
“I’d like to see how our results compare in the next two to three weeks compared to our other campaigns because I’ve got a good feeling about what we’re doing.”
By Daniel DeGasperi
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