Before 2001, automobile companies employed traditional ads such as television commercials and newspaper advertisements. BMW wanted to expand their customer base with innovative, fresh design. The web was getting progressively more available throughout this time, and bandwidth speeds were also on the increase. Extending the boundaries of traditional commercials, BMW embarked on the campaign to create a collection of shorts by professional film directors and featuring famous actors. This was an innovation referred to as “The Hire.”
Between 2001 and 2002, the series consisted of eight short movies. The initial episode was premiered in 2001 as a part of season one. Each episode featured an enigmatic driver embarking on thrilling adventures, showcasing the performance and capabilities of BMW vehicles. The films were directed by a few of the world’s finest directors, including Joe Carnahan, John Frankenheimer, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Tony Scott, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, and Guy Ritchie. The title character, “The Driver,” was acted by Clive Owen. Every episode was packed with action, adventure, and death-defying stunts, offering the audience a thrilling cinematic experience.
Key Takeaways from the Campaign:
The BMW car was the focus of all the films. Instead of directly highlighting its features, the series established the brand’s performance, luxury, and unique features as the core through storytelling.
Before online video sites were even up and running, BMW took a risk outside the box and released the series on its site, bmwfilms.com. It proved that cost-abundant productions such as the series could be rolled out through web sites with ease.
Directed by Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai, and Guy Ritchie the films reached an entirely new height of storytelling. The films were accompanied by supporting roles from
Madonna and other celebrities, that assisted in attracting consumers on the web. These short films assisted in forming BMW’s relationship with consumers on a brand basis.
“The Hire” received widespread recognition and multiple awards, including honors from AdAge, Cannes Lions, and The One Show. Marketing experts often credit it as the pioneer of modern branded content.
The name of 8 episodes:
Ambush
The Chosen
The Follow
Star
Powder Keg
Hostage
Ticker
Beat the Devil
The Impact:
The BMW campaign won in a highly competitive market. BMW successfully got the attention of young, tech-savvy consumers. The campaign remade the BMW image—beyond luxury automobile brand—to symbolic representation of action, performance, and prestige. It further helped reinforce the image of the BMW brand internationally.
Netflix was still not a big streaming service yet, but “The Hire” proved that high-budget, high-quality series could thrive on the web.
Conclusion:
BMW demonstrated to the world that a good combination of great directors, decent actors, compelling storytelling, and online could deliver can make a long-term branded experience. This campaign changed the way brands engaged with individuals without directly selling their products—paving the way for the future of digital marketing.
Reference
BMW Films (2001-2002): “The Hire” Series Website
Adweek (2003): “How BMW’s The Hire Changed Branded Content Forever”
The Guardian (2002): “Hollywood Directors Turned BMW Ads into Must-See Web Films”