BMW China launches social network

[fabianyee]

See here : http://www.brandrepublic.asia/DigitalMedia/newsarticle/2009_04/BMW-China-launches-social-network/35049BMW China launches social network by Anita Davis 3-Apr-09, 14:27 BEIJING - In an effort to bolster brand loyalty, BMW has launched an exclusive social network for its drivers in China - a worldwide first for the brand. The site, found at MyBMWClub.cn, launched Tuesday to encourage China’s 150,000 BMW drivers to connect, offer advice and share their experiences with the brand, said a spokesman from Edelman Digital, the agency responsible for the site’s marketing strategy.He added that BMW mailed invitations to every known BMW driver in the market – via post to promulgate its luxury-brand image – along with their specialised ID login number. From there, users can create profiles, upload images and watch videos, “similar to Facebook and other social networks.”“A lot of drivers have owner-experiences and, through the site, they can share tips and solve each others’ problems as a support network – it’s taking customer service to a new level past the traditional call center,” the spokesman said, adding that BMW experts and staff will also be accessible through the site. “It’s really about engaging loyalty.”BMW chose to launch the independent site instead of creating pages on existing social networks to avoid privacy and security setbacks, the spokesman said, as well as have the autonomy to build the platform according to the technical needs of its users.The spokesman noted that, instead of launching the product in North America and Europe where this format is not especially one-of-a-kind, BMW chose to launch its site in China where it would make more of a mark.BMW has not confirmed whether similar sites will launch in other markets.