Remember when car dealers used to hang banners and flags outside their dealerships that screamed, “Sale! Sale! Sale!”?
Okay, so they still do that — but they’ve also learned how to make very good use of the internet.
Honda, hyping its summer sales, is hosting several “Cheerance” events this week aimed to move metal and “to spread cheer to as many people as humanly possible.” From August 4 through August 8, the brand is going all out with videos, memes, live stunts, surprise gifts and more, promoting it all across its social presences on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
On Twitter, Honda spread cheer to users by sending smiles and even small gifts their way:
We think that qualifies for a free coffee. @tweetacoffee to @calimallie #Cheerance pic.twitter.com/P16gRio8KJ — Honda (@Honda) August 5, 2014
Honda’s Twitter antics also included interacting with other brands using goofy memes:
.@Radioshack A reason to be cheerful: we found out who messed with the remote control cars in the store. #Cheerance pic.twitter.com/lce3TpdXKu — Honda (@Honda) August 6, 2014
In addition, the brand hooked up with YouTuber Andrew Hales to create a video entitled Dancing With People. In it, Hales dances with random strangers he meets “to help spread cheer for the Honda Summer Cheerance event.”
Honda has also been out and about in the real world with #cheerance events in select cities. For example, they went to a beach and buried little treasure boxes containing money, gift cards and free tickets — then had a man with a metal detector “discover” the buried treasure for people to help dig up.
Elsewhere, the brand placed a platform next to a sign that read, “Stand here for cheer.” Those who did so were treated to praise, gifts and more.
If all that wasn’t enough, the brand also created a Pandora Summer Cheerance Station to which people could subscribe. This channel features music as well as 60-second comedy bits from comedian Steve Simeone.
All these antics, of course, are designed to get you into a dealership and buy a Honda. But there’s a charitable aspect to it as well: once they reach their goal of spreading cheer to 3 million people, Honda will donate $100,000 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation as part of the campaign.
Of the campaign, Honda Senior Manager Susie Rossick said, “We are committed to spreading unprecedented cheer starting today and connecting with as many people as we possibly can in five days. This collection of silly and wonderful morsels of cheer across social media, and in real life, are designed to make an impact, create smile-filled buzz and remind people that summer is the best time to get a great deal on a Honda.”
As the week draws to a close, I think they’ve done a wonderful job.
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