The BMW Store and Cincinnati Mini

Key Benefits

1. A considerable increase in customer traffic to the dealership
2. A deeper connection and engagement with local community
3. An increased brand awareness with the ability to switch messaging quickly to reflect the same content as their other marketing channels

Background

The BMW Store had long struggled with a rotating sign that constantly broke down, creating ongoing maintenance issues. Looking for a simpler solution, they switched to large vinyl signs to maintain brand awareness. However, replacing these signs was time-consuming, happening only two to three times a year instead of every few weeks as recommended.

Challenge 

The challenge for The BMW Store, located adjacent to high-traffic Interstate I-71, was clear: their outdoor sign was more of a headache than a marketing asset.

They'd started with an outdated, rotating sign. Rich Winterman, the Center Operator, recounts the ordeal: "Our rotating sign was a nightmare. From the time we put it up, it started breaking, and we had all kinds of issues with it." The sign's mechanics constantly failed, making it impractical and costly to maintain.

The BMW store knew it needed to choose a simpler design, so it decided to replace an existing billboard with large vinyl signs to continue raising brand awareness. After moving to vinyl signs, the process to change their messaging was so cumbersome and inefficient that they ended up only being changed two to three times a year.

After struggling for several years with their sign, The BMW Store came to Cirrus when they decided it was time for a new outdoor sign.

Located in a high-traffic area, they wanted a digital billboard to capture the attention of people driving by and promote both the BMW and MINI brands.

The BMW Store asked Cirrus to help them with the following challenges:

• Modernizing their signage to catch customers' attention
• Making sure that their new sign would be durable and easy to update (avoiding the frustration of their past two signs)
• Choosing a sign configuration that would be highly visible for people driving at high speeds past their store

Solution

After searching online through various signage options, Rich Winterman discovered Cirrus and was immediately drawn to their modular system and easy-to-use software. He knew that Cirrus's modular system would be perfect for achieving the BMW Store's goals of greater brand awareness with a low maintenance sign.

Working closely with the Cirrus team, The BMW Store opted for a double-sided, digital billboard that would be easily visible to potential customers on the interstate.

The installation was simpler than many competitor installs, as the modular LED sign could be assembled and lifted without a crane. With Cirrus’ lightweight LED panels, they were able to retrofit the new sign on their current structure–saving The BMW Store tens of thousands of dollars.

The following key factors influenced The BMW Store’s decision to move forward with a digital billboard from Cirrus:

• Easy To Use Signage Software: ScreenHub, Cirrus' award-winning content management system, allowed The BMW Store to quickly change out messages and test what resonates with their community.
• Flexible Payments: The competitive pricing of Cirrus’s high definition LED signs was important, providing a unique subscription model that allowed The BMW Store to pay for their sign with a monthly subscription.
• Ease of Repair and Upgrade: Cirrus's patented modular display and 24/7 hardware monitoring protects The BMW Store’s investment–giving them real time updates on the health of their display and allowing them to swap out modules quickly and under warranty, in an unlikely event a module needs to be replaced.

Results

The new Cirrus sign has allowed The BMW Store and Cincinnati MINI to increase their visibility and grow brand awareness, while allowing their team to quickly change out messages, try new things, and test what works.

Louis Velazquez, Marketing Director at The BMW Store, emphasizes the seamless experience of utilizing ScreenHub to update messages on their billboard, "Using [ScreenHub] in my office is easy. I can create a new board, then walk outside and see the change right away. That instant gratification is so nice."

The BMW Store is taking advantage of their new sign to reach out to their community, too. From sharing employees’ birthdays to an image of The BMW Store’s founder in his lab coat from the 1970s, they can now share important moments with everyone who drives by or sees the billboard.

After adding the new digital sign from Cirrus, The BMW Store experienced:

• An Increase in Test Drives. The BMW Store utilizes the board for their MINI brand too. Their advertisement of “Test drive the new electric MINI” resulted in an increase in people stopping by to ask about the electric car.
• Deeper Community Connections with the local community. Members of the community are taking notice of the content of the sign and often comment that they're eagerly awaiting to see what The BMW Store will post next.
• Increased Brand Awareness. The BMW Store is now taking advantage of the ease of updating their Cirrus sign to mirror their messages and ads on other channels. This omnichannel method creates more touchpoints for people to interact with The BMW Store and Cincinnati MINI branding.