i-Com Global Summit 2017: 'The challenge was reaching out to mini-truck drivers'

Mindshare India's shortlist at the i-Com Global Summit Data Creativity Awards for Castrol was presented by Howard Gross of Mindshare UK. 

 

Gross explained the challenge the brand faced. "Big size and small-sized trucks used the same engine oil. The small sized trucks would run in the cities and their engines would heat in the traffic. Castrol launched a mini-truck engine oil that worked for them in such conditions. The challenge was reaching these mini-truck drivers and tell them the benefits.

 

So the team commissioned a research that followed these drivers through the day. The average work shift for these drivers was 11 am to 8 pm. They had run-ins with the police, were not very well off and they had a lot of uncertainty.

 

The common thing found across these truck drivers was the use of mobile. They used non-data mobile phones to find work, for entertainment and to connect with friends and family. 

 

Gross then explained the solution. "We kept the fact that they used mobile phones in mind, and kept the campaign mobile first. We used them as influencers among their peers." 

 

First, the team identified places where these truck drivers could be found. We found nakas – where they resided. They then used information provided by Aircel's cell networks and segmented them. The team claims to have identified 2.1 million drivers and 700 van stands across 10 cities. "We mapped each of them to cell towers to track people as they pass through the area within 500 metres. Castrol had seven interactive voice messages in exchange for free voice time. They then created ‘dosti discount’, where they referred another mini-truck driver and in return they earned discount." 

 

The results the campaign got were:

 

More than 85 per cent drivers were reached.

 

140k mini truck drivers referred.

 

Average time spent with the brand was 2 minutes.

 

A 261 per cent increase in familiarity.

 

40 per cent sales increased.

 

(This writer is in Portugal at the invitation of the organisers)