automotive

Ducati Goes All Social In Marketing Shift

Ducati-peer2

Ducati this week is launching a social-media campaign on a new site, still in beta, that rewards members for dispersing brand messages around the Web. The viral ad, which members can grab from the new social-media marketing site, Peer2.com (as in "squared"), brings consumers to an online dating faux quiz that pairs people with Ducati bikes.

The survey for the program, "It's Easy to Fall in Love with a Beautiful Italian," is online at www.peer2.com. Consumers are encouraged to share results across social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Digg.

Members of Peer2 who disseminate the Ducati ad link to the quiz earn reward points whenever someone in the member's personal network clicks on the Ducati content. The points are redeemable on Amazon.

Jason Chinnock, who was tapped as Ducati's sales and marketing director when the Cupertino, Calif.-based company merged sales and marketing operations, says the Peer2 program reflects a shift in Ducati's market focus.

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"We are in the process of reviewing our entire marketing strategy for next year," he tells Marketing Daily. "In traditional media, we have been very segment-oriented, but we are branching out to do more non-sector efforts, more lifestyle-oriented programs."

Chinnock says Ducati will trim print advertising and push more digital-media efforts. "We are not looking to go digital to save money," he says. "We are actually spending the same, but with efforts targeting people who are more likely to be interested in us."

Per Chinnock, the shift to digital reflects Ducati's position as a lifestyle brand. "Ducati, more than any other brand -- with the possible exception of Harley-Davidson -- is about a lifestyle. It's about being part of the community and family, so social networking is an important piece of what we have already been doing."

Joey Caroni, co-founder of Peer2, which launched only a week ago and has about 2,000 members, says that members pick programs to share to earn points. "Our advertisers are only paying for engagements, not impressions," he says. "So Ducati is only paying for people who actually engage with programs, who click on their content."

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