BMW’s marketing brass, which has apparently moved on from drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid to quaffing Red Bull, is trying to build excitement for the November release of its all-new X3 by launching a global campaign that pairs the redesigned SUV with extreme athletes, a new limited-edition branded mountain bike — and the topper, a 360-degree virtual reality drive on the surface of the Red Planet.
The German automaker dubs the multimedia campaign “On a Mission” and says it’s meant to celebrate discovery and pursuing your passions. It’ll use Facebook and the brand’s other social media channels, a TV spot, plus the virtual reality feature, available through YouTube (we’ve embedded the video below) and best experienced with VR glasses.
“Using virtual reality, the BMW X3 takes customers and fans on the world’s first test drive through the breath-taking scenery of Mars — quite literally pushing the boundaries,” the company says. “Spectacular images and evocative sounds transform the trip to Mars into an immersive experience. During a virtual reality drive across the atmospheric and ever-changing surface of the planet — reminiscent of a Hollywood film — different features of the BMW X3 are presented as part of the “BMW Personal Co-Pilot.”
It’s a promotion that might have been better suited for an electric car (such as the Mars rovers), since an internal combustion engine won’t work in Mars’ thin atmosphere. But let’s suspend disbelief and enjoy the VR ride.
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Source: Autoblog