Brief:

• Mini USA for the first time is letting car shoppers request a test drive of two of its latest car models via Twitter. Those who tweet #MINIonDemand to the @MINIUSA account will receive a website link to register for a free 30-minute test drive, which includes delivery of the vehicle directly to their doorsteps, according to an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• The Mini Countryman and Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid are available for on-demand test drives in San Francisco and Los Angeles through Nov. 30. Experiential marketing platform Fooji is facilitating the Twitter campaign, which includes paid ads on the social media platform, according to MediaPost.
• Patrick McKenna, Mini brand communications department head, said the Twitter effort is part of the brand's broader initiative to deliver a smooth and easy retail experience to car shoppers.

Electrifying performance only a MINI could deliver. Now you can test drive the MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid on your own time. Just tweet #MINIonDemand + ???? and we’ll bring the test drive to you pic.twitter.com/TwWdic1Dsh

— MINI USA (@MINIUSA) October 24, 2018

Insight:

While Mini's latest campaign is limited to people in two California cities, it demonstrates how car companies are experimenting with fresh ways to boost test drives as consumers grow increasingly tired of the traditional, arduous car shopping process. The ease of the Twitter integration will likely encourage more people to request an on-demand test drive and engage with the car maker on both social media and in-person.

The strategy for Mini's Countryman models appear well suited for Twitter, which has a key distinction among social media platforms from the immediacy of its news feed. The demographics of the average user align well with Mini, according to the social platform's research. Nearly half (44%) of Twitter users identify as "leaders," compared to 35% of the general internet population. In addition, 43% of Twitter's audience said they "often take initiative in social situations," versus 31% of internet users, pointing to how these mobile-savvy consumers may be more likely than the general population to try Mini's test drive request via the social media platform.

Twitter users tend to be mavericks and thought leaders, too. More than half (52%) of this cohort said a person on the social platform introduced them to new brands or products. Two out of three people surveyed said Twitter users influence the purchases of their friends and family, per Twitter's research.

Mini's promotion, which includes paid ads on Twitter, arrives amid rising ad revenue for the social network. Twitter last week reported ad sales lifted 29% to $650 million in Q3 from a year earlier, with U.S. ad revenue increasing 32% year.