Subaru of America launched its 11th annual “Share the Love” event on Thursday with a marketing campaign that focuses on its accomplishments so far. In addition to a round of TV spots, Subaru will use a branded video series and podcasts to share inspiring stories.
Each holiday season, Subaru America hosts a “Share the Love” event. For every new car lease or purchase, the manufacturer will donate $250 to one of several charities of the customer’s choosing. This year’s event will run from November 15 to January 2.
But, what’s most interesting about this year’s campaign is that Subaru is producing a branded video series and collaborating with a well-known podcast. For the video series Subaru partnered with media company ATTN: to cover topics centered around the event’s four core partners (National Park Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals On Wheels and ASPCA) and the “ripple effect” of positivity through helping others.
Five “Share the Love” commercials have been produced for TV and social media that thank customers for participating and highlight the program’s accomplishments thus far. Each spot highlights a different charitable organization that benefited from “Share the Love” and the impact it has on the community.
A spot called “Silent Awe” tells consumers that over 100 national parks have been supported through donations to the National Park Foundation, driven home by visuals of a little girl exploring the woods with her grandmother.
In “Becoming A Hero,” a child’s desire to become a fireman is granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has fulfilled 1,800 requests through the “Share the Love” event thus far.
In addition, Subaru will participate in a series of episodes on the Science Vs podcast, where local retailers will explain how participating in “Share the Love” has impacted their individual communities. Podcasts have grown into a powerful form of media for brands. US ad spending for podcasts is expected to reach $659 million by 2020, according to eMarketer.
According to Subaru’s Q3 investor call, earnings dropped 22 million YoY—even so, some of this downturn can be attributed to rising consumer interest in used cars and the increasing price of new vehicles.
