MINI Cooper Revs Up TV Advertising with Ocean Media

Analytics-Focused Media Planning and Buying Agency Chosen

 To Drive Brand Awareness through National TV Campaign

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (May 10, 2010) – MINI Cooper has tapped Ocean Media (www.oceanmediainc.com), a leading independent media planning and buying agency, to map out a new national television cable TV ad campaign as the car maker sets out to expand beyond its advertising footprint.

            Working in partnership with BSSP, the agency behind the campaign’s creative, Ocean Media will launch the TV spots in select national TV networks beginning in the third quarter of 2010, continuing into the fourth quarter.  The media expenditure will be targeted primarily at a male audience.

            A BMW brand, MINI Cooper made its debut at the Paris Auto Show in October 2000 and became available in the U.S. in March 2002.  Established in the U.K. by BMW’s Development Division and manufactured near Oxford, MINI Cooper is a successor to the British Motor Corporation’s legendary Classic Mini first launched in 1959, which became the most popular British car ever made.

            The upcoming TV campaign marks MINI Cooper’s first major foray into television advertising in some time, having utilized print media primarily until now.  The TV campaign is designed to drive greater awareness of the brand and its new products.

            “We’re tremendously pleased to work with MINI Cooper and BSSP to show what analytics-based media buying can do in the automotive category,” said Mike Robertson, chairman and co-CEO, Ocean Media.  “Ocean Media is best known for helping online brands use offline media to become household names, but the same principles apply for a brand like MINI Cooper, whose product may have a long purchase cycle process.

            “For MINI Cooper, as with the other brands for whom we build ROI-based ad campaigns, we’ll measure instant reactions to the spots, and constantly refine the plan,” added Robertson.  “Relationships begin by generating interest in a product, and we have the tools to ensure we’re reaching the right audience for MINI Cooper at the right price.”

About Ocean Media

Ocean Media (oceanmediainc.com) is a leading independent media planning and buying agency, recognized as a trailblazer in using offline media to build brands that thrive online.  Adhering to the philosophy that return on investment (ROI) should be at the forefront of every advertising campaign, Ocean Media is structured to reach the right audience, incite action and generate results.  With transparency and a risk-averse focus on continuous testing and evaluation, comprehensive analytics and optimization, Ocean Media has been the media architect behind campaigns that built such name brands as Priceline.com, freecreditscore.com, eHarmony.com, Overstock.com and Angie’s List, among others.  Founded in 1996 as a unit of the Ocean Media Holding Company, Ocean Media is based in Huntington Beach, Calif.  In January 2011, Ocean Media Group will open Ocean West Media in Culver City.