As part of “Project Acceleration: The Subaru Impreza Collegiate Challenge,” Drexel’s Lebow College of Business formed a class around developing a successful Subaru marketing campaign during the fall term. With a $3,000 budget, the class created Six Star Associates Consulting—inspired by Subaru’s six-star logo—and launched its advertising concept “Fall in love with a Subaru.”The Drexel team was one of three collegiate winners to present its campaign at Subaru Headquarters in Cherry Hill, N.J. The students later found out that their concept was in parallel to Subaru’s “Fall In love with your Subaru” campaign that launched April 24, with an estimated $200 million budget. The students implemented their concept through different mediums, such as the Internet, public relations, events, print ads, and commercial videos. The class acted as an ad agency, creating focus groups, research analysis, and surveys for commercial needs of the Subaru brand. Based on their research, they designed the concept and launched professional print ads along with commercials utilizing famous alumni talents to aid in the project. “When their print ads hit Internet and news outlets, I received calls from people asking if those were Subaru’s new campaign ads, and even dealerships asked to be involved,” said Professor Dana D’Angelo, who oversaw the project. Students secured the Philadelphia Love Park and Boathouse Row for photo shoots. They learned to optimize viral marketing by catapulting Internet sites. They also cut costs by having a Subaru car take out personal ads in newspapers that read “Subaru seeking loving owner.”“The buzz we created was surreal,” said Maria Papadakis, head of advertising for Six Star Associates. “I never imagined our Internet groups would get people talking from places as far as South Africa and Egypt! It was neat to see how easy and cost effective the Internet could be as a marketing tool with the use of a great product and fun marketing tactics. People loved the humor and heart in our commercials! And it created an emotional attachment to the product.”Subaru aided in the support and mentorship of this collegiate challenge, and held several meetings with Drexel students over the 10 week course last fall. News Media Contact: Niki Gianakaris, Assistant Director, Drexel News Bureau 215-895-6741, 215-778-7752 (cell) or ngianakaris@drexel.edu
