TORRANCE, CA: Toyota's Scion brand has kicked off a national PR program to support entrepreneurs in the creative arts.
Scion created the “Motivate” effort as the next innovation in the carmaker's “What Moves You” initiative, a campaign that launched at the end of last month. It focuses on the brand's history and key attributes, said Owen Peacock, Toyota Scion national manager of marketing and communications.
The brand campaign also reflects the company's shift in target demographics from 16- to 24-year-olds to 18-to-32-year-olds with a focus on 25-year-olds and consumers starting their first career, he added.
For Motivate, Scion is mainly handling the “multimillion-dollar” PR effort internally, said Peacock, but the brand expects help from GolinHarris.
“We took a look at how we can talk to these people and what makes them tick, and what we found was within this group, you have people who are leaders and people who are going to turn their passions into their professions. When you start looking at that, it changes how you want to talk to them,” Peacock said.
The company is targeting business publications, such as Entrepreneur, Inc., and Fast Company, as well as other national print, broadcast, and online outlets. Blogger engagement will also play a key role in promoting the Motivate campaign.
Scion has supported artists, musicians, and people in other creative fields for nearly 10 years, said Peacock. The program invites young entrepreneurs between 18- and 35-years-old to enter for a chance to win a six-month business mentorship, $10,000, and a Scion vehicle. Applicants must submit a written response and a 60-second video about their career goals and the necessary resources to make it happen on the Scion website by January 31, 2013, or by the time the brand receives 5,000 submissions.
In February, Scion will select the 50 strongest applicants who are “on their way to starting their own business” and invite them to Los Angeles for a three-day small business conference, where they will learn business tips and meet panelists, Peacock explained.
He added that to engage all of its key consumers in the arts, Scion will post footage of the business conference on its website.
Following the conference, Scion will select 10 grand prize winners, as well as runners up who will receive a $1,000 grant. Throughout the finalists' six-month mentorship program, the brand will document their progress with videos on Scion.com and updates on social media to keep fans engaged.
