Mini - How not to do PR

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If you've got a good brand or product, why not shout about it. In fact, we'd recommend you do! Be confident and proud.

Take Mini for example. They've got a great product range, a great brand, full of character and the ability for customers to individualise their purchases (and spend lots of money). With top notch build quality, nippy and with good handling, who do you think they see their competitors as? Porsche... Well, according to Mini USA they do. So in a great PR opportunity (according to them at the time...) they thought it would be great idea to have a little pop at Porsche and goad them into having a little race, a face-off. 

After all, what did they have to lose?

Porsche were obviously above all the taunting and politely declined. Repeatedly. Until Mini went ahead and organised a race anyway and flew a private airplane over Porsche's US headquarters towing a banner reading "Dear Porsche, Bring It! Love, Mini".

So Porsche took them to task. And Mini lost... by 2 whole seconds!

The moral of this little tale? If you want to spend time, effort and money on a PR stunt, make sure it's not going to backfire...

Check out the full story here

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