A Toronto-area BMW dealer has launched an online search for a blogger who can go from 0 to 24 h/pd (hours per day) promoting the dealership and its vehicles.
Endras BMW in Ajax, Ont. has launched a search for the position of Ultimate Blogger, a social media-savvy BMW enthusiast willing to join its staff for the next year. The position includes a $65,000 salary, a condo, a new BMW every six months and the promise of international travel.
“It’s pretty obvious that social media is not going away,” said Sally Byun, marketing and events manager for Endras BMW. “It’s something we need to adapt to and adopt.
“It’s something that can help market our brand and speak to up-and-coming clientele who are so in tune with social media. We wanted to reach them in a different way to traditional advertising.”
Byun said the blogger would provide the dealership with an in-house social media expert and enable it to reach out to younger consumers who are just beginning to discover the BMW brand. “It’s something we want to start using more and more and kind of give our clientele a voice,” said Byun.
The idea was conceived and developed by Toronto interactive agency Blackjet, which began working with Endras BMW two years ago. During that time, the agency has overseen a repositioning of the dealership that includes a name change—from Durham BMW—to a new emphasis on performance-obsessed drivers.
Endras adopted the slogan “Obsessed with Performance” and in addition to new car sales, now specializes in after-market parts catering to the so-called “tuner” community.
Blackjet managing partner Robert Galletta calls the blogger outreach program a “job ad on steroids” and said that it’s a way for the dealer to stand out while conforming to the strict controls placed on BMW dealers by the corporate parent.
“I don’t think that the big brands had realized the value of bringing [bloggers] on board, but I think things will change,” said Galletta.
BMW has a devout fan base that is obsessed with the brand and aware of both new launches and revisions to existing models, said Byun. “We wanted to tap into that community that already exists and merge them together,” she said.
Qualifications for the position include in-depth knowledge of the BMW product and a willingness to spend all day and night writing about it; the ability to summarize information in 140 characters or less; a preference for “liking” something on Facebook rather than in person, and willingness to travel the world.
Interested applicants can apply at EndrasBMW.com by April 1, where they must first submit a 200-word sample blog post and proof of their ability to reach a wide audience. The top 20 applicants will then be given 48 hours to create a video that demonstrates their obsession with performance, with the top 10 applicants getting a face-to-face interview.
