Freightliner
Cars & Trucks
Freightliner was a big name in highway trucks. But while it had quietly emerged as a leader, too, in work trucks, it faced stiff competition in that niche. To help Freightliner make the point, we conceived Hardest Working Cities—an integrated marketing recognition program that would shine the spotlight on metro areas across North America that drive economic success.
In the trucking industry, brands had mainly focused on selling their on-highway trucks based on low “Total Cost of Ownership,” a term referring to the hard costs like fuel efficiency and the initial price of the truck.
With the entire industry fixated on the same features, Freightliner hired Mower to figure out a way to differentiate their brand and help them stand out as the best investment on the road.
– Jennifer Edwards, On-Highway Marketing
Communications Manager
Mower created a new path for Freightliner to drive sales, simply by showing customers how Freightliner’s trucks take on the world. After studying the brand, we developed an integrated marketing communications program called “Real Cost of Ownership”—the only program that considered both hard and soft costs of buying, owning and operating a truck.
Real Cost of Ownership gave Freightliner a new story that invited customers to think about the big picture, including safety and driver experience—something no one else in the industry was really doing. To spread the word, we rolled out a Real Cost of Ownership responsive microsite to engage customers and dealers, as well as launched creative at major industry trade shows, highlighting real customers and their experiences with Freightliner
For Freightliner, Real Cost of Ownership took off. It became the standard way customers referred to the benefits of purchasing a Freightliner truck, and increased market share 19% over five years.
For us, we took joy in the idea that helping a brand “get real” could drive such powerful results.
Our honesty about the real-world things to consider when purchasing a truck made more consumers feel they can trust Freightliner. This gave the brand a new story to tell about who they are, and they began to powerfully differentiate themselves from their competitors—simply by relating more to their consumers.
Key Brand as Friend® drivers:
Hey! Our name is pronounced Mōw-rrr, like this thing I’m pushing.