Ignite

Our Approach

We call what we do 'Automotive Intelligence' – a powerful combination of Transformational Thinking and Innovative Implementation.

Transformational Thinking results from the application of unparalleled knowledge, experience and insight into automotive customers and brands to create value at a strategic level.

Innovative Implementation is achieved by bringing together best in class people and process with cutting edge creative capability to unlock value at an executional level.

Ignite sees customer acquisition as a continuous journey from strategy to execution. Every section of the route towards maximizing returns is important, each one necessary for the next. And just as with any journey, to avoid a wrong turn it's vital to always know where you are and where you're heading.
Strategic Direction
- Brand Strategy
- Consumer Insight
- Channel Planning and Alignment
Intelligence is valuable – insight is priceless. With a constantly expanding array of media channels, informed planning and strategic thought is ever more crucial. Our deep understanding of automotive customers enables more accurate targeting and more efficient use of assets. Our process of Automotive Intelligence sets transparent criteria for success, thus reducing spend and maximising return on marketing investment.
Customer Engagement
- Traditional Broadcast, Print and Outdoor Media
- Digital Media
- Social Media
In a noisy world, powerful creative work is essential to ensure your brand is not only heard, but also talked about. Our campaign thinking is inherently social, designed to stimulate conversation and engagement in a two-way dialogue.
Rather than regarding a multi channel world as a problem we delight in using different platforms to create integrated touch points ranging across TV, radio, press, online, mobile and outdoor media.
Customer Acquisition
- Test Drive Programmes
- Digital Acquisition
- Event Co-ordination
We convert prospects into sales by persuading customers to see, touch and drive your vehicles.

And in a digitally enabled age that also means a multitude of 'virtual customer touchpoints' through which a two-way dialogue can be established, trading desirable interactive content for personal customer contact and preference data.
Attention to detail is paramount in everything we do – from live event staging and staffing to data capture and post-event follow-up. Ignite coordinate product launches, shows and experiential spectacles to offer thrilling hands-on experiences for media and consumers alike.
Customer Retention
- Customer Relationship Management
- E-Marketing
- Database Management
We aim to turn your customers into a powerful sales force that works for you through personal recommendation to others. To ensure their satisfaction and loyalty Ignite coordinate highly trained sales and marketing teams to speak directly to your customers before, during and after sale.
Evaluation
- Brand Communications Audit
- Campaign Tracking
- Brand Metrics
- Sales Results
The speed of the digital world requires real time tracking and evaluation to maximise campaign effectiveness. Automotive Intelligence puts you in the driving seat enabling you to assess results and make tactical marketing adjustments during, not after, a campaign.

Our Brand Communications Audit will assess all aspects of your organisation's digital communication output, analysing performance in relation to both your organisational goals and in terms of industry best practice. We will make a range of recommendations to ensure you are getting the best possible return on your investment and the most effective user engagement across all digital channels.

- MARTIN LEACH
- CHRIS DONKIN
- GRAHAM EDE
- SIMON FRETWELL
- JOE RIDER
- MARC HEAL
Who we are

Ignite is led by a team of highly accomplished professionals, who together possess more than 100 years of automotive and media experience, including:
- Brand strategy development and launch communications planning for over 60 new vehicles.
- A combined track record of delivering successful integrated marketing communications for over 30 automotive OEMs on four continents during the last 25 years.
- Groundbreaking digital work with proven success and outperformance against key objectives.
Martin Leach

Martin Leach has an automotive career spanning over 35 years. In 2002 he was described by the leading industry publication, Automotive News, as "Europe's leading and most senior Car Guy". The same year he was voted Product Development 'All Star' by the same publication and in 2004 Automobile Magazine's 'Man of The Year'.

He has risen to the uppermost ranks of the Global Car Industry with senior positions including that of Chairman, GAZ International, CEO Maserati, President & COO Ford Europe and Managing Director, Mazda Motor Corporation. Martin is recognized worldwide as one of the car industry's most capable general managers and leading product developers and brand strategists.

Martin was the author of Ford Motor Company's 'Take It To Market Process' and architect of Mazda's Product and Brand Strategy, culminating in the award-winning "Zoom Zoom" communications platform.

Martin's career experience covers Globalization, Turnarounds, Repositioning, Growth Activities, Mergers, Post Acquisition Integration, Cross Cultural Integration, Divestment, Partnerships, Joint Ventures, Motorsport, Downturn Planning and Downturn Survival. Martin Leach is regularly a consultant and advisor to the BBC, Financial Times, Standard & Poors and other leading financial institutions. Martin has first-hand experience with the following brands: Ford Cars, Ford Trucks, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, Volvo, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and GAZ and has worked with Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Kia, Hyundai, MG Rover and SAIC. He has also a broad knowledge of the entire automotive industry supply chain and first-hand experience of collaboration with many Tier I and Tier II suppliers in the US, Japan, Europe and Asia.
Chris Donkin

Chris Donkin has a career encompassing 20 years of international media, marketing communications and business development experience working extensively with blue chip clients in the automotive sector as well as those in the FMCG, telecommunications, consumer electronics, media and energy industries.

Over the course of his career Chris has worked in Asia Pacific, continental Europe and the UK and held senior management positions at both a regional and global level including setting up and running integrated marketing operations for two global media groups.
During the last fifteen years Chris has worked with a wide variety of automotive clients including Autoquake, Avis, Ford, GAZ Group/LDV, Honda, HSBC, JCB, Lex Vehicle Leasing, Lloyds TSB AutoLease, Lotus, Maserati, Mazda, McLaren, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Proton, Renault, Rolls-Royce, Tesla Motors, Toyota, Triumph Motorcycles, Visteon, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Chris brings knowledge and experience covering the full spectrum of integrated brand marketing communications including media and event sponsorship, interactive and direct marketing, media advertising, PR and corporate communications.
Graham Ede

Graham is a highly successful media professional, an ideas driven entrepreneur with over 15 years experience of automotive retail and OEM programmes.

In the early 1990's Graham built a highly successful retail sales track record for Porsche and AFN, the Porsche owned sales network. As sales director of Hollander design associates he grew accounts with Porsche and Goodwood before selling the business to Havas.

Graham pioneered CRM within the UK automotive industry with Callback UK, a call centre business working predominantly within the auto industry.

As CEO of the Moonriver Group Graham worked with many of the UK OEMs across lead management, fleet support and marketing communications campaigns before selling the company to Bertelsmann Media. In 2008 he launched the integrated marketing agency Blueview Group.
Simon Fretwell

The automotive industry is in Simon's blood. After graduation he joined Rover Group's management scheme before promotion to East Midlands Area Manager.

Following successful spells at Nissan Motor and BMW's software division, Softlab AG, he joined Ion Group and worked as Sales Director for 3 years providing outsourced lead management and CRM programmes for Harley-Davidson, Proton, Nissan and Audi.

His live event & staffing agency, LA Promotions was recently integrated into Blueview Group and numbers clients including Smart Cars, Chrysler, Dodge, Audi, Renault Retail, Cadillac and a ten year ongoing relationship with Mercedes Benz.
Joe Rider

Joe is a technically sophisticated creative media professional. He set up one of London's very first digital agencies in the early '90s before embarking on a very successful career in video game development.

Joe was Head of Art at EA for six years as well as running his own games company, Intrepid CE, which was acquired by Microsoft Game Studios.

He co-founded the independent creative agency Duke & Earl in 2006. He has worked on a wide range of digital and broadcast campaigns including the recently design of D&E's highly successful 'Follow the Magic' driving game for Ford and Disneyland Europe.

Joe is fanatical about car design; as a design graduate, he won a national automotive design competition and was engaged in the design studio of IAD before returning to a computer related design postgraduate program.
Marc Heal

Marc has 20 years experience in creating, licensing and monetising digital content.

In his youth he produced and wrote music for video games such as Gran Turismo, Command and Conquer and Wing Commander.

An accomplished account handler, as Business Development Director of Duke & Earl he has managed projects for a wide range of projects for clients as diverse as Sky, Ford, Disneyland Europe, Dairy Crest, Microsoft, Intel and Bodyform.

Passionate about interactivity, he recently launched the groundbreaking interactive video platform Clyk, as well as consulting for numerous projects for Channel 4, ITV and Virgin.

Ford & Disney

Focus Promotion | Online Game Design & Data Capture

Follow The Magic With Ford was a late 2009 campaign to promote the best selling Ford Focus model. The campaign was co-branded between Ford and Disney Parks and Resorts with the aim of promoting the Focus and gathering data on potential customers.
Disney Parks and Resorts offered 250 chances to win a family holiday to Disneyland Paris as competition incentives.
Our brief was to create an online hub and engagement device to:
- Virally drive traffic for the competition
- Capture data and permissions
- Increase awareness of the Focus model
As an incentive to enter the Disneyland competition we decided to offer users free play on a Ford driving game, taking them on a virtual journey through a Disney branded environment. This totally original game was designed in-house (see it at http://stage.phenotype.net.disneyford/deploy). To play the game, users simply had to enter personal information and their details in the competition. By using the gameplay as an incentive to participate, response exceeded all KPI's and provided Ford with a platform to explain the advantages of the Focus to consumers.

Aly Cameron, European Promotions Director for Disney Parks and Resorts commented that the game "looks so good I would eat it if possible!". The success of the campaign led to extended pan-European roll-outs. The project offered particular challenges with dual brand stakeholders of internationally high calibre.
Peugeot

107 Re-launch | TV Commercial & Promotion

In early 2009 Peugeot gave a makeover to the 107, their best-selling city compact. With a stylish 'new face', better fuel economy, lower CO2 emissions and upgraded interiors, Peugeot naturally wanted to shout about the new107.

As an urban compact, the 107 has particular appeal to a younger female audience. In the UK Peugeot targeted this group using the Bauer / Channel 4 music channels, the Box TV network. With channels such as Kiss, Q and Kerrang, the Box network offers a very wide range of music programming.
We were commissioned to create TV advertisements specially to target this music loving young female audience. Our ads featured three young women, each from a different music "tribe" (rock, pop or urban) driving a 107 through a computer generated environment.

The ads included interaction and competitions to create direct response from the campaign.
Budget was understandably limited for such a highly targeted campaign, but with all the high quality production values required of a mainstream automotive TV commercial. Not only did we produce the commercials within these tight budgets, the results led to two campaign extensions and some of Bauer's highest ever levels of competition response.

Television is a traditionally expensive medium, which inhibits micro targeting by location or interest. However with such low cost, high value creative work, Peugeot were able to speak directly to key segments of their target market.
Mercedes Benz

C Class Dealership Launch | Event Management & Data Capture

In 2009 Mercedes announced the launch of the Special Edition C-Class range. The C Class is Mercedes' best selling model and the company wanted to excite potential customers through launch events across their UK dealer base.

Ten major events were held simultaneously at ten of the largest dealerships, with supporting activity in another 145. Staff selection and management was crucial to co-ordinate the nationwide launch programme (including contingency team supply, attendance and performance checks).

We used our comprehensive talent database to ensure that all staff matched Mercedes strong brand requirements. We individually briefed every member of the team to ensure a full understanding of their role.

We ran competitions and data acquisition activity nationally and each Mercedes dealership shaped the theme of their individual event. Mercedes reported their best ever data capture results from our weekend prize game activity, with a large sales uplift from cars sold directly to prospects at the dealer events.
Lloyds TSB

Lex Autolease | SEO & Site Design & Build

Lex Autolease is the UK's leading fleet management and fleet funding specialist, offering vehicle leasing for fleets large and small. The company was created from the 2009 merger of Lex with Lloyds TSB Autolease. The creation of the Lloyds Banking Group brought together Lex, the HBOS-owned market leader with 251,000 vehicles, and Lloyds-owned Autolease, which had 129,000 vehicles.

The corporate merger necessarily involved a process of alignment between the previously diverse strands of Lex's online branding and e-business.

It was crucial to maintain continuity for existing customers from both Lex and Autolease, and to provide clarity for new ones.

We undertook a site audit with Information Architecture and user experience studies, combined with a company-wide digital acquisition strategy to complement the technical and content management recommendations.

This strategic review led to our rebrand and rebuild of the Lex Autolease main site.

Our acquisition campaign produced a triumph for the newly merged company. The search marketing and site optimisation strategy doubled traffic sales leads within 12 months and helped win the Lloyds TSB Group marketing award for digital excellence.