Executive Summary + Challenge / Breaking Into Europe's EV Elite
BYD is a leading electric vehicle maker in China, but in 2024 it was nearly unknown in Europe. The brand needed to launch in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, and Italy and earn a place next to established competitors like Tesla.
With Alli, PMG built audience profiles market by market to reflect how EV readiness and attitudes toward the brand differed by country. A through-the-line plan built around BYD's Euro 2024 sponsorship combined TV, YouTube, and out-of-home near charging points, and Alli Brand Equity tracked recall, consideration, and Share of Search in each market.
Within four months, brand search rose 398%, site traffic grew 159%, and brand demand increased 114%, putting BYD on par with far more established rivals.
Breaking Into Europe's EV Elite BYD, a leading electric vehicle (EV) company in China, partnered with our team to expand into a new, highly competitive market: Europe. While BYD is a household name in China, it was virtually unknown in key European markets. The automaker aimed to establish itself as a leading global EV brand across five critical regions: the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Our challenge was to elevate a Chinese EV brand with minimal recognition in Europe and rapidly position it as a market leader by building awareness, consumer interest, and brand favorability.
Strategy / Reframing Perception. Reaching the Right Drivers.
Reframing Perception. Reaching the Right Drivers. In Europe, consumer awareness of BYD was significantly lower than that of established competitors like Tesla. Sentiment analysis revealed additional challenges, highlighting negative perceptions related to BYD's Chinese origins. To overcome these hurdles, we needed to focus on two key areas: targeting the right audience, forward-thinking car buyers and environmentally conscious consumers, and reshaping brand perception.
To ground that audience work in real signal rather than pan-European assumptions, we turned to Alli, PMG's operating system. Alli Audience Planner built personas market by market across the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, capturing how consideration, EV readiness, and sentiment toward Chinese origins differed by country. Those Audience Planner personas gave the team a shared audience picture that could flex to each region without losing the through-line of the brand story.
Our data-driven approach included a comprehensive, Through-The-Line media strategy designed to increase brand visibility and trust in BYD's mission to contribute to a greener world. This was supported by sponsorships and partnerships that reinforced positive brand associations, helping to position BYD as a global leader in the EV space.
Execution / Dominating the Moments That Move Europe
Dominating the Moments That Move Europe Linear TV was utilized across all five regions, complemented by connected TV (CTV) and video on demand (VOD). High-impact digital out-of-home (OOH) formats were strategically deployed in key locations, securing premium placements within Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) and on street furniture near petrol stations and charging points.
A key pillar of our campaign was BYD's sponsorship of Euro 2024. We used this sponsorship to build brand equity among core sports audiences, securing ad placements across major sporting events, including the Champions League and the Six Nations. Collaborating with content creators, we positioned BYD top-of-mind for millions of football fans, tapping into the growing anticipation for the tournament. To maximize engagement, we implemented dynamic countdown features during each match, heightening excitement by tracking the days and hours until the Euro 2024 showdown.
Our campaign fostered emotional connection with BYD through a mix of online video, rich media formats, and advanced semantic targeting, significantly boosting brand recognition. YouTube Mastheads secured 100% share of voice during the critical post-match hour, reaching fans eager to watch highlights. Additionally, match perimeter ads ensured BYD's visibility directly within the games, further reinforcing the brand's presence.
We also enhanced BYD's messaging by using premium video inventory to highlight the brand's range of EV models and gain insights into audience preferences. Through our 'Green Marketplaces' initiative, a curated list of over 800 sustainable programmatic sites, we delivered targeted impressions on environmentally conscious and charitable publisher networks. This initiative not only elevated brand visibility but also planted 39,000 trees and generated over £20,000 in charitable donations.
Five markets, dozens of partners, and a live Euro 2024 sponsorship meant decisions came fast. Strategy, media, and analytics teams used Ask Alli as a common place to check audience signal and pressure-test creative and channel calls. Every market stayed on the same Audience Planner personas, even as the match-day moments changed.
Impact / Establishing a New EV Leader in Europe
114% Brand Demand Increase 159% Increase in Site Traffic 398% Brand Search Lift
Establishing a New EV Leader in Europe Within just four months of launch, BYD's performance exceeded all expectations. The brand experienced a 24% increase in recall, an 88% lift in brand consideration, and an impressive 187% improvement in brand image. Across all five target markets, BYD achieved significant gains in Share of Search: 130% in the U.K., 78% in France, 19% in Germany, 79% in Spain, and 53% in Italy, putting the EV brand on par with more established competitors.
Following our television campaign, we observed a substantial increase in branded search activity, resulting in a 159% spike in site traffic and a 114% jump in brand demand. AutoTrader, a key partner in our efforts, reported a 69% increase in views of BYD models on its platform during just the first weekend of the Euro 2024 tournament. Additionally, a Carwow survey revealed a notable surge in brand awareness, with 46% of respondents familiar with BYD after the tournament, compared to 28% prior. This rise in awareness translated into a 57% increase in inquiries on the platform.
Alli Brand Equity tied these movements in recall, consideration, brand image, and Share of Search back to media exposure and Audience Planner segments, giving BYD a clear read on which markets and audiences were moving fastest and where to press next as the brand continues to scale across Europe.
