Lancashire MINI retailer wins world social video accolade

Bowker MINI in Blackburn and Preston has won this year’s World MINI Social Media Competition to produce and share the best video on social media.

The accolade acknowledged Bowker MINI’s video featuring a rescue dog called George as the best from more than 40 entries alongside two other MINI centres from France and Turkey. Bowker wins national agency marketing support and a trip to Munich to pick up the prize in person.

Video star George, a terrier abandoned by previous owners nine years ago, made his acting debut in a video. The video also features George’s owner and fellow acting debutante Jess O’Neill. Jess is a marketing executive at Bowker Motor Group. 

Bowker Motor Group marketing executive Jess O’Neill said: “George loved every minute of the video shoot. It was almost as though he could tell he was involved in a winning production! The humans in the video knew it would take something special to win a World title. That’s why we’re all so proud to be honoured with the prize.”

The video celebrated the feeling motorists get when they collect a new car. It tells the story of a motorist from the moment she wakes up to picking up her new MINI Electric and driving it for the very first time. The MINI Electric was launched in March 2020 and it is the first fully-electric MINI.

James Grant, MINI Retailer Marketing Manager for BMW Group United Kingdom said: “Congratulations to George the rescue dog and the team at Bowker MINI for their winning video. The competition challenged MINI centres throughout the world to develop influencer content then share on their social channels. The Bowker MINI video was judged as the most creative and innovative. We hope the Bowker representative will have a great time in Munich at the presentation.”

Bowker Motor Group marketers teamed up with local creatives Sam Mellor from Mellor Media and photographer Scott Clarkson who filmed the video together. It was shot over a day and a half in locations throughout Lancashire including Pleasington, Preston City Centre and Wrea Green.

Earlier this year, Bowker MINI centres beat off competition from more than 130 other UK centres to win the Marketing Champion category at the MINI UK Retail Awards. Bowker MINI was the only retailer group located outside of the South to be shortlisted in the marketing category. The first place finish saw Bowker MINI go one better than two years ago when they finished runner up in the same category. 

Watch the winning video here: