10:08 am, February 25, 2022
Bowker BMW is celebrating after winning the national marketing crown at this year’s BMW UK Retailer of the Year Awards.
The marketing team members beat more than 130 other centres to take the title with a strategy that included a mission to showcase the best of the Lancashire countryside.
Their videos and images of cars in iconic locations around Pendle, Bowland and beyond were viewed, shared and commented on thousands of times.
The team’s work last year included four virtual model launches plus advertising, social media, competitions and PR, which were blended with innovative digital sales tools and appointments via video.
The marketing staff, who support the Bowker BMW Centres in Blackburn and Preston, also managed commercial partnerships with sports teams and other businesses.
The team at Bowker who create and deliver the campaigns comprise marketing executives Jess O’Neill and Jennifer Sage, CRM controller Lauren Grigg and graphic designer Ben Bassett.
They’re led by group marketing manager Amy Lancaster-Hall, who said: ‘As a small marketing team of five, we’re super-proud of our creativity, versatility and the ability to quickly adapt to the changing market challenges we all experienced in 2021.
‘We’ve seen an increase in campaign engagement, especially when the cars have been photographed in and around our stunning local areas.
‘It was our key strategy to share our pride in the beauty and resilience of the Red Rose County – at a time when our colleagues in tourism were bouncing back after lockdown.
‘If we could summarise our approach through this challenging and uncertain 2021 in one word, it would be ‘‘positivity’’!
‘Positivity at all times has been the driver and motivation in all of our campaigns, and that has shone through in everything we’ve created.’
This year’s BMW UK Retailer of the Year event was hosted by comedian Hugh Dennis, in a virtual ceremony.
Bowker Motor Group chief executive Paul Bowker, who accepted the award, said: ‘There is no doubt that the competition for this award is extremely tough.
‘To be recognised as the best in the country is a fantastic accolade for the team.
‘Michelle Roberts, marketing director at BMW UK, was particularly complimentary in her comments regarding the efforts and achievements of the team.
‘Congratulations to Amy, Jess, Jen, Lauren and Ben.’
Last year, the Bowker Mini centres in Blackburn and Preston won the marketing champion category at the Mini UK Retailer Awards.
Pictured from left are Lauren Grigg, Jennifer Sage, Amy Lancaster-Hall, Ben Bassett and Jess O’Neill
