jonathangrayson

Challenge:
In a low-involvement category like motor oil, brand loyalty is limited and routine maintenance is often seen as a chore—especially among younger drivers. We were tasked with growing market share in this audience segment, who prioritized spontaneity, adventure, and social connection over vehicle upkeep.​

 

Solution:
We uncovered a key insight: younger consumers weren’t disinterested in vehicle maintenance—they simply didn’t want it to interrupt their plans. This inspired a creative strategy that wrapped the rational product benefit of longer intervals between oil changes in an emotional narrative about freedom and uninterrupted adventures.

 

The campaign messaging centered on the idea of “more miles between memories,” positioning the motor oil not as a maintenance product, but as an enabler of life’s best moments—road trips, weekend getaways, and spur-of-the-moment drives with friends. The integrated campaign spanned digital video, social media, and point-of-sale, using lifestyle storytelling to reframe product relevance.

 

Outcome:
The campaign delivered strong business and brand results:​

• Grew market share from 4% to 6% among 18-34 year olds in only 3 months

• 28% lift in brand favorability among the target audience (source: brand tracking study)

• 2.1x higher ad recall compared to previous campaigns (source: third-party media partner)

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By speaking to lifestyle over lubrication, we successfully made motor oil matter to a new generation of drivers—turning routine maintenance into a badge of freedom.