MINI USA Names Peppercomm Agency Of Record

Firm to provide a full range of PR services to iconic automotive brand

NEW YORK--July 24, 2013: MINI USA, a business unit of BMW of North America, announced today it has named Peppercomm the public relations agency of record. The appointment is through December 2016.

Peppercomm bested two other firms in the competitive review. The agency's scope of work will range from product publicity and trade show support to new model launches and communicating MINI's brand and marketing campaigns.

Nathalie Bauters, MINI's communications manager, said, "We were truly impressed by Peppercomm's energy, passion and creativity for the MINI brand. They're an ideal fit for an automotive brand that prides itself on being both quirky and the right choice for car buyers who want to express their individuality and personal flair."

Peppercomm will be a part of an integrated group of agencies that will work closely with MINI executives throughout the organization, including: product, sales, marketing, customer relations, and the MINI dealer network.

An agency milestone

Maggie O'Neill, partner and senior director at Peppercomm, added: "While we've undertaken award-winning automotive projects in the past, MINI represents Peppercomm's first AOR relationship with an automotive brand; a significant milestone for any agency. We appreciate that, as has been the case with other clients such as TGI Friday's, Steelcase and EY, Nathalie and her team were looking for fresh ideas and non-traditional thinking."

To provide that deep industry experience, Peppercomm has hired Rob Duda as a director. Duda joins Peppercomm after an eight-year stint at a large global public relations firm where he supported automotive, energy and manufacturing clients. He will work on-site at MINI's Woodcliff Lake, NJ, headquarters office.

MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 119 MINI passenger car dealers in 38 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of seven unique vehicles.