Brands
BMW leads among popular auto brands on Instagram
MUMBAI: The BMW brand’s international Instagram channel has broken through the ten million followers’ mark, making it one of the most successful automotive brand on Instagram worldwide.
The impressive figure of 10,000,000 followers underlines the BMW brand’s commitment to social media. For BMW marketing, Instagram is more than just another digital communication channel. BMW uses its Instagram channel to share the BMW brand lifestyle with its followers – through the latest news on upcoming models, glimpses of its own history or looking ahead to the future of mobility. With its clear focus on strong visuals and a highly-interactive community, Instagram is the ideal channel for communicating the brand values of joy (“sheer driving pleasure”), aesthetic appeal and innovation. However, growing the community is not top priority. It is more important to cover a wide variety of topics with relevant content that appeals to users and increases their involvement in the form of likes, shares and comments. The BMW Instagram channel impresses with its targeted, long-term channel management and regular publication of emotionally-engaging content.
In addition to effective influencer marketing, the brand also celebrates the involvement and enthusiasm of each individual fan. Under the hashtag #bmwrepost, BMW shares photos taken by enthusiasts and hobby photographers with the community in appreciation of its loyal fans around the globe. Where else can you get this close to a brand and share your own photo millions of times? User activation through #bmwrepost has been a resounding success. It is no coincidence that #BMW has already been used more than 19 million times and is by far the most popular brand hashtag in the automotive sector.
“The aim of our social media strategy is to optimise how we use the special features of the specific channels available to us,” explains BMW head of digital marketing Jörg Poggenpohl. “Instagram is made for initiating authentic dialogue with followers worldwide. It is important to us not only to celebrate our own achievements, but, above all, to share the excitement and enthusiasm of our fans and customers with an audience of millions.”
BMW marketing was quick to recognise the enormous potential of the social media network. BMW published its first image on Instagram back on 30 May 2012: a high-gloss photo of a BMW 650i Coupé. By May 2014, BMW had a million followers. Since then, its Instagram fan community has grown exponentially: from two million followers in early 2015 to double that number by the autumn of the same year. A year later, in autumn 2016, BMW had already reached the eight million mark.
BMW’s popularity on Instagram confirms the success of the brand’s social media strategy. The parameters are tailored, individual content, professional editing and authenticity. In addition to Instagram, international BMW marketing also successfully uses the social media channels Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Brands
Neeraj Jha named head of sports business – India and South Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery
From Eurosport to WBD, Jha charts a new course for sports in India and South Asia
GURUGRAM: Neeraj Jha has been appointed head of sports business for India and South Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery, marking an exciting new chapter in a career that has long been at the crossroads of sports, media, and live entertainment.
Jha’s journey in the world of broadcast and sports media spans over two decades, from producing live shows at Ten Sports to shaping content strategy at Zee, IMG, and Eurosport. Most recently, he served as director of content, programming and acquisition at Warner Bros. Discovery, where he drove year-on-year Ebitda growth and steered the network’s programming, satellite planning, and on-air promotions. His expertise ranges from content acquisition and marketing to broadcast operations and strategic partnerships.
Colleagues praise Jha for thinking outside the box. “When constraints are immense, he delivers results no matter what,” one senior executive remarked, highlighting his knack for sourcing compelling content and intellectual property for the South Asian market.
Beyond the boardroom, Jha co-founded SEEtalks, a live event series designed to inspire audiences with compelling stories, reflecting his passion for storytelling and community engagement.
From launching daily sports news shows to localising global content like WWE Wrestling for Indian audiences, Jha’s career has been a blend of creativity and operational excellence. As he steps into this new role, the sports broadcasting landscape in India and South Asia is set for a fresh and dynamic chapter.
