At b8ta, we've built our stores around the demo experience and meaningful product education. Our customers discover and try truly unique products ranging from brain sensing headbands to isometric power trainers. Our first two dozen stores have been filled with all manners of products that revolutionize their category. With the launch of our newest flagship, we knew we wanted to showcase innovation using new categories and had a unique and beautiful space to do something bigger. This led to our partnership with MINI Cooper, and the first b8ta automobile experience at b8ta Mission Bay in San Francisco.
The 2020 MINI Cooper SE is the first fully electric MINI model, and it will hit the market as the world’s most affordable fully electric car in March of 2020. When deciding how to best market the new car, one of MINI's goals was to continue plugging an important notion—buying a MINI SE isn’t just purchasing a method of traversing A to B. It’s a forward-thinking, cutting edge lifestyle choice. This “MINI lifestyle” finds it’s roots in two key values—environmental mindfulness and high accessibility. These values helped the marque strike a chord with North American consumers during the 1960’s, and are still driving the MINI brand today.
Highway-side billboards and dealership placements are a few tried and tested ways to sell a car, but to promote the idea that this car is a lifestyle and a car required a more unique form of communicating—which is where b8ta comes in. Take a look below to see the ways MINI is using b8ta Mission Bay as the sole US showcase for their first electric model prior to launch.