FCA and CNH Industrial supplied a fleet of cars and a significant, structured communication plan for Expo Milan 2015

Over the six-month period of the Universal Exhibition, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brands have given life to a series of important initiatives within the Global Partnership, reconfirming the Group’s focus on the theme of sustainability. 

TURIN, 3-11-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Tomorrow (31 October 2015) sees the conclusion of Expo 2015, the largest event ever dedicated to diet and nutrition and that has seen Milan and Italy transformed into an international showcase in which 144 countries showed off the best of their respective cultures. Over six months, and with the theme “Feeding the planet, energy for life”, the event attracted millions of international visitors who crowded into the halls of the exhibition area to participate in sharing ideas and solutions on the theme of nutrition, for a future focused on sustainability.

FCA and CNH Industrial, Official Global Partner of Expo Milan 2015, were among the protagonists of the event, supplying a fleet of cars and a significant, structured communication plan. In total, 105 vehicles were used to educate the public about sustainable mobility, thanks to low emissions and alternative fuel supplies. The initiative involved seventy-one methane-fuelled Fiat 500L Natural Power cars, ten Fiat 500L Living cars, four Fiat 500L Trekking, ten electric Fiat 500e cars, for use within the exhibition area; six Jeep Grand Cherokees, two Lancia Voyagers and two Maserati Quattroporte used as show models.

The 500L cars were made available to the delegations of the 40 countries with “Share&Drive”, a brand new car sharing service that harnesses UconnectTM. Thanks to the innovative connection and infotainment system, “Share&Drive” can be managed using a simple app on smartphones that run the Apple iOS or Google Android operating system. Authorised drivers were able to use their own mobile phones to book a vehicle ahead of time, locate it, open and close the doors and end the rental session in any of the authorised car parks, directly via the app.

The numbers speak for themselves: more than 6,700 rentals used for approximately 26,000 hours, equating to over 270,000 km travelled. Users also provided a positive average rating at the end of their trips, giving the service an average score of 4.7 out of 5. The most active delegation to use “Share&Drive” was Kazakhstan, followed by Switzerland and Ireland, and the very first to use the service were the representatives of the Sultanate of Brunei. All were able to follow the suggestions of eco:Drive, the software that allows for the reduction of consumption and CO2 emissions by heightening driving awareness.

The partnership with Expo was in fact based on a sharing focus on sustainability, a value running through the entire show and one that has always been a priority for FCA in its development of more efficient, less polluting vehicles. The commitment to identify innovative solutions and make them accessible to a wide-ranging customer base in order to generate value for many in a responsible way was echoed across the entire event, promoted in every way and throughout every space. Expo was a bet that became an extraordinary showcase.

Again on the subject of shared mobility, FCA has made agreements with the main rental companies, offering particularly advantageous rates especially for the event. In this way, vehicles of different brands became “official cars” for Expo visitors.

All-round communication

For Expo, FCA developed an important communication plan that saw the inclusion of the Expo Milan 2015 logo in the advertising campaigns of all brands across Europe, and the city of Milan enlivened with the initiatives of every brand. FCA was also a point of reference within the exposition with an area of 200 square metres inside the Corporate Building. It also welcomed millions of excited visitors with an outdoor campaign comprising high-impact billboards, posters and video installations. Set up in the busiest areas inside Rho station and at the main Expo entry points, the campaign was based on the universal language of flags to spread the message with which FCA, as a Global Partner, welcomed guests from across the world.

To follow all of the activities, an aggregator of contents dedicated to the Expo Milan 2015 was created. This special section is included on the FCA Group’s portal at the link http://www.fcagroup.com/en-US/expo_2015/Pages/default.aspx and is subdivided into three areas: “Social Pulse”, “Expo Diary” and “Events”. You can find information about all the events organised by FCA and the social media content taken from the pages of the brands and third parties involved in the show. In addition, over the months, a narrative has come to life thanks to the collaboration of 12 international bloggers who wrote about all of the different initiatives.
In addition, FCA was the star of a series of events on the theme of sustainability. The ideas and innovative projects presented highlighted the Group’s commitment to the subject. It is no fluke that FCA has been included, for the seventh year running, in the World Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) – a prestigious index which includes only 3 of the 33 companies evaluated by RobecoSAM, specialists in sustainable investment.

Within the exhibition area, other FCA Group initiatives attracted the public. Visitors were able to purchase official merchandising at “The Store”, the official Mopar sales point, a brand of reference for FCA services, Customer Care, original spare parts and accessories. Fiat Professional showed its support in the United States hall with six Ducato vans outfitted as Food Trucks in the Food Truck Nation area. In addition, every brand organised events that enlivened Milan and the surrounding area for six months.

Alfa Romeo

On 4 May, a few days prior to the inauguration of the Expo, Alfa Romeo was on the field with the “Zanetti and Friends Match for Expo Milan 2015”. A celebration of sport and solidarity, today’s best footballers came together with champions of the recent past, arriving at the San Siro stadium in Alfa Romeo cars before taking to the pitch to promote sport and the culture of nutrition, symbolically celebrating the opening of the Universal Exhibition in Milan.

In June, Milan went Alfa Romeo red to celebrate 105 years of the brand as well as the launch of the new Giulia, a synthesis of the new brand paradigm and maximum expression of Italian stylistic and technological excellence. The link with the city was emphasised with extremely heterogeneous communication operations, located at symbolic points across the San Babila district. The public could admire, for example, the captivating 4C Spider in the square of the same name. Another initiative involved the “Brian & Barry Building” shopping centre. The external façade was equipped with 17 LED screens, positioned over the windows of the first floor, that showed dynamic images of the range for a total, technological “brand experience”. From the evening of 24 June, the 12 floors of the building were illuminated red, showcasing the new Alfa Romeo logo. In this period, the “Brian & Barry Building” recorded around 35,000 weekly visits.

Fiat

The following week, to launch the New 500 and the 58th birthday of the iconic “cinquino”, Fiat organised a “500 Day” between the Sempione Park and the monumental Arco della Pace square, involving more than 15,000 visitors. During a key moment in the event, Fiat 500 set a Guinness World Record in the “Largest human car image” category: 500 people formed the largest human picture of a car parking itself inside a 15-metre long template representing the car’s unmistakable lines.

In Milan, in July, one could admire the 500 Arcimbolda, a vehicle covered in fruit and vegetables celebrating Italian flavours and creativity. To create it, 6000 orange segments and 1000 strawberries were used, based on the work of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, the Milanese artist who also provided the inspiration for Foody, the Expo 2015 mascot. Fiat also made its presence felt at key events, such as the Triennale di Milano and at Eataly.

The Expo logo characterised a special edition of the best-seller 500L: the 500L EXPO, which stands out for its refined two-colour livery and commemorative badge on the front, as well as its UconnectTM system. The car’s special feature? Its 120 hp 1.4 T-Jet turbo engine with LPG and petrol bi-fuel system. The adoption of the Bi-Fuel engine is in perfect harmony with the commitment to the field of sustainable mobility. Fiat is the only brand to propose two product lines that are LPG-fuelled (EasyPower range) or methane-fuelled (Natural Power), allowing it to take on a position of leadership in Europe in the category of alternative fuel sources. The Intesa Sanpaolo Group, another Official Global Partner in the event, also took part in the initiative.

In addition, the Fiat brand was also present inside the Expo exhibition area with an urban furnishing project and a very special vehicle, in line with the values of the show and of environmental sustainability: flower boxes, vases and benches were painted with a special varnish able to purify the air. Thanks to Fiat it was as if the plants in the vases were able to “multiply” their benefits, contributing to improving the air around them. The eight flower boxes were also true artistic installations created for Fiat directly by designer Fabio Novembre, who created them as 1:1 scale models of the Fiat 500.

Jeep

The Jeep off-road attitude was brought to the city thanks to a series of initiatives promoted by the brand, starting at the “JSet Replay The Stage”, an elegant restaurant and cocktail bar in Gae Aulenti square and at the Temporary Store. Inside the Store, visitors could purchase official merchandising and admire the entire range: an opportunity that attracted approximately 10,000 visitors. A star on all terrains and in every situation, Jeep also stood out in the skies above the Porta Nuova district. From 8 August to 25 October, every weekend saw a hot-air balloon soar 20 metres high, offering a great view of the city and a sense of freedom in true Jeep style. An experience in which about 3500 people took part, for a total of 1800 trips.

From this privileged position, guests were able to appreciate the “Wheatfield”, an environmental work of art by American artist Agnes Denes, famous for her installations. The work consisted of a five-hectare wheat field within the district, the heart of the “MiColtivo. The Green Circle” project that, from late February onwards, involved Milan citizens in the various phases of wheat cultivation. A project in line with the theme of Expo Milan 2015, focusing the public’s attention on certain universal values such as the sharing of food and energy, the protection of the land and the environment, and social and economic growth while respecting individuals and communities.

Lancia

Lancia lent its name to the universal exhibition with a series of unconventional initiatives that enlivened the city of Milan, truly dominating it as the New Ypsilon made its début. The brand underlined its innovative nature with “Style and the city”, an original photographic exhibition in Porta Genova, at the metro station. For the first time, one of the most dynamic spots in the city became an artistic space. The theme of the exhibition was style in the city. Through the eyes of photographers, the streets became the location of a metropolitan fashion show, with elegant details shown off in an every-day environment.

A small sample of the exhibition was also on show, for all fans of the Fashion City Car Lancia, customised with exclusive Lancia-branded decorative elements, at “God save the food”, the restaurant and cocktail bar in Via Tortona. The Tortona area has always been a meeting place for unconventional fashion professionals and fans: every day around 700 guests were able to admire an example of the New Ypsilon, with its brand new Blu di Blu livery, alongside the images. The Lancia customisation also involved “God save the food” in Piazza del Carmine: outside, a New Ypsilon captured the gaze of the clients who, once inside the restaurant, rediscovered the elegance of the brand on the tablecloths and cushions. Meanwhile, in the Navigli, more than 1,000,000 people’s attention was focused on “Polpy”, an artistic installation that enveloped the vehicle with its tentacles, taking on thenuances of the elegant interiors.

Abarth

The Scorpion brand, synonymous with sportiness and continuous technical evolution, allowed guests at the Park Hyatt Milano, the elegant 5-star hotel located in the city centre, to enjoy a unique experience. For the duration of Expo 2015, a 595 “Turismo” and a 595 “Turismo” cabriolet were made available to customers. In parallel, the hotel’s “Mio” bar and bistro hosted “Abarth Stories @Park Hyatt”, a cycle of four events that recounted the brand’s story, involving an audience of more than 600 people.

FCA EMEA 
Corso Agnelli, 200 – 10135 Torino (Italy)
Tel. +39 011.0038901/14
Fax +39 011.0038911
pressoffice@fcagroup.com

SOURCE: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

###

FCA and CNH Industrial supplied a fleet of cars and a significant, structured communication plan for Expo Milan 2015