Can-Am Therapy

Insight 1: Over the last few years, we noticed a ritual taking place each spring: riders looked online for DIY tips on how to repair, maintain and accessorize their vehicle. It’s their way to engage with their Can-Am vehicle before the riding season begins. The question now was: How could we profit from this ritual knowing Can-Am had no vehicles to sell, due to the COVID-related shutdown of its production plants? It was a bold proposition since 4-wheeler owners have a history of buying parts and accessories in dealerships (all closed during lockdown!). We capitalized on the DYI online videos to drive consumers to the Can-Am e-comm website and keep our business rolling by selling parts and accessories.

 Insight 2: Can-Am manufactures all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles. Muddy trails, dunes and mountaintops all become playgrounds for the Can-Am adrenaline-seeking riders. Research shows that riding a Can-Am vehicle is an experience that appeals to all senses: the smell of the soil, the feel of the bumpy road and - perhaps more importantly- the sound of the powerful engine. 

After long months of winter storage, Can-Am fans are eager to get back on the trails, feel the adrenaline and hear the engine roar. But with spring of 2020 came the lockdown, keeping drivers from the long awaited off-the-beaten-path rides. If the riders couldn’t get to the trails, we’d take the trails to them. We devised a campaign that stimulated their senses, until they could get back on their beloved vehicles.

We launched Can-Am Therapy, a content series recreating the thrill of riding and provided online DIY tutorials using Can-Am parts and accessories. The content series was set up in three phases:

1- Launch

We leveraged the fact that Can-Am fans missed the sensorial joys of riding especially the sound of their powerful engine. We started with online videos featuring the most popular Can-Am professional riders and ambassadors. The videos stood out with their unique and humoristic call-to-action: Call a toll-free line to hear roaring engine sounds and record your own! (That’s right: don’t click, call us!)

 2- Tutorials

Once we got the adrenaline-deprived riders’ attention, it was time to engage them with tutorials on Can-Am parts and accessories. It proved a great way to showcase Can-Am’s top selling products and increase the brand’s awareness and consideration.

3- Follow-Up Promotional Offers

The last phase was to push specific products the DIYers who had watched our How-To series. It was the very first time Can-Am pushed for sale of parts and accessories on its e-commerce platform and stakes were high: with no vehicles to sell in the fall of 2020, this strategy was Mission Critical.