BCCG says Bye, Bye GREAT Britain MINI!

Bye, Bye GREAT Britain MINI!

1 car, 2 Princesses, 12 themes, 16 Federal States, 150 events, the participation of almost 1,000 businesses and partner organisations, almost 60,000 kilometres on the clock, hundreds of thousands of online views and around 1.5 million new friends (and some happy cows).  That was the GREAT Britain MINI Tour (GBMT), which finished on 12 December at the closing ceremony at BMW Welt in Munich.

The Tour began on 17 January with Their Royal Highnesses Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at the Brandenburg Gate.  Since then, the GREAT Britain MINI has travelled to the four corners of Germany from Sylt in the north to Obsertsdorff in the South. From Görlitz in the East to Selfkant in the West.

Mini at Nürburgring, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

It has raced around the Nürburgring, enjoyed the party at CSD in Berlin, been pride of place on a British warship in Hamburg, driven up a mountain in Bavaria and rode a Freecamper across a lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Watch the video highlights at http://youtu.be/hPrJtKAlbto and view a selection of the Tour’s best images at http://bit.ly/1bTEKT0 .

The GREAT Britain MINI represented British style, design and technology. As a British export (207,000 cars last year) and result of inward investment, the GB MINI was the perfect vehicle to promote Britain in Germany.

We did not focus only on cars and technology. We worked with people who embody British strengths in fashion, music, innovation, design, culture, sport, shopping and tourism. People like Sir James Dyson, Sir David Chipperfield, rock legends Status Quo, artist Gillian Wearing and world snooker No1 Mark Selby. Watch the music videos with Kate Nash, the Crystal Fighters and the Empty White Circles at https://vimeo.com/81600342 (English) and https://vimeo.com/81600343 (German).

The GBMT as also helped British companies.

It has won publicity for Marks and Spencer - who have launched a German website and had their own British-branded bus here - been filled with crisps by Tyrell's, delivered Thornton’s Easter Eggs, visited UK engineering giants GKN, who actually manufacture some of its parts, and Rolls Royce, 

Mini at Rolls Royce, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

was in attendance at the opening of Mulberry’s Berlin store and supported Karstadt’s Feel London focus on British Fashion.

Mini at easyjet, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

We have sent it to trade fairs including Medica, Anuga and K and it has been allowed on runways to promote new flights to Germany for easyJet and British Airways.

One of the companies who have enjoyed it the most is Roundhouse, the manufacturer of circular livestock buildings. The pictures of the Mini and both the Roundhouse in North Western Germany and its inhabitants some (British) cows have been rather successful in drawing attention to this rather innovative product.

Mini at BA, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

 

I'd like to think we've also helped MINI themselves - they have had another record year for sales.

Finally, take the chance to win your own MINI Tour in the UK in the MINI Pub Quiz -http://bit.ly/1gBCRhw!

Andreas Meyer-Schwickerath
British Chamber of Commerce in Germany (BCCG) e. V.