EV Direct, the exclusive distributor for the Chinese electric car giant BYD, has appointed the independent agency Yango to manage its media account to supercharge its growth in the Australian market.
Yango will be tasked with media strategy, media planning and media buying for the EV giant, which squeezed past Tesla last year to secure the largest market share globally.
Yango’s remit is to help the auto brand further bolster its market presence as consumer interest in electric vehicles continues to grow. Last year, electric vehicle sales accounted for 7.2% of total car sales, led by Tesla and BYD.
The two brands currently dominate EV sales, accounting for two-thirds of the 87,217 electric cars sold in Australia in 2023, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
BYD is keen to build share and drive sales of its Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal models as part of the company’s goal to be a top-five auto brand in Australia, with aspirations of making it all the way to number one.
Yango will work closely with BYD to build on its core digital strategy and leverage the auto company’s unique online sales model to not only drive sales but also change the perceptions around car purchases.
Luke Povee, managing partner at Yango, told Mediaweek, “The technology is pretty disruptive, and they’ve got some pretty lofty goals for online procurement and website sales.
“Traditionally, the path to purchase in the auto industry was quite a long journey from researching online, visiting car yards and kicking tyres on Parramatta Road. It’s changing across the industry and becoming a much shorter period, however, BYD are creating an even shorter period, where you can jump onto the website, and put down a deposit for a car in only a few clicks,” said Povee.
BYD is looking to leverage the work Tesla and its owner, Elon Musk, have done to generate widespread awareness of EVs and target new audiences. BYD’s unique build-and-buy online model, which enables users to select colours, wheels, and interiors, is targeting younger, digitally native consumers who are comfortable making significant purchases online.
Nick Murdoch, managing partner at Yango, said, “They are selling cars online, and it’s a fascinating purchase funnel. The focus is very digital, and the strategy is all about doing things differently and not necessarily doing it the way it’s been done before.”
“BYD is a disruptive brand that is turning one of the world’s biggest industries on its head,” said Murdoch.