BYD - Launching The Sealion 7 in Cinemas

EV ad approved for cinema, digital and Clearcast with record turnaround time

The brief

When global electric vehicle manufacturer BYD prepared to launch its newest premium electric vehicle, the Sealion 7, they partnered with marketing and technology powerhouse PMG to lead a full-funnel campaign built to cut through. With tight deadlines, a major event looming, PMG brought in Be The Fox to transform and elevate existing content into something bold, fresh, and fit for the cinema.

Our challenge? Reimagine the original footage into a suite of smart, high-performance assets to drive awareness, position BYD as a credible Tesla alternative, and, most importantly, generate test drive bookings.

Working at speed and at scale, we delivered three core films, Hero, Tech Focus, and Product Focus, and built out 32+ assets tailored for cinema, TV, digital and social. Every asset was custom-edited, formatted, and fine-tuned to the media plan to ensure the campaign reached the right people, at the right time, with the right message.

Objectives

Maximise brand awareness and product desire for the Sealion 7 in the UK
Launch a full-funnel campaign that converted interest into test drives
Repurpose and upgrade existing footage into premium, fit-for-format content
Ensure standout performance across digital, TV, cinema and social
Cement BYD’s positioning as a viable Tesla alternative

Services

Film,
TVC,
Delivery to channel,
Video Production,
Post Production,
Clearance

Deliverables

32+ total assets
3 hero edits
Multiple 6s, 10s, 30s formats
Cinema-ready cuts
Zoom-adapted assets for virtual attendees
Web banners (1920x1080 and skinny 1920x650)
All assets optimised for paid media, organic reach and performance channels

Results

Zero reshoots needed – 100% repurposed content
Approved for cinema, digital and Clearcast with record turnaround time
62% increase in total leads generated by media campaigns
50% increase in Share of Search (SoS) for BYD post-launch
45% reduction in CPA, the lowest in BYD UK history
Highest-performing lead gen total for BYD UK to date
BYD overtook Tesla in UK EV market share during campaign window
UK cited as best-performing global market for Sealion 7 campaign

Target Audience

We targeted high-earning, tech-forward professionals in the market for a luxury electric SUV - individuals who are both design-conscious and sustainability-minded.

A key secondary segment were EV switchers - actively looking for alternatives to Tesla. Media strategies also tapped into rising media interest around BYD overtaking Tesla in global revenue and European market share.

Creative Concept

The campaign’s creative approach was driven by the media strategy: build upper-funnel buzz with broad-reaching video placements and lead prospective customers seamlessly through the funnel to drive test drive conversions.

Within tight timescales, the plan was simple but effective: elevate what already existed. We harnessed the power of high-end post-production, punchy editorial and a bold, custom-picked soundtrack to breathe new life into the original footage that could be distributed across a tightly orchestrated media plan.

The goal was to create a cohesive brand moment by spotlighting Sealion 7’s futuristic features and technical engineering at every touchpoint - without a single reshoot.

Execution

This was a fast-paced, high-pressure production with 32+ assets required across multiple formats.

PMG activated a full-funnel media strategy anchored in performance and scale:

Pre-launch: Organic and UK paid digital campaigns to tease the Sealion 7 and warm audiences
Launch phase: Three-month TV burst across Connected TV, VOD and cinema, paired with search and social activation to capture in-market buyers

This was a fast-turnaround, high-pressure campaign that required:

Three core films (Hero, Tech Focus, Product Focus)
32+ assets including 30s, 10s, 6s cutdowns
Web banners (1920x1080 and skinny 1920x650)
Last-minute creative adaptions for widescreen conference formats and Zoom distribution

Every asset was designed for platform fit and media impact, delivering the right message, in the right format, at the right time.