A new BMW documentary went live today. In a series of four short films, BMW will begin promoting its upcoming ActiveE electric car. Instead of choosing the now classic TV advertising, BMW decided to turn to the online medium and leverage some of the social and viral characteristics.

The online documentaries run between 4 and 10 minutes.

Rich Steinberg, manager of electric mobility at BMWNA, said “[the] intent was to get some people in the space to join us, to talk about their view of mobility and the future of cities,”

The short films were created by ad agency Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners, and feature some important figures in the US: Blade Runner designer Syd Mead, Marissa Mayer, Google vice president of location services, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, among others.

BMW’s recent focus on social media comes to show the importance of non-traditional advertising spaces, with the online world become a somewhat cheaper, but more effective way to reach potential customers and fans.

“This is complicated dialog that’s a good fit for social media,” says Marian Hawryluk, electric vehicle project manager for BMW North America.

The first BMW short films debuted in 2001 when a series of Hollywood stars and directors worked on what become the famous BMW Films, short flicks that didn’t include the usual sales pitch.

More information can be found at www.bmwactivatethefuture.com. Stay tuned for more info in the next days!

[Source: Mashable ]