The creation of the Lotus Approved certified used cars strategy and POS materials to highlight the proposition.

Almost every automotive brand has an ‘approved’ used car programme, but at the time of this project Lotus was a notable exception. To tackle that gap, we helped the Lotus team to define the offer and design the point of sale (POS) materials that highlight the product at retail.

Prior to the creation of ‘Lotus Approved’, it used to be that anyone could sell a used Lotus, and that the buyer would have no idea if the car on offer met the standards - of preparation and checks - that you would expect of the manufacturer. More worrying was that this uncertainly also extended to cars offered by the Lotus retail network. It was hardly a satisfactory state of affairs for the brand and its ambitious future plans.

As a result, it was agreed to design and launch a Lotus Approved programme. After some consultation, we recommended the communications for it should be led by three key promises:

1. Inspected - All Lotus Approved vehicles sold at retail have undergone a rigorous multi-point vehicle check and, uniquely, a 10-mile road test in the hands of highly qualified Lotus specialists.

2. Warrantied - For peace of mind, Lotus Approved vehicles come with a 12-month warranty, with unlimited claims, MoT cover and 12 months’ roadside assistance.

3. Authenticated - Most distinctly, all Lotus Approved vehicles have guaranteed heritage and come supplied with a Certificate of Provenance, a full service history and checks for HPI, vehicle identity and mileage verification. That’s possible because Lotus hold such records, at Hethel, of every single car they have ever made. Quite a point of difference!

The POS materials clearly present this message, which is also backed up with a revitalised and aligned online offer with additional photographic and marketing standards for retailers to apply.

As a result, Lotus vehicles enjoy excellent residual values of nearly 67% and currently hold number 5 in the list of top ten slowest depreciating cars in the UK.