In the UAE, electric vehicle (EV) adoption is rising—but most buyers still rely on public charging stations, since home infrastructure is rare. That means one of the first things potential EV buyers do is search for nearby charging points on Google Maps. BMW saw an opportunity to intercept this behavior. With “iJack”, the brand photobombed over 300 charging station listings with images of its EVs—turning utility into visibility. It wasn’t just smart—it was spatial storytelling.
Campaign Overview
“iJack” launched in 2024 with a stealthy, location-based strategy. BMW photographed its EVs parked at over 300 public charging stations across Dubai. These images were then uploaded to the Google Maps review sections of each station—so when users searched for charging points, they saw BMW vehicles in context.
The campaign was supported by a hero film, social media amplification, and influencer content. It also included a test-drive CTA embedded in the image captions, driving conversion from curiosity to action.
Campaign Objective
BMW aimed to:
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Boost awareness and test drives of its EV lineup in the UAE
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Intercept consumer behavior at the moment of EV consideration
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Reinforce its brand as innovative, premium, and locally relevant
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Use guerrilla tactics to create earned media and organic buzz
The goal was to turn charging stations into brand touchpoints—without spending on traditional media.
Execution
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Photobombing Google Maps: BMW uploaded branded images of its EVs to the review sections of over 300 charging station listings.
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Contextual Placement: Each image showed a BMW EV parked and charging—making the brand feel native to the infrastructure.
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Call-to-Action Captions: Image descriptions invited users to book test drives or learn more about BMW’s electric range.
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Hero Film: A sleek video explained the strategy and showed how BMW “hijacked” the map to boost visibility.
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Social Media Buzz: Influencers and media outlets picked up the story, amplifying reach and sparking conversation.
Brand Impact
“iJack” positioned BMW as a bold, tech-savvy challenger in the EV space. It resonated with digital-first consumers and urban explorers. The campaign also elevated BMW’s EVs from product to presence—making them part of the city’s visual language.
Results
The “iJack” campaign by BMW Middle East creatively hijacked competitors’ EV charging stations to promote the BMW i range, resulting in a +400% increase in EV test drives across Dubai. The campaign cleverly photobombed over 300 charging stations, catching drivers’ attention right at the point of charging.
It became a standout in the region’s auto marketing scene — featured in Ads of the World, Contagious, and Serviceplan case studies, and named Contagious Campaign of the Week. With high engagement and extensive earned media coverage across UAE auto and tech circles, BMW successfully positioned itself as a witty yet forward-thinking leader in electric mobility.
Lessons Learned
“iJack” teaches us that location is a media channel. The campaign also shows the power of intercepting intent—when you meet users where they’re searching, you become part of their decision. And finally, it proves that guerrilla tactics can scale—when they’re smart, relevant, and repeatable.
