Geely Auto Australia x Merkle

The Challenge

Geely, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, was entering Australia for the first time. The ask seemed simple: create a website to launch their first vehicle, the Geely EX5. 

But the challenge was much bigger. How does a Chinese brand with zero awareness locally break into one of the world’s most competitive and brand-loyal markets? 

We knew this couldn’t be just another car website. The experience had to establish credibility instantly, build trust with Australians, and deliver leads at scale. 

Our focus centered on five principles: 

1. Establish credibility from day one with a website that signalled confidence, quality and reliability in a market where trust is everything. 
2. Localise the brand for Australia by adapting Geely’s global identity with photography, visual language and storytelling that felt authentically Australian, not imported. 
3. Lay long-term foundations through a scalable brand and design system flexible enough to support future launches. 
4. Leverage newcomer status by designing boldly, free from legacy constraints, to showcase a digital-first, best-in-class experience. 
5. Deliver commercial impact with a high-performing lead-generation engine that turned curiosity into sales. 

This brief was never just about launching a car online. It was about launching a brand into Australia, creating a digital-first experience to reset expectations, earn trust, and position Geely as a serious contender from day one. 

The Solution

We built a digital flagship experience that introduced Geely to Australia with authority, warmth, and intent. We created a website that proved a great digital experience could establish credibility for a brand with no local presence, all while delivering measurable impact. 

Localised brand expression 
We reimagined Geely’s palette and visual brand identity for Australia, adding warmth and sophistication to the visual design language, so the cars felt at home, not imported. That crafted sense of belonging paid off fast. The site now drives 48% of all vehicle enquiries in just six months. 

Immersive product storytelling
Cinematic visuals and clear specs built trust fast. That trust translated into sales. The Geely EX5 became one of Australia’s top three best-selling EVs by July 2025, with 2,300+ vehicles sold. 
 
Vehicle configurator 
Designed like e-commerce, not a brochure, we created an experience that enabled real-time customisation, linking seamlessly into dealerships. Order rates reached 30% (vs. 20% benchmark), with almost two-thirds of all leads now from configurator and product pages. 
 
Mobile-first execution 
Thumb-friendly navigation and fast, touch-first interactions made mobile the hero. Customers spent over a minute on the configurator and product pages when visiting by phone. 

Scalable and modular design system 
We created a modular brand and design system that gave Geely flexibility while ensuring polish across every page. Backed by a headless CMS, this allowed Geely to easily create pages by dragging and dropping components, all while keeping every detail fine-tuned and finessed. 

Results

A global brand, localised.

Geely’s Australian debut exceeded expectations, building trust rapidly and converting interest into sales at scale. 

We saw: 

• 48% of all national vehicle enquiries originate from the website within just six months. 
• The Geely EX5 became one of the top three best-selling EVs in Australia by July 2025, with 2,300+ units sold. 
• The configurator became the primary lead engine, driving nearly two-thirds of all leads. 
• Order conversion hit 30%, outperforming the 20% industry benchmark. 
• Mobile customers spent ~1 minute engaging on configurator and product pages, demonstrating high-quality intent. 
• The modular design system and headless CMS enabled rapid iteration, consistency, and agile expansion. 

The digital experience has since been recognised by Geely headquarters as a global benchmark. Other regions, like the UK, are now referencing and applying components and design direction to uplift their own digital ecosystems.