Category Archives: Automotive

Ford billboards: look who’s talking now

Thanks to an hint from Philip I’ve found out that today Ogilvy (Alain Caviggia is the creative behind it) introduced in Belgium an interactive outdoor campaign for Ford. The “Ford Miracles” ads consists of interactive posters that look at people and react to their actions. The voice and facial expressions of the guy in the poster are controlled by an actor hidden in a booth nearby. The interactive billboards can be found at the main train stations in Belgium and if you find them I believe it will be very funny to see how people behave in front of them. It’s a sort of Candid Camera There is also a website supporting the campaign, check for example www.fordfaitdesmiracles.be for the French version. On Philip’s blog you also find a video showing senior German tourist interacting with the billboard.

File under: ford, interactive billboards, ogilvy

A great video challenge for Saab

Random Culture points to another (see the KFC entry) online video adventure (but I suspect this is online since May). This time the automaker Saab is behind the challenge on the streets of London. The smart idea is to promote the new Saab 9-3 Sportwagon challenging players to race against time. Saab is supporting the campaign also with a 100-page adventure game book featuring the Saab 9-3 SportWagon sent to 50,000 prospects and existing customers. I really had fun playing the game, even if I did’t prove to be a very good driver. I guess it’s because the driver was sitting on the right Anyway, it’s nice to see that advergames are evolving and getting more and more engaging.

File under: adventure game, online challenge, saab

Word-of-mouth for the new Renault Clio

The new Renault Clio is promoted in France with three short clips, quite funny and a little bit mad. The ads will only appear online, pushed with an online campaign and word-of-mouth. Publicis Net is behind this campaign, which is supported by a nicely designed website localised in several European languages.

File under: publicis net, renault clio, word-of-mouth

Discover the Daewoo Matiz city

From Russia a good website to introduce the new Daewoo Matiz. Visitors are invited to move around the city to discover the car’s models. It’s night so the urban setting looks rather charming, I’m sure you’ll appreciate it even if it’s in Russian. Just take your time while the site loads the first time you visit it… [news via Fred Cavazza]

File under: daewoo matiz, russia, website

Don’t use animals in viral videos

Remember the indignation generated in 2004 by the Ford’s SportKa viral which showed a cat being decapitated by a sunroof? This time is the Opel Astra dog thrown out of a car which raised negative reactions. Revolution reports animal rights charities protested by General Motors defended its work saying no animal was hurt in the making of the ad. By the way, the ad agency behind the controversial spot is McCann Erickson. Watch it here and share your opinion. Tag: viral marketing

File under: mccann erickson, opel astra, viral marketing

Renault Mégane viral video

“Test of character” is the viral video launched in the UK to promote the new Mégane Renaultsport 225. Check it out! Tag: viral marketing

File under: Mégane Renaultsport 225, renault, viral marketing, viral video

The new Golf is coming

Lowe GGK for Volkswagen Austria. Copy: The new Golf GTI is coming to Austria. [ad via Der Standard]

File under: austria, golf, lowe ggk, volkswagen

The Mercedes-AMG online experience

Avenue A / Razorfish has created a new website for Mercedes-Benz AMG. Mercedes-AMG’s website takes users on an interactive drive of the AMG brand, automobiles and its unique headquarters in Affalterbach. The site’s design and handling mirrors the AMG racing driven experience. Scott Preacher, client partner of Avenue A / Razorfish East comments:

“Our goal was to build a web presence that clearly articulated the Mercedes-AMG brand while leveraging the latest in rich media technology. The new Mercedes-AMG website delivers a truly unique interactive experience — one that invites users to immerse themselves in the world of AMG automobiles.”

The site, available in English and German, is really nice and makes you perceive the Mercedes brand value. It makes a good use of video, but the sound design is rather poor. Don’t check the news section in the lounge, apparently no one tested it

File under: avenue a / razorfish, mercedes AMG, new website

A mobile advergame for Range Rover

In the UK, Land Rover is promoting its new Range Rover Sport Tourer with a mobile game created by Blue Sphere Games. The game takes drivers to some of the world’s most famous landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, the Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. The challenge is not only to drive through as fast as you can, but also to take pictures of the landmark you’re visiting during the driving stage. Quoted on Digital Bulletin, Land Rover said that the game is the first of many planned for future Land Rover and Range Rover models.

File under: blue sphere games, branded entertainment, land rover, mobile advergame, mobile game, range rover

007 will drive a Fiat Panda

The International Herald Tribune reports Italian automaker is investing in product placement. The new Grande Punto will be featured in a new video game and another Fiat car, the Panda, will make an appearance in the next James Bond movie. The move is part of a corporate strategy to improve the brand image and make it more trendy, in order to attract young consumer. Fiat’s leader Lapo Elkann (the grandson of Giovanni Agnelli) who is only 27 years old, has already started selling the brand name on sweaters and shoes, having this way thousand young people advertising “for free” Fiat on the streets.

File under: 007, fiat panda, product placement