Using German engineers to promote a Japanese car is a bit unusual. But that’s exactly the point.
The launch campaign for Subaru’s new Impreza model, by DDB Toronto, features jealous German engineers pining over the new vehicle. The tag is, ‘The Japanese car the Germans wish they had made.’ It aims to reinforce the automaker’s Japanese heritage, and to associate it with something more substantial than simply past spokesperson Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee).
‘The Impreza was being called the biggest launch Subaru has had. We knew we had to do something special,’ says CD Andrew Simon, adding that research indicated consumers hold Japanese cars in high regard. ‘Consumers realize where some of the best cars in the world are made [Japan and Germany], so we’ve tried to include the best of both worlds.’
A DM effort features a letter from Gunter, a German engineer who feels he must spread the word about how great the Impreza is. The piece arrives in an envelope designed to look like International Air Mail, and includes Gunter’s snapshots of the car. DDB also had fun with the newspaper executions. One features a shot of a German engineer crying, with an Impreza ad on the opposite page that looks like it’s been smudged by tears. A microsite, imprezaenvy.ca, includes a ‘behind the scenes’ video at a faux German engineering lab, with the engineers demonstrating the car’s various features.
The campaign, which also includes radio and OOH, broke in late August with elements continuing to roll out this month. Simon says it’s a versatile platform they plan to build on for future efforts.
Credits:
client: Don Durst, SVP sales & marketing, Subaru Canada
agency: DDB Canada, Toronto
CD: Andrew Simon
AD: Todd Mackie
account directors: Geoff Taylor, Michael Davidson
copywriter: Denise Rossetto
producer: Andrew Schulze
prodco: Corner Store
director: Jorn Haagen
editor: Griff Henderson, School Editorial
sound: RMW Music, Ted Rosnick
