When a brand as big as Mitsubishi decides to forgo a traditional microsite in favour of a Facebook fan page, you know a medium has arrived.

The automotive brand unveiled the campaign behind the new 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander this week, using its 11,000-member Facebook fan page as the digital platform for the campaign instead of a traditional microsite.

With digital creative by Toronto’s Proximity, the site is a rich media-enhanced page featuring the TV spot plus YouTube-style video from the Mitsubishi test facility, viewer polls, branded profile updates and gifts and links to the brand’s main Canadian site.

‘Mitsubishi has a small but loyal following of enthusiasts who are active in spreading the word,’ Dave Stevenson, ACD, Proximity Canada, explained in regards to the brand’s decision to focus on Facebook. ‘That, and the fact that Facebook has a growing demographic of people in our target audience, makes Mitsubishi well positioned to take advantage of social networks.’

‘The Facebook presence gives us the best opportunity to amplify the awareness generated through traditional media,’ he added.

With creative by BBDO Toronto and media by OMD, the ‘Stand Out’ campaign launched earlier this month with the ‘Invisible’ TV spot, which is airing in French and English in both Canada and the US. The ad features an invisible couple – seen only by their accessories – which only come into their true colours when they get inside the new Outlander.

This marks the second time that a Canadian-produced Outlander commercial has been picked up by the US division. Other media elements included in the campaign include print, direct mail, cinema advertising and online banners, all directing consumers to the Facebook fan page.

The media plan spans conventional and specialty TV channels, print buys in national and municipal dailies as well as Famous and AutoVision magazine, drivers’ sites like Driving.ca and cinema ads at 55 theatres across Canada.