Honda Doer
06.04.2009 | New Work
Honda showcased its “Do’er” film on Saturday 4 April, during Channel 4’s premiere of Al Gore’s documentary movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. The TV ad gives an insight into Honda’s perspective that ‘change’ and ‘good’ come from people who do things and behave in a way that helps reduce their impact on the environment.
The two minute, 10 second animated commercial, created by Ben Everitt, Sophie Bodoh and creatively directed by Tony Davidson, Kim Papworth and Shay Reading, took up the entire, first commercial break during the film. The spot itself was preceded by a special continuity announcement by Channel 4, highlighting the featured ad.
The TV spot was amplified by a media first in the Guardian newspaper. The “Do’er” Honda story was told across all ad spaces in the first 11 pages of the newspaper on Saturday, and will incorporate multiple and bespoke print shapes never used before in the Guardian.
The film, ‘Do, Keep Doing & Do Some More’, highlights Honda’s environmental heritage and its long-standing commitment to being a company that society wants to exist. It offers tips on how drivers can make simple, small changes to their behaviour to make a difference to the world around them.
Ian Armstrong, Manager of Customer Communications at Honda (UK), said: “What better way to tell this story than to take up an entire ad break in one of the most famous films about the environment, after introducing it in one of the most respected newspapers in the country. The film conveys a very strong message, and has been created and managed by a bunch of people who know how media works and who can think more broadly than just individual media channels.”
Honda (UK), Wieden + Kennedy and media agency Starcom regularly work closely with media owners to create fresh and innovative thinking. The partnerships’ most recent campaign culminated in the live ‘Jump’ commercial on Channel 4 for the launch of the Honda Accord.
Ben Everitt, W+K Art Director said ‘“Environmental issues often seem overwhelmingly big and complicated. But by explaining it all using toys, a plastic cowboy and a wonky red car, being a doer becomes pretty easy.”
Alex Conaway, W+K Group Account Director said ‘Honda has always behaved against category. This is even more important during the extreme conditions in which the car industry is currently operating in. The ‘Doer’ film and The Guardian takeover is about telling stories about the brand and making people again feel an emotional attachment to Honda.’
Jane Ollier, Starcom Business Director said ‘This campaign is a further example of Honda pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation to demonstrate and amplify their core company philosophy. The genuinely collaborative approach which lies at the heart of this has enabled Honda’s agencies to create successful and spectacular media firsts’.
The “Do’er” film precedes the launch of Honda’s latest TV campaign for the new Insight – the most affordable hybrid car on the market – which aims to make cleaner car technology to a wider audience. The ‘Let It Shine’ TV commerical hits UK screens on 14 April. You can get more information here.