These ads are part of our new campaign to announce the reopening of Honda's UK factory in Swindon.

At its best, Honda inspires – with cars, with communications, and as a company. The factory in Swindon is a part of this. And the reopening has a broad significance and relevance in the current climate.

“Honda, renowned throughout the world for how it responds to economic change, a microcosm of the UK economy, now ready to grow.”
Faral Islam, C4 News

We've seen people talking about 'the Honda effect', a phrase that I think originates from a famous 1984 paper from the California Review about Honda's success in the US market. You can read the paper here.

“This so-called ‘Honda Effect’ is not just relevant for the car industry, but possibly the whole economy.”
Faral Islam, C4 News

“The more modest example of what you could call ‘The Honda Effect’…that itself will guarantee some pick up in the rate of growth.”
Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England

We appropriated the phrase and incorporated it into the campaign. The reopening of the factory is the first bold statement of Honda's intention to assume leadership as the country shows the first signs of emerging from the recession.