automotive

Honda Powers Up National Ads For Insight

Honda ad spot Honda is turning on the juice to power up the Honda Insight hybrid. The national campaign for the launch of the all-new Insight begins today with a message that the car--which will be priced below any other hybrid car--is both inclusive and affordable. The effort, via L.A.-based RPA, has a "hybrid for everyone" concept delivered with a cast of ethnically diverse people and an upbeat message.

The Torrance, Calif. automaker says the campaign targets consumers who want the benefits of a hybrid but don't want to sacrifice fun, style and sportiness.

The campaign comprises three TV spots, with the second two spots breaking next month, and includes a partnership with NBC for five 40-second branded-entertainment vignettes promoting both NBC Universal's "Earth Week" and the Insight. Each features a well-known actor from an NBC prime-time show driving the car. In the vignettes, the actors talk about their everyday lives, and how--despite their Tinsel Town careers--they try to live simply.

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The vignettes start on prime time on April 20, highlight certain features of the Insight and showcase the car as a "hybrid for everyone."

Each of the three traditional TV ads, which will air during top-rated network and cable programming, has a different setting: one on a downtown rooftop, another a park, and the third the beach. They show a single Insight driving, then more of the cars and people at each setting. More and more Insights and passengers are revealed until each location is filled with Insights.

The ads also introduce a plant-leaf graphic also used in the car. The effort also includes print and outdoor ads. And, starting in late April and early May, there will be in-theater, newspaper, radio and interactive ads in major markets. Aerial banners will run during Memorial Day weekend in Los Angeles and the Fourth of July weekend in select top markets.

Honda will also host a tire-kicker Earth Day Insight Launch Event on April 22nd at the Honda Center, where consumers can gawk at, test-drive and vie to win an Insight via sweepstakes.

Honda has a broad Web campaign to tout the car that includes a blog, videos disseminated across a range of sites, Web ads and a tie-in with an online game launch. The blog at insight.honda.com includes videos of Honda engineers, product planners, and the like talking about the car. Video "tours" of the car are also at AOL, MSN, Yahoo and YouTube as well as ABC, CBS and NBC and other TV and movie programming Web properties.

The car will, per the company, be one of the launch sponsors of Xbox Live Primetime's "Play and Win," with Insight video featured before and during game play.

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