• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, July 18, 2022

As Advance Auto Parts prepares to celebrate its 90^th anniversary (or “Advanceiversary” as the company is promoting it) it is launching what it claims is an auto aftermarket category first:  a campaign featuring a bilingual brand spokesman.

The campaign targets the growing DIY segment within the category which the brand identifies as younger auto enthusiasts “who are seeking a more seamless and approachable auto care solution.”  These DIYers emerged and took hold during the pandemic and are “looking to forge personal connections with a trusted confidante who can assist them in their DIY journey,” per the company.  

The brand spokesman, “Ed Vance” is being positioned to help Advance stand out by drawing a quick connection to the Advance brand.  Brand messages will be delivered in a non-salesy series of 30-, 15-, and 6-second video spots in both English and Spanish, along with a social media campaign on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter (@EdVance4Advance). 

Work will appear on platforms relevant to these emerging DIY drivers including Roku, Spotify, Pandora, Twitch and more.  Commercials will end with a new custom theme and sonic logo in two languages to drive brand recognition, while providing a catchy tune for DIYers: “This is How We Advance” (English) and “Avanza con Advance” (Spanish).   

The new campaign was developed through a collaboration of Advance roster shops including TMA (creative), dentsu X (Media), Dieste (Hispanic), BBMG (sonic branding) and FleishmanHillard (PR). 

As Harris Wilkinson, Chief Creative Officer at TMA remarked, “Ed Vance is a super fan whose passion for Advance will help everyone see what sets this franchise apart …Ed is a truly bilingual character, played by a bilingual actor, who can reach English and Spanish-speaking audiences alike.”

Sample the work here and here.