With Toby Talbot and Finch at the helm, Skoda’s latest TV campaign deconstructs the cliches played out in car ads telling customers to look beyond the hyperbole at what they are actually buying. The new campaign from DDB Sydney targets ‘Those who buy the car, not the ad’ and features a family of four driving a Skoda Octavia down picturesque, deserted NZ roads to sombre orchestral music.
With the snow-covered Southern Alps as a backdrop the voiceover says: “life is a journey, it doesn’t matter where you’re going”, before the mother turns to the camera and says “you’re not seriously buying all this are you?” turning to her husband saying “we only met this morning”.
She then goes onto explain all the tactics on display, from the empty road meaning “freedom” to orchestral music signalling “luxury” and the “unnaturally” well behaved kids.
She finishes with the line: “Strip all of this away and what are you really paying for? A car. Wouldn’t you prefer yours to come without all the cliches?”
Other ads feature the actress deconstructing a range of other myths, like admitting her ‘husband’ is her 25th in car ads, in a spot talking about performance:
A spot about the safety features shows the director explaining in detail to the kids the look he wants from them, detailing the advanced safety features in technical terms.
“It’s not anti-category,” says DDB Managing Partner Amanda Wheeler, “it’s anti-cliché.”
Skoda Australia managing director Michael Irmer said: “I thought: ‘This is brilliant! Why has no-one thought of it before?”
“Initially we wanted to do a more conventional ad which points outs the merits of the car, but another way of doing it was found and it’s one we couldn’t resist.
“I think now that this will make you think of Škoda every time you see on of those car brands that uses the clichés.”
CREDITS
DDB Sydney
Chief Creative Officer: Toby Talbot/Ben Welsh
Creative Partner: Steve Jackson
Art Director: Jason Woelfl
Copywriter: Sam Pascoe
Managing Partner: Amanda Wheeler
Producer: Jacqui Gillies
Production House: Finch
Director: Jae Morrison
Producer: Sarah Cook
Editor: Tim Mauger
Post Production: Finch
Sound: Stuart Welch
Sound Studio: Nylon Studios
Performance TVC
Director’s Instructions
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