WiFi Inventor John O’Sullivan Stars In New Škoda Campaign Via DDB Sydney
Škoda has launched a new brand campaign via DDB Sydney that centres on the idea that you don’t have to be famous to be brilliant.
Featuring clever Australians doing amazing things, and doing them differently, the campaign challenges the normal car ad conventions.
The campaign will be the biggest for Škoda this year and will run over three months across TV, outdoor, social, digital and retail nationally.
Škoda Australia director Michael Irmer said the campaign is unique in that it challenges the buyer to disregard the more obvious choices and instead consider Skoda.
“Škoda’s tagline, ‘Simply Clever’, encapsulates both the accessibility and the innovation of our cars and SUVs,” he said.
“The brand campaign paves the way for an entirely new direction for Škoda in the shape of the Kodiaq. As the first affordable seven-seat SUV from Europe, it is a game changer – one that challenges not only the traditional market leaders in this family vehicle segment, but also far more expensive prestige models.”
DDB Sydney managing partner Amanda Wheeler said the campaign pushes against category conventions to stand out in a cluttered market.
“In an unexpected approach for a car company, this Škoda campaign celebrates people who are brilliant but not famous,” she said.
“The idea of the campaign is to align the brilliance and inventiveness of these people with the brilliance and inventiveness of Škoda, helping to create a greater appreciation of the Škoda brand in Australia.”
DDB chief creative officer Ben Welsh said the campaign is sophisticated, subtle and aspirational, and features two Aussies who certainly aren’t household names, but are nonetheless exceptional.
“In the first spot, we meet Dr John O’Sullivan, the leader of the team who invented WiFi, and a second to be launched in July features Aelita Andre, a 10-year-old artist who had her first art exhibition in New York at the age of four,” he said.
“Too many people in this world are famous for being famous, while those who really contribute to society are often overlooked. This campaign beautifully highlights the simple genius and different thinking that has gotten our talent where they are today.”
CREDITS
Client: Škoda
Australian director – Michael Irmer
Marketing manager – Irena Kelava
Marketing manager – Andrew Younis
Marketing communications manager – Emma Ireland
Agency: DDB Sydney
Chief creative officer – Ben Welsh
Creatives – Dave King and Jason Woelfl
Managing director – Nicole Taylor
Manging partner – Amanda Wheeler
Business director – Charlie Norfeldt
Business executive – Sigrid Westhoff
Planning partner – Graham Sweet
Senior planner – Mark Arvai
Head of integrated content – Sevda Cemo
Senior producer – Sevda Cemo
Content producer (film three) – Isabella Harris
Social content creator – Lachlan Stewart
Digital producer – Maria Cherginets
Print producer – John Wood
Production house: Exit Films
Director/content director: Greg Wood/ Tom Campbell
Executive producer – Leah Churchill Brown
Producer – Karen Sproul
Cinematographer – Ross Giardina ACS
Post Production: The Editors
Editor (Škoda brand) – Bernard Garry ASE
Editor (KODIAQ) – Lawrence van Camp
Content editor – Grace Eyre
Colourist – Billy Wychgel
Flame operator – Viv Baker
Executive Producer – Kate Stenhouse
Producer – Daniel Fry
Sound Production: Rumble Studios
Creative/sound engineer – Nat Noyce
Executive producer – Michael Gie
Producer – Sharika Toth
Music composer – Rumble Studios
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