Leo Burnett Melbourne has unveiled its latest work for Honda’s HR-V SUV.

The campaign sees one actor take on eight different roles based on eight different real-life stories. Each is brought to life by young female actor, Krew Boylan, in a tongue in cheek play on the ‘interchangeable 20-something’ women often depicted in the small SUV category. The actor and the HR-V may stay the same, but each spot is completely different, with Krew transforming into a new and interesting persona every time.

The move came after initial insights from customers showed a craving for something that reflected them more authentically and differed from the generic 20-somethings in the prime of their lives, driving through city streets listening to music or sipping lattes.

It is an evolution of the 2017 brand campaign and purpose ‘You are at the centre of everything we do’. Scott McGregor, general manager, customer & communications for Honda said, “We were determined to demonstrate the human, personal side of car ownership and set ourselves apart in the category. This launch showcases how the HR-V stands out as different, by fitting into your unique life.”

To create the campaign, hundreds of real stories were gathered from Honda drivers across Australia. Some funny, some downright weird (who knew so many people proof bread in their car?). Some of the best, including hoarders of hard rubbish, mid-afternoon snoozers and ingenious dog owners were among those chosen to be immortalised.

Jason Williams, CCO Leo Burnett, said, “We wanted to tap into real-life, relatable stories about how people use their cars. The sometimes unglamorous, insightful, funny moments. We knew that if we could bring them to life in an engaging way, we could make Honda feel more relatable and more human.”

‘As different as the people who drive it’ defined the entire strategic approach of the HR-V through to media, with the eight stories becoming the basis for a sophisticated content journey that matched individuals’ interests with relevant HR-V features.

Smart utilisation of a comprehensive campaign ecosystem including TV, social and digital drives 50+ permutations of the campaign. Through deep research and data collection, a potent and highly targeted media program was then formed with Honda’s media partner Zenith.

CREDITS

Client: Honda Australia 

General Manager, Customer & Communications: Scott McGregor

Brand Communications Manager: Ben Familton

Brand Communications Specialist: Sarah Tolliday

Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne

CCO: Jason Williams

Creative Director: Blair Kimber

Creatives: Lucy Logan and Holly Burgess

Director of Integrated Strategy: Ilona Janashvili

Integrated Strategist: Tallon Mason-Kaine and Zac Martin

Broadcast Producers: Cinnamon Darvall, Bridget Materia and Sophie Simmons

Director, Client Services and Solutions: Tim den Braber

Group Account Director: Jaime Morgan

Account Director: Jacquelyn Whelan

Digital Creative Director: Chris Jovanov

Lead Digital Designer: Matthew Caminiti

Social Editors: John Angless and Matt Cahill

Producers: Nick Baum and John Trifonopoulos

Photographer: Alexander Stoeckel

Retoucher: Adrian Garofalo

Production: Rabbit Content

Director: Lachlan Dickie

Producer: Megan Ayers

Executive Producer: Alex Hay and Lucas Jenner

DOP: Shelley Farthing-Dawe

Post Production

Editor: Bernard Garry – The Editors

VFX & Supervisor: Vivienne Baker

Post Producer: Charlotte Griffiths

Sound Engineer: Ramsay De Marco – Nylon Studios

Soundtrack: Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart (Sweet Dreams)

Composer: Jesse Watt

Music Producer: Karla Henwood – Nylon

Music Supervision: Chelsea Ramsden – Nylon

Media: Zenith

Strategy Director: Simon Schoen

Group Business Director: Katrina Stratton

Account Director: Philippa Butler and Michael Smith

Optimisation Manager: Tristan Shearer