New Honda Accord Advertising Campaign

If You’re 29 to 41 Years Old -- Watch Out!

HONDA’S AD CAMPAIGN FOR NEW HONDA ACCORD IS TARGETING GEN Xers LIKE YOU!

by Marty Bernstein, Advertising – Marketing Editor
The Auto Channel.com

Finally! With mega bucks in most design jean pockets and a future that looks bright for many, one auto marketer, Honda through its ad agency, RPA, is giving the Gen X demo group they respect they deserve!

How? By targeting an integrated national ad campaign includes broadcast, print, interactive, in-theater, out of home and events for the new 2008 Honda Accord to the fast aging group of consumers.

But why this demographic? This is the audience that is most open to influence, these consumers are moving up in their careers, starting families and buying homes and are characterized as media-savvy, fun and self-reliant. Honda was equally mindful of taking a close look at the lives of people and designed the Accord around their lives.

The result is a campaign that communicates the theme, “Beyond the Road,” which separates the Accord from all other vehicles in its class. Manufacturers in this category make vehicles for the road: commuting, getting from point A to point B, running errands, soccer mom duties and Saturday chores.

“We’ve been fortunate that the Baby Boomers fully embrace Accord. The marketing challenge, however, is more with Gen X and even Gen Y. As their needs for a larger coupe or sedan evolve, we want position ourselves at the top of their consideration and aspiration list,” said Tom Peyton, senior manager, national advertising for American Honda Motor Co.

The Campaign

“Knowing how Honda designs cars–the fact that they think about how people live rather than just how they drive–we wanted to hit an emotional chord with these spots,” said Joe Baratelli, SVP, creative director at RPA.

Television, featuring “Hold on Tight” by Electric Light Orchestra, includes three :30 spots and three :15 spots will be used primarily online. Multiple Oscar®-winner Kevin Spacey returns this year as the voice of Honda for TV. All three spots premiered during the first week of regular-season ESPN Monday Night Football. Spots will air on top-rated programs, including the premieres of Grey’s Anatomy and NCIS. NBC customized minisodes will star the Accord and all-new primetime shows including Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman, Life, and My Name Is Earl.

Print debuts in October monthlies and USA Today on Sept. 11 with newspaper wraps scheduled for Sept. 16 in Accord’s top markets. A deep list of targeted publications has been selected to maximize reach, including Business Week, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, In Style, Real Simple and Vanity Fair.

The launch includes a rich media portal homepage roadblock is scheduled on Yahoo!, MSN and AOL to extend impact and awareness. On AOL, Accord will be the first-ever auto advertiser to run a one-hour network takeover and on MSN, Accord will be featured on first-ever rich media roadblocks across high-profile front pages.

An interesting element is the Accord Coupe College Marketing Program: Twenty universities design marketing campaigns to support the new Accord Coupe. Three finalists present their campaigns to American Honda and are awarded cash grants for their university.

The campaign also includes outdoor boards, in-theater, XM Satellite Radio, airport dioramas, high-impact outdoor wallscapes and subway tunnels in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.