Giving them the feels
The NZ outboard market is dominated by three main players – Suzuki, Yamaha and Mercury all battling it out for the no.1 position. Autumn is traditionally the time when many boat owners are considering repowering prior to summer and so the market is saturated with product and price ads as manufacturers vie for market share and sales. The opportunity for Suzuki was to rise above this retail noise with a brand campaign that helped them ‘own’ the feeling of a Kiwi summer on the water with family and good mates. Of course, sales couldn’t be forgotten, so the campaign had to extend seamlessly into delivering retail offers as well.
The category norm
Much of the outboard advertising is very generic and often using imagery recognisably sourced from overseas. It lacks relevance for the local market.
The standout idea
Created in 1954, the Suzuki ‘S’ has successfully stood the test of time for nearly six decades. It’s played a huge role in the brand’s history and has become a strong visual sign of the company. It represents excellence in marine engineering, but we saw the opportunity for it to represent something more – an authentic Kiwi summer in our big blue backyard. The ‘S is for summer’ campaign was born.
Outstanding execution
Filmed in the Coromandel, one of Aotearoa’s great marine playgrounds, the campaign successfully captured the spirit of a Kiwi summer. At the same time contemporary and nostalgic, it had an authenticity that resonated strongly with Kiwi boaties (and Suzuki dealers) and was supported by a retail layer delivering the repower offers to drive traffic into dealerships and sales.
Client
Capabilities
- Competitive Strategy
- Creative & Design
- Media & Channel Activation
TVC Video
Advert
Rich media
