Bright. Fun. Adventurous. Free. BBH has captured the feeling of the young generation as the Covid restrictions ease. BBH has also captured the feeling of Vespa because the two feelings are one and the same thing. That’s a gift for the brand and a clever pick-up by the agency. Piaggio’s Vespa has always stood for a sense of freedom, joy and spontaneity.
The new campaign pays homage to Vespa’s post-war work of the 1950s but also captures the mood of the moment. Again, the two things are one and the same. BBH London’s social media listening revealed that with months in isolation, people were in fact missing and craving to go back to the little joys of everyday life. The series, Together at Last, celebrates riding to work in the sunshine, escaping the city, exploring our city’s culture and reuniting with friends.
The campaign also restores Vespa’s endline, Vespizzatevi, (Let’s Vespa) for the first time since the 1950s, post World War II. The tone of this idea captures the surrealness and pure joy and positivity of the post-war ads from the ‘50s. The work personifies the little things that people have missed the most, and shows them as a companion on the back of the scooter, making Vespa the catalyst for better times.
The campaign includes four executions, each commissioned by a separate illustrator; Paul Thurlby, Quentin Monge, Agustino Iacurci and Sebastien Curi. Each execution has its own style, but they are all colourful, playful and unequivocally Vespa. It is launching in the UK, Italy and APAC in May, with illustrations being released in a phased approach to reflect the easing of lockdown. It will span OOH, press and social channels, as well as featuring in Piaggio Group’s own Museum in Pontedera.
Pablo González De La Peña, head of art at BBH London, commented, “It’s such a special opportunity to put a global campaign out there now that restrictions have been lifted in some countries. People are finally free to conquer the outdoors again, and we’re going to welcome them with buckets of energy and positivity. The iconic Vespa has been making our streets more colourful for 74 years. After these depressing times, it’s time to get back to it, starting with these bright, bold posters.
“We have brought four of the most vibrant young illustrators to help us find the right tone for the brand. Taking those classic posters from the ’50s and giving them a contemporary approach. Seeing them all together, they all feel unequivocally Vespa.”
Davide Zanolini, executive vice president global marketing & communication at Piaggio Group, added, “We thought it was the right moment to use the Vespizzatevi concept now we need to start again approaching life and mobility with enthusiasm, joy and positive energy. It was not easy to reinterpret a campaign that made the history of communication in the early 50s. But with BBH it was done an excellent job to make the concept contemporary cool and again while preserving the heritage of the original campaign.”
Credits:
Agency: BBH London
Creative Team: Wil Maxey & Marc Rayson
Creative Director & Head of Art: Pablo González de la Peña
Senior Strategist: Aarohi Dhir
Strategy Director: John Harrison
Chairman: Jon Peppiatt
Senior Account Director: Peter Blaseby
Account Manager: Francesca Somerville
Account Executive: Ella McNicholas
Producer: Pippa White
Typographer & Designer: Charley Ray
Illustrators:
Paul Thurlby – Sun
Quentin Monge – Friends
Agostino Iacurci – Music
Sebastian Curi – Nature
Client: Piaggio Group
Brand Manager: Giulia Selitto
Head of Scooter Brands: Francesca Biondi Morra Di Belforte
Executive Vice President Global Marketing & Communication: Davide Zanolini
