The brand, Honda, has had a makeover. And, these days with every car maker touting a “next generation innovation” in its new model every other week or so, Honda is looking like the clever brand.
First, came Honda’s The Other Side online film through Wieden + Kennedy. Its audience was able to use the R key on their keyboard to switch between an everyday, everyman story and a driver’s dream come true version. And Honda got to morph from a family car into a high performing sports car.
Now it is making use of the new trend in gaming. Honda has launched an interactive gaming campaign on Xbox to promote its Civic Type R, in a deal which will see the brand take over #XboxUpload, a platform that allows players to upload their gaming clips. Honda has teamed up with Microsoft Advertising to challenge gamers to perform a lap time trial around the Nürburgring track in the Forza Motorsport 5 game. The deal was brokered by Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG).
User-generated gaming footage is hot right now. The world’s largest e-tailer, Amazon, has noticed. In August this year, it acquired the largest gameplay-livestreaming site, Twitch, which has 1 million broadasters, for US$970 million. Honda is an early uptaker.
Users will be prompted to record and socially share their best efforts on Upload, which has received over one billion uploads since launch by Xbox’s community of gamers. On December 31, Hnda and Xbox will announce 10 winners across Microsoft’s Xbox YouTube and Facebook channels. Prizes include Xbox Live subscriptions worth AU$73 as well as recognition as a gaming genius. The game will allow all users to download and unlock new Honda models to drive in the game.
Kate Barrett, communications manager at Honda UK, commented, “Creativity and curiosity is as much part of the Honda brand as our racing heritage, so we were delighted to be able to work with Xbox and SMG to deliver a unique and interactive experience for racers of all ages that both showcases our cars and gives people the chance to set their own lap record around the Nürburgring in the Type R.”
Stuart Flint, sales director at Microsoft Advertising and Online added, “We love making these types of campaigns happen, where brands and consumers really benefit from engagement on our advertising platforms. Xbox is a really interesting canvas for creativity and this is a unique way to bring the Honda Type R campaign to life for an audience that is excited by Honda’s sports and racing pedigree.”
Honda is the first brand to have sponsored a takeover of Xbox Uploads. The campaign is being backed with ads on the Xbox homepage and across Microsoft’s associated social channels.
“The Other Side campaign for the Type R is about making Honda deliver experiences rather than just advertising,” stated Elliott Millard, managing partner at Starcom MediaVest Group.
“These two pieces will help people to recognize Honda’s racing heritage. This is about getting Honda to be a talked-about brand. This is going to get people sharing the brand in an interesting way and spend time with it in an non-interruptive way, completely of their own volition. It’s not trying to sell more cars right away — the Type R isn’t out for a while yet. But we know car purchases are a long, drawn-out consideration event. This new kind of social sharing is an exciting way to change perceptions.”
