Dacia’s new campaign by Publicis Conseil stars a toy Dacia and a full-sized Dacia – and a twist on traditional car advertising in which a car shows off what it can do. 

The campaign aims to point out that while there was a time when the most accessible electric vehicles were remote-controlled and could be found on the shelves of toy shops, with new model, Spring, an affordable electric model is no longer a toy, but a proper car, perfectly at home on the road.

The story, directed by Pierre Dupaquier, opens with a miniature version of New Spring hurtling through a house transformed into a true playground. Agile and mischievous, it weaves its way through everyday obstacles, slips into a child’s bedroom, rides along a staircase banister, then escapes through a cat flap…

Once outside, the perspective shifts: the miniature joins its life-size counterpart in a transition that is as surprising as it is seamless. The two versions then interact, alternating and merging throughout the sequences in an inventive visual sequence that highlights its agility, robustness and versatility.

The final reveal shows the son holding his remote control, as if he had orchestrated the whole adventure from the start and is just as proud as his father to have a new, smaller Spring model… A twist that gives full meaning to the campaign’s tagline, “Affordable electric is no longer just for kids”.

Sound company, Start-Rec, chose sharp riff, a precise groove and a catchy melody of So Cold by New Zealand indie rock band, Balu Brigada, to complement the agility of the new Spring. The full campaign is running across Europe covering film, digital content, online videos, a CRM programme and a series of visuals.