Venables Bell + Partners’ left-of-centre thinking has given Scout motors a very interesting appeal. No product feature close-ups; no long, winding road. Instead, human humour that riffs off the brand’s distinction in local culture. Since the first Scout rolled off the assembly line in 1960, its vehicles have always been considered a “connection machine” – built to bring people together through work, play, and shared adventure. Sometimes quite literally on the brand’s front bench seat.

That spirit comes to life in the agency’s new commercial, Rivals, a tongue-in-cheek take on hometown sports rivalries, told with a very engaging wink.

The film directed by Prettybird director, Max Malkin, is an ode to modern male bonding, set in the world of Midwest rec league hockey. When an on-ice clash between two players and a local referee goes a step too far, the tension gives way to something more familiar after the final whistle – ending in a shared ride home on the Scout’s famed bench seat.

The campaign covers social media (Meta, YouTube) and online video.