jimmybondi
07-25-2008, 12:05 PM
From Creative match:
CMW creates faceless campaign to launch Lotus Evora
CMW is the agency behind the campaign which has run in recent weeks supporting the first Lotus car launch in over a decade.
The 2 + 2 mid-engine sports car, named Evora, was unveiled at the British International Motor Show. The car, which has until now been known under the codename ‘Project Eagle’, will go on sale in 2009.
CMW’s core insight revolves around the concept of individuality. The Evora’s key target consumer is known to value his or her individuality and is keen to express it via their lifestyle choices. CMW’s creative campaign is built around and leverages this notion.
A campaign microsite and guerrilla activity build on the idea of a bland, faceless world in which the Lotus Evora stands apart and represents character, colour and substance. To communicate this, CMW teamed up with consumer lifestyle and experiential specialists Focus PR to plant real faceless people - wearing latex masks which conceal all facial features – as guests and onlookers at a number of recent high profile events and functions prior to the launch. These included Wimbledon, Henley, Elton John’s White Tie & Tiara Ball and Kim Cattrall’s recent visit to open Harrods’ summer sale.
Resulting footage showing the faceless people at these events appeared on YouTube, blogs and social networking sites, and gave rise to speculation as to their intent and meaning in the Daily Mail, Metro and other leading media. ABC News in the USA also carried a two minute editorial on the phenomenon in early July. On that day, ‘faceless people’ ranked among the most searched for terms in the US. No overt link was made between these faceless people and Lotus to create a sense of mystery and surprise, although speculation grew incrementally during this pre-launch activity as to those behind it.
The pre-launch period ‘faceless people’ activity has been supported by a microsite at www.facelesspeople.co.uk which bears the legend: "True character will emerge in..." alongside a ticker counting down the time remaining before this unspecified event. A discreet Lotus badge sits at the bottom of the page.
The crowd of faceless people were present at the Motor Show surrounding the heavily shrouded Evora before it was unveiled, quickly dispersed as the dust sheets were lifted, allowing the car’s character, style and substance to shine through.
CMW managing director, Martin Nieri said: “The launch of the Evora represents an opportunity for Lotus both to promote its unique 2+2 sports car, and crucially to reignite the classic Lotus marque with its wonderfully rich heritage. We have chosen an unconventional creative route to create maximum impact around this highly significant launch and to ensure that our target audience has the opportunity to reappraise Lotus more broadly.”
Patrick Peal, marketing director at Lotus added: “Lotus has always been passionate about giving our customers the ultimate driving experience. Lotus is an iconic marque which knows no compromise and has stayed true to its founding principles of superb craftsmanship and engineering which come to life in the Evora.
“Lotus customers have their own style and CMW quickly reached an understanding of what motivates these individuals. Their creative has built superb cut-through, via an approach that is slightly haunting and disquieting but never intimidating.”
CMW was appointed by Lotus at the beginning of the year for a multi-faceted brief which included the assessment of key markets, the development of a global positioning and proposition work for the Evora, through to creative development suitable for use in key markets throughout the world including the UK, US, Japan and Australia.
CMW has broad automotive experience, through its work on Hyundai, Renault, Porsche and Peugeot.
www.cmwlondon.com
CMW creates faceless campaign to launch Lotus Evora
CMW is the agency behind the campaign which has run in recent weeks supporting the first Lotus car launch in over a decade.
The 2 + 2 mid-engine sports car, named Evora, was unveiled at the British International Motor Show. The car, which has until now been known under the codename ‘Project Eagle’, will go on sale in 2009.
CMW’s core insight revolves around the concept of individuality. The Evora’s key target consumer is known to value his or her individuality and is keen to express it via their lifestyle choices. CMW’s creative campaign is built around and leverages this notion.
A campaign microsite and guerrilla activity build on the idea of a bland, faceless world in which the Lotus Evora stands apart and represents character, colour and substance. To communicate this, CMW teamed up with consumer lifestyle and experiential specialists Focus PR to plant real faceless people - wearing latex masks which conceal all facial features – as guests and onlookers at a number of recent high profile events and functions prior to the launch. These included Wimbledon, Henley, Elton John’s White Tie & Tiara Ball and Kim Cattrall’s recent visit to open Harrods’ summer sale.
Resulting footage showing the faceless people at these events appeared on YouTube, blogs and social networking sites, and gave rise to speculation as to their intent and meaning in the Daily Mail, Metro and other leading media. ABC News in the USA also carried a two minute editorial on the phenomenon in early July. On that day, ‘faceless people’ ranked among the most searched for terms in the US. No overt link was made between these faceless people and Lotus to create a sense of mystery and surprise, although speculation grew incrementally during this pre-launch activity as to those behind it.
The pre-launch period ‘faceless people’ activity has been supported by a microsite at www.facelesspeople.co.uk which bears the legend: "True character will emerge in..." alongside a ticker counting down the time remaining before this unspecified event. A discreet Lotus badge sits at the bottom of the page.
The crowd of faceless people were present at the Motor Show surrounding the heavily shrouded Evora before it was unveiled, quickly dispersed as the dust sheets were lifted, allowing the car’s character, style and substance to shine through.
CMW managing director, Martin Nieri said: “The launch of the Evora represents an opportunity for Lotus both to promote its unique 2+2 sports car, and crucially to reignite the classic Lotus marque with its wonderfully rich heritage. We have chosen an unconventional creative route to create maximum impact around this highly significant launch and to ensure that our target audience has the opportunity to reappraise Lotus more broadly.”
Patrick Peal, marketing director at Lotus added: “Lotus has always been passionate about giving our customers the ultimate driving experience. Lotus is an iconic marque which knows no compromise and has stayed true to its founding principles of superb craftsmanship and engineering which come to life in the Evora.
“Lotus customers have their own style and CMW quickly reached an understanding of what motivates these individuals. Their creative has built superb cut-through, via an approach that is slightly haunting and disquieting but never intimidating.”
CMW was appointed by Lotus at the beginning of the year for a multi-faceted brief which included the assessment of key markets, the development of a global positioning and proposition work for the Evora, through to creative development suitable for use in key markets throughout the world including the UK, US, Japan and Australia.
CMW has broad automotive experience, through its work on Hyundai, Renault, Porsche and Peugeot.
www.cmwlondon.com