CLASSIFIEDS

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Newspapers
Advertiser: SUZUKI
Product/Service: BRAND MESSAGE
Agency: EJE SOCIEDAD PUBLICITARIA
Date of First Appearance: Jun 6 2009 12:00AM
Entrant Company: EJE SOCIEDAD PUBLICITARIA, San Juan, PUERTO RICO
Chief Creative Officer: Enrique Renta (EJE Sociedad Publicitaria)
Creative Director: Clarissa Biaggi (EJE Sociedad Publicitaria)
Copywriter: César González (EJE Sociedad Publicitaria)
Art Director: Juan Carlos López (EJE Sociedad Publicitaria)
Account Director: Vilmaliz Martínez (EJE Sociedad Publicitaria)
Media placement: Classified Ads - Newspapers - 06/06/2009

Results and Effectiveness

The brand received sustained presence during the summer, a very important time for sales with high institutional credibility at classified-ad prices. Vendors of old Suzuki models became 'free' spokespersons of the brand's quality. Plus we managed to transform used-car classifieds into a strong brand message. Curiously, the campaign was so strong that one of the contacted vendors decided he wasn't ready to part with his Suzuki despite receiving several offers for it.

Creative Execution
The brilliance of this campaign resides in its resourcefulness. For the very first time a brand transformed consumer ads, into a powerful brand message. Instead of paying premium dollar for top spots in the newspaper, we paid classified prices in the one place where few consumers were still looking for cars. The pre-owners became brand ambassadors, got a free ad and strengthened their relation with Suzuki. Meanwhile we found a credible way and cost-effective way of delivering our durability message to the masses. A win-win strategy for all.

Insights, Strategy & the Idea

As the economic crisis hit the automotive industry head on, subsequent cuts in advertising budgets forced us to be more creative than ever. We needed to launch a durability message in a believable and focused manner with near $0 for print budget. We found the most convincing evidence of our vehicles' durability in the automobile classified section of the newspaper. Ads in which old Suzuki models, such as the Suzuki Samurai, were being sold. We managed to find and converted their ads into a strong institutional message. To do so we contacted the vendors of every old Suzuki model we could find and offered to promote their ads within the classifieds by upgrading the ad and covering the cost. The sole condition was that they let us sign the classified with the Suzuki logo and slogan: The car that handles it all.