The scene: Vivid cliffside panoramas. The ocean churns majestically in the distance. A shiny new car zips up the Pacific Coast Highway.
Often, car manufacturers supply gorgeous scenes to be used as running footage in car commercials—but they can be a visual disconnect for local customers.
So how can automotive dealer groups combine the national branding and marketing efforts of their nameplates with local and regional sensibilities?
St. Gregory Group recently had an opportunity to strike this balance for one of our automotive marketing clients. Our Honda dealer group wanted to produce a commercial with the same video quality and breathtaking drama as the national footage—but celebrating instead the beauty of the Midwest’s own landscape.
We stepped up to the challenge with a plan to capture national-level dynamic running footage for use in multiple upcoming campaigns. We knew we could create something that would speak to the geography and culture of the dealers’ consumers, and—pardon the pun—drive the branding message one step closer to home.
We brought in a talented production crew to scout, coordinate and shoot six Honda models—the CR-V, Accord, Pilot, Odyssey, Fit and HR-V—over the course of three September days at four locations, using state-of-the-art gear and precision drivers.
The result? A rich and powerful cache of footage that will drive top-shelf creative for our Honda dealers well into the new year. We’re proud to have had the opportunity to put together this great collaboration—and proud to reflect the joy of driving in our own magnificent corner of the world.