Honda Civic Campaign Embraces the Spirit of Continuous Improvement

Santa Monica, Calif., Jan.3, 2012 – Honda has launched an integrated advertising campaign supporting the 2013 Honda Civic featuring four TV spots and several print and digital executions. Developed by Honda’s longstanding agency of record, RPA, the multiplatform campaign seeks to bring attention to the spirit of Honda—a passion for innovative thinking and continuous improvement.

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“Our belief is that there are always new ways to improve, create and imagine which can be seen in the refreshed Civic, America’s best-selling compact car. The 2013 Civic is poised to beat customers’ expectations,” said Mike Accavitti, vice president of national marketing operations at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The 2013 Civic features extensive interior and exterior design upgrades, enhanced dynamics and new technology.”

The TV creative mixes found and original footage of real inventors, makers and explorers like those who created a laser keyboard and 4moms origami stroller aligned with Honda’s own engineering innovations such as the 2013 Civic, ASIMO^®, HondaJet^® and high-performance racing programs to express their shared passion for creativity and ingenuity.

“Honda has always been a company that embraces its customers and their passions, and this campaign is another great example of it. It’s a celebration of the challenging spirit inside all of us. We wanted to not only showcase Honda’s latest example of this philosophy, but embrace the other tireless dreamers and doers out there who share our way of thinking. It’s like one big, innovative group hug,” said Jason Sperling, SVP, group creative director at RPA.

Director of Photography, Ellen Kuras (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Blow”), captured the innovators’ genuineness balanced with the beauty of the Civic. Spots are set to the music of Santigold.

Three Civic models (Sedan, Si Coupe and Hybrid) will be featured individually in three TV spots; a fourth 60-second spot features all three of these Civic models. The 60-second spot aired first during the Rose Bowl^® game on Jan. 1. Spots will also air during primetime programming on ABC, CW, FOX, NBC, several cable networks and during NBA and NFL AFC Wildcard and Divisional games, as well as in nearly 60 markets during the BCS Championship.

A host of high-impact placements are planned surrounding the Grammy^® Awards: two 30-second Civic spots will air in 60 top markets during the awards show, a custom gatefold print will run in “Entertainment Weekly” and a YouTube masthead takeover is scheduled the day after the show.

Honda will facilitate conversation around innovations that have made things better both for Honda and those featured in the Civic spots on multiple social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to help create buzz and curiosity around the innovations and the new Civic.

Three integrated print executions will run in a variety of publications throughout the first half of the year, including “ESPN The Magazine,” “Elle,” “Food Network Magazine,” “InStyle,” “GQ” and “People.” Digital creative will appear on home-page takeovers on Yahoo! and MSN, full-episode streaming and within “March Madness on Demand” and “NFL Everywhere”. In addition, a Civic-themed promoted Twitter trend ran before the 2013 Civic debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Downloads:

Credits:

Client: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Brand: Honda Civic
Spot Titles: “Better/Launch,” “Better/Sedan,” “Better/Si Coupe”
First air: 1/1/13

Agency: RPA
EVP, CCO: Joe Baratelli
SVP, GCD: Jason Sperling
ACD, Art Director: Hobart Birmingham
ACD, Copywriter: Perrin Anderson
Copywriter: Rich Siegel
Art Director: Dana Markee
SVP, Executive Producer: Gary Paticoff
Senior Producer: Isadora Chesler
Assistant Producer: Whitney Young

Production Company: Gorgeous Inc.
Director/Director of Photography: Ellen Kuras
EP/Managing Director: Anna Hashmi
Line Producer: Suza Horvat

Editorial Company: Union Editorial
Editor (Launch, Sedan & Hybrid): Marco Perez
Editor (Si Coupe): Paul Plew
EP: Michael Raimondi
Producer: Joe Ross
Asst. Editor (for Marco Perez): Carla Blair
Asst. Editor (for Paul Plew): Eric Brodeur

Telecine: Co3
Telecine Artist: Mike Pethel
Online/Finishing: Method Studios
Artist/CD: Claus Hansen
EP: Robert Owens
Producer: Ananda Reavis

Animation (Logo/Ending): Buck
Creative Director: Ryan Honey
Producer: Emily Rickard
EP: Maurie Enochson
Animation (Opening “H”): Elastic
Producer: Jamie McBriety

Voiceover Talent: Jason Bateman
Music Track: Santigold “Disparate Youth” (instrumental)
Music Research: Good Ear Music (aka GEMS)

Research: Andrew Kahn
Final Mix: Margarita Mix
Mixer: Paul Hubtubise

Print Creative Credits

Agency: RPA
EVP, CCO: Joe Baratelli
SVP, GCD: Jason Sperling
ACDs: Perrin Anderson, Hobart Birmingham, Ron Berry
Art Director: Tim Hawkins
Photographer: Trevor Pearson
Digital Artist: Trevor Pearson
Sr. Art Buyer: Andrea Rosenfeld
Traffic Supervisor: Dion Chilliest
Print Production Manager: Donna Campione

About RPA:

RPA, headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., is a leading independent advertising agency. RPA builds momentum for brands by offering its clients truly integrated campaigns that resonate throughout its disciplines, which include traditional advertising, interactive, and direct and event marketing. RPA’s client list includes American Honda, both the Honda and Acura brands, ampm, ARCO, Castrol, California Department of Public Health, Intuit Small Business, La-Z-Boy, Farmers Insurance Group and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. For more information, visit http://www.rpa.com.

About Honda:

Honda offers a complete lineup of Honda cars, trucks and service through a network of 1,037 Honda dealerships within the United States. In 2012, Honda will mark 30 years of producing automobiles in the U.S.1, which began with the Accord in Marysville, Ohio in November 1982. Having produced over 23 million vehicles in North America, Honda currently operates 7 major automobile manufacturing facilities in the region.

Connect with Honda:

Media Newsroom (for journalists): www.hondanews.com
For consumers: http://automobiles.honda.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Honda
YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
Flickr: www.flickr.com/hondanews
Twitter: www.twitter.com/honda
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/honda
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+honda

¹Honda products are produced using domestic and globally sourced parts.