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OUTSTANDING
NEW
CAMPAIGNS
12 STRATEGY April 2008
By Annette Bourdeau
VESPA’S GANG OF SQUARES
Watch out. Next time you turn a corner, you just might run into a six-foot-tall hipster with a head made
of Vespa handlebars.
The cut-outs were commissioned by Toronto-based Canadian Scooter Company to create buzz for
the Vespa S model, which is a replica of a ’60s Vespa, except the original round headlight and mirrors
are now square. The life-like Vespa-heads are decked out in retro-cool attire like Converse and other
in-again brands to play on the notion that it’s hip to be square.
The unbranded images will be affi xed like wallpaper at eye level on buildings around Toronto,
Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. There are four different Vespa-heads in total; they’ll
appear either as singles or more intimidating “gangs.”
“[They’re unbranded] to create curiosity and intrigue,” says Glen Hunt, creative
catalyst at Toronto-based Dentsu Canada, adding that the images were done by
Toronto-based street artist Fauxreel. “The idea is to bring something attractive to the
locations – it’s more like art, so people appreciate it.” Hunt describes Faux Reel as
“the Banksy of Canada,” referring to the renowned British graffi ti artist. Street teams
will be handing out Vespa-head buttons, too, to further leverage the concept.
Vespa is also working with Toronto-based prodco Crush to do a 40-foot outdoor
projection of an interactive Vespa-head that turns around to check out and
double-blink at passersby. Print and poster executions will also play on the
Vespa-head concept, with headlines like “Born to be Square.”
The scooter co is also launching a retro-cool TV spot this spring to push its LX
model, featuring a hand-drawn, vintage-looking backdrop. It plays on the insight
that Vespas aren’t the most macho, performance-driven machines out there, and
features a guy who’s more artiste than stuntman attempting to jump across a row of
cars on his Vespa. He, of course, fails miserably. The next shot features him picking
up a beautiful girl to drive home the tagline, delivered by an announcer with an
Italian accent: “Vespa, not built for jumping. Vespa, built for love.” There are 30- and
45-second versions of the spot, which will run on TV, cinema and online. An online
game will play on the spot’s concept, in which players can try to make their Vespas
jump over things.
www.strategymag.com
advertiser: Jeremy Logan, VP sales;
Jennifer Errico, marketing manager,
Canadian Scooter Corp.
CDs: Glen Hunt, Deborah Prenger
ADs: David Glen, Deborah Prenger
copywriters: Glen Hunt, Joe O’Neill
interactive CD: Michael Gramlow
interactive designer: Thomas Hong
artist: Fauxreel
account services: Sharon Hill,
Natalie Vonlanthen-Choi
production manager: Narine Artinian
typographer: Henry Lee