Using demonstrations to sell an automobile is nothing new. Largely pioneered by ad agency Team One for the Lexus brand in the late 80s and early 90s, we have since seen maybe hundreds of on stage and in situ demonstrations from various car manufacturers - most of them forgettable.
above: the unique door design of the Ford B-MAX is a perfect feature for a demonstration
But here's one you most likely will not forget. Agency Blue Hive of London has launched a pan-European campaign to promote the brand new Ford B-MAX, focusing on the car’s revolutionary design. This ground-breaking vehicle has removed the central b-pillars and seamlessly integrating them into the doors allowing unobstructed access through a 1.5m opening.
above: a still from "Life is an Open Door"
Beautifully shot at the Olympic Swimming Pool in Barcelona, the ad features a diver leaping from a 10m high board headlong through the open doors of a B-MAX that’s suspended above the pool water and down into the water below. The key being, of course, there's no central b-pillar to block his way.
To bring the concept to life, the agency commissioned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated movie director Martin Campbell (whose many directing credits include Casino Royale and Goldeneye). The team also enlisted one of the world’s best stunt coordinators Tom Struthers (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises).
above: The dive stunt itself was performed by stuntman Bobby Hanton, who has doubled for Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises and is currently shooting Thor 2 where he is Chris Hemsworth’s double.
This campaign also marks the first project under the new Executive Creative Director of Blue Hive, Karin Onsager-Birch, who arrived in May after spending 11 years at San Francisco hotshop agency Goodby Silverstein, to head up the creative department.
Gaetano Thorel, Vice President of Marketing at Ford of Europe, said: “I’m delighted with the new B-MAX campaign. Across every media, the work clearly highlights the car’s ingenious design. I also think the TV commercial is great and accurately portrays us as a bold and exciting brand. Both the B-MAX vehicle and the communications around it bring our Go Further principle powerfully to life.”
Karin Onsager-Birch, Executive Creative Director at Blue Hive, added: “The ‘Life is an Open Door’ campaign idea just sings out of this spot. It's the ultimate visual product demonstration. A simple stunt that celebrates the unique design of the car – in a ballsy way. Ford's motto is Go Further*, with this spot we took that quite literally."
"Behind the Scenes" video:
The 360-campaign will run across 28 markets and is spearheaded by a dramatic 40” cinema and 30” television commercial that airs on October, 22nd 2012 in the UK.
Full Credits:
Agency: Blue Hive
Client: Ford of Europe
Creative: Steve Clarke
Creative: Serge Pennings
Executive Creative Director: Karin Onsager-Birch
Producer: Lindsay Moyes
Business Director: Fabio Ruffet
Account Director: Dario Verrini
Senior Account Manager: Ina Foelster
Director: Martin Campbell, Black Label
Producer: Dom Freeman
Director of Photography: Roger Pratt
Stunt Coordinator: Tom Struthers
Stunt Performer: Bobby Hanton
Editor: Gareth McEwen. The WhiteHouse, London.
Post Production: Jay Bandlish (The Mill, London)
Sound Engineer: Munzie Thind (Grand Central Studios, London)
Music Consultants: Finger Music.
Original music: Hawkwind: 'Master of the Universe'.
Vice President, Marketing, Ford of Europe: Gaetano Thorel
Marketing Director, Ford of Europe: Maureen Graham
Manager, Creative Services, Ford of Europe: Usha Raghavachari
Small Car Communications Manager, Ford of Europe: Catherine Blee
* If the tagline "Go Further" sounds a bit familiar, you may recall that ad agency Goodby Berlin Silverstein coincidentally used the similar tagline "Go Farther" for the Isuzu brand years ago.