It’s so simple, and it makes all the sense in the world.
If you want to reach potential car buyers anxious over high gas prices, meet them at the pump with an eye-arresting image that will stay with them long after they pull away.
Here's what Draftfcb Zurich came up with for Daihatsu in a recent campaign pushing its economical Cuore model: miniature make-believe gas pumps at filling stations near Daihatsu dealerships in Switzerland.
The dwarf pumps stood next to real full-size pumps, and atop each was a sign with these words: "Schluckt viel weniger."
That’s German for "A lot less thirsty."
In coming up with the campaign, creatives at Draftfcb worked backward, considering first what would be the ideal venue, and gas stations were the obvious choice.
"There was the strategic thought to talk to the drivers when they are at their most susceptible," says Ivan Madeo, a copywriter at Draftfcb Zurich who worked on the campaign. "We wanted to show them that it is possible to manage with a much smaller fill-up if you are driving the right car."
Next came the challenge of conveying that message in an way that would make it stand out from all the other messages one finds at gas stations. After more brainstorming, the idea of the miniature pumps emerged.
The campaign, which ran in November throughout Switzerland, appears to have worked. Madeo says dealership visits and test drives of the Daihatsu Cuore increased significantly as a result.
