Smart: CEMENT TRUCK

Credits & Description:

Category: Public Spaces

Advertiser: SMART CANADA

Product/Service: SMART FORTWO COUPE

Agency: PROXIMITY CANADA

Agency: BBDO TORONTO

Senior Vice President/Executive Creative Director: John Gagné (Proximity Canada)

Associate Creative Director: Rene Rouleau (Proximity Canada)

Copywriter: Rene Rouleau (Proximity Canada)

Art Director: Rene Rouleau (Proximity Canada)

Art Director: Andrew Mowbray (Proximity Canada)

Senior Print Production Manager: Rosanne Woodley (SGL Proudction)

Phographer: Don Dixon

Senior Vice President/Executive Creative Director: Peter Ignazi (BBDO Toronto)

Senior Vice President/Executive Creative Director: Carlos Moreno (BBDO Toronto)

Account Supervisor: Nevena Djordjevic (BBDO Toronto)

Vice President/Account Director: Steve Groh (BBDO Toronto)

Media placement: Temporary Installation - Cement Truck - 3 March 2011



Describe the brief from the client

In truth, there was no challenge, no brief. There was however the Canadian AutoShow in Toronto – 1 of the 4 top AutoShows worldwide. And we saw the opportunity. We recognised the benefit the Smart car had that no other car could touch. So armed with that, we looked for our best expression of the one benefit Smart could fully own. And build some buzz around it during the Canadian International AutoShow.



The target audience was young urbanites looking for a vehicle that made sense in the city. So our key message and medium naturally lived on the city streets.



Describe the challenges and key objectives

With all of the competitors' ads and displays competing for attention inside the annual AutoShow, the single biggest challenge was how to get the press’ attention in this over-crowded auto market.



So, instead of trying to stand out inside the tradeshow, we stood out by being outside and in the streets around the AutoShow. This strategy paid off and garnered the most press out of all the competitors during the AutoShow.



Describe how you arrived at the final design

We wanted to choose a medium befitting of the benefit – the world’s smallest turning radius. There are countless ways to convey that benefit. However, making the medium integral to the design was the cleanest, simplest and most compelling way to do it. Therefore, we capitalised on the cement truck’s unique revolving drum to pay off Smart’s nimble tight turning. Moreover, Smart is also one of the only cars that can sit side-on on our mobile rotating billboards. The whole message was delivered on city streets – right where we wanted it, as the tight-turning benefit is most relevant.