Looking for inspiration? Follow happy

I'm a big fan of Honda's advertising campaigns, and here it looks like Wieden + Kennedy London, have created another winner for them, with the direction of Dawid Marcinkowski.

When you don't know how - follow happy

That's the lesson the Honda engineers learnt when developing the interior for the new Honda Civic. The campaign follows the story that when confronted by potential customer and his dog, Honda saw that the customer's dog enjoyed sitting in the space between the 'Magic Seats'. They took inspiration from this and the Honda Engineers realised they needed Happiness to be their guide. For them it was the image of a Happy Dog in the back seat of the car which made them keep the Magic Seats.

If we never venture into the unknown how do we get anywhere new? After all, treading along a common path will never lead to something new or innovative. 




As well as this great short video, Honda have created an interactive game where you can learn about how they came to make certain decisions when designing for the new Honda Civic.

Click here to play the Honda Civic game >

Make sure you have your microphone switched on so you can play with the full interactive features!

Article sponsored by Honda.

Honda's new 2011 TV ads sponsoring Channel 4

I'm a big fan of Honda's advertising and TV idents, and have posted about them in the past, so I'm pleased to hear that a whole new series of mini-documentary style idents are about to be launched sponsoring Channel 4 documentaries.

The new set of short films were created by Wieden and Kennedy London, and star real life Honda customers who use Honda products in an unusual way, or to do something a little less common than driving to the office.

Chris Groom and Sam Heath, Creative Directors, Wieden + Kennedy said, “We knew there were all sorts of people using all sorts of Honda products in extraordinary ways. A documentary format provided the perfect platform to celebrate them.”

The first of four short films features an Alpaca breeder called Phillipa who regularly uses a Honda ATV to go about her Alpaca related business. The film shows Phillipa at her country home feeding her Alpacas using her ATV bike to get about. It’s simply filmed and isn’t in your face like some sponsored spots are. Each of the four idents will feature a new Honda customer each with their own individual story to tell of how they use and trust their Honda products. See the video here >

There is also a big online element to these new idents which wasn't such a strong focus in the past. Viewers are able to see extra content on their website www.honda.co.uk/stories to gain access to other films, articles and interesting stories as well as being engaged by a campaign Facebook page and Twitter account.

Sponsored Post
Viral video by ebuzzing

Live Every Litre : Meet Metallica

Another amazing dream completed by www.liveeverylitre.com - Honda's latest project. I've previously posted about two other unique dreams one of which I'd love to do myself. I'll leave you to decide which. See three guys cross Riva Del Garda on a bouncy castle, and burlesque dancer, Agent Lynch, strips on the streets of Paris.

Anyway, in this video three Metallica fans live out their dream, and meet the band in Lisbon! The lucky fan to meet the band is Environmental Consultant, Tom Green (24, Newcastle). Tom drove all the way to Lisbon to meet the band in a new Honda CR-Z, which was of course suitably painted up for the journey.

---

Tom’s journey and meeting with Metallica can now be seen at www.youtube.com/liveeverylitre Tom’s story is just one of a number of stories making up the Live Every Litre crowd-sourced documentary film in which members of the public have been nominated by the project's online community to realise their dream in the new Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe. The journeys which make up the road movie range from the pure fun of the London Schoolboys, to the poignant journey of "Bowman" who will revisit the site he came ashore during the D-Day landings. These stories are being filmed by award winning Swiss Director, Claudio Von Planta, best known for filming the "Long Way Down and "Long Way Round" expeditions with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. The 35 day journey can be followed at www.liveeverylitre.com, the Facebook Group www.facebook.com/LiveEveryLitre or by following @liveeverylitre on Twitter.

Live Every Litre : Bouncy Castle Hijacking

3 guys and a bouncy castle hijack an International Sailing Regatta.

This is another dream lived out for www.liveeverylitre.com - the latest project from to come out of Honda. Who wouldn't love to do this?? It looks like great fun, another successful dream completed for the project. The guys in this video managed to cross the Riva Del Garda in their inflatable fortress, making the first recorded crossing of the iconic Italian lake on a giant inflatable castle.

The castle successfully crashed the international sailing regatta, I might add, with style. The bouncy strong hold glided it's way over the Riva Del Garda and straight into a group of Lazers (small sail boats).

These three guys had previously driven all the way from Mongolia last summer for a charity banger rally, and I think this was their reward. Job well done!

---

The triumvirate are just one of a number of stories making up the Live Every Litre crowd-sourced documentary film in which members of the public have been nominated by the project’s online community to realise their dream in the new Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe. The journeys which make up the road movie range from the pure fun of the London Schoolboys, to the poignant journey of “Bowman” who will revisit the site he came ashore during the D-Day landings. These stories are being filmed by award winning Swiss Director, Claudio Von Planta, best known for filming the “Long Way Down and “Long Way Round” expeditions with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. The 35 day journey can be followed at liveeverylitre.com, the Facebook Group or by following @liveeverylitre on Twitter.

Live Every Litre : Burlesque Dancer bares it all in blue on the streets of Paris

On Saturday 29 May Paris was momentarily brought to a standstill as Agent Lynch (London, 26) performed the world’s first guerilla burlesque routine in the streets of Monmartre as part of the Live Every Litre film project.

The Live Every Litre project is a promotional campaign run by Honda. The innovative company have produced some amazing marketing campaigns in their time, and this one has taken a slightly different angle, using social media and personal experiences at the heart of the concept.

The project revolves around the 'dream journeys people want to make - but never do'. It's a great campaign theme, and there are certainly some interesting dreams posted on their website. I'm intrigued to see where this campaign will go next!

Here's a little more about the burlesque stunt performed in Paris...

As the rain clouds cleared around Sacre Coeur, Agent Lynch strode into the middle of Place de Tertre and immediately became the main attraction. She performed her favourite burlesque routine, inspired by artist Yves Klein and French New Wave cinema to the track ‘Je t’aime’ by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin. Lynch tantalised the unsuspecting audience with a striptease from her vintage dress right down to her lacy lingerie. Just when the crowd thought they had seen it all, she poured a tin of blue paint all over her naked body before imprinting herself on a white and red satin flag to complete the French tricolore.

Agent Lynch, aka Kate Rawlinson (originally from Newcastle), was one of the first people to apply to star in the Live Every Litre film back in February 2010. After receiving thousands of ratings from the online community, Agent Lynch was selected to be a part of the project by film director, Claudio von Planta. Von Planta explained: "Agent Lynch is fantastic. She has an incredible spirit and we were immediately impressed with her vivacious attitude. The burlesque world is mysterious, glamorous and unknown which was what intrigued me to include her story in the film."

A paint-splattered Kate said: "To perform my show in the streets of Paris was a dream come true. I was so nervous before I started dancing but once the music kicked in, I forgot my nerves and really started to enjoy it. The crowd were amazing too. I’m so happy I could bring burlesque to the masses – this is my love letter to the French!“

Having taken the Parisian streets by storm, Agent Lynch was then whisked off to her next adventure as part of the Live Every Litre project – an afternoon with Europe’s undisputed Queen of Burlesque, Immodesty Blaize. Recently dubbed ‘The Goddess’, Immodesty imparted her wisdom to Agent Lynch as the two dancers discussed the choreography of Lynch’s new routine.

The final part of Agent Lynch’s journey led her to watch a performance at the Crazy Horse, described by Lynch herself as "the holy grail of the showgirl." Founded in 1951 by Bernardin, Crazy Horse continues to stage inventive and stylish cabaret under the choreography of Philippe Decoufle.

Embracing her Parisian experience and employing all of Immodesty Blaize’s advice, Agent Lynch will perform another routine on Saturday 5 June in Carnaby Street, London as part of the Summer of Love Festival arranged to celebrate the street‘s 50th anniversary.

Agent Lynch’s story is just one of a number of journeys making up the Live Every Litre crowd-sourced documentary film in which members of the public have been nominated by the project's online community to realise their dream in the new Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe. The journeys which make up the road movie range from the pure fun of the London Schoolboys, to the poignant journey of "Bowman" who will revisit the site he came ashore during the D-Day landings. These stories are being captured by award winning Swiss Director, Claudio Von Planta, best known for filming the "Long Way Down and "Long Way Round" expeditions with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. The 35 day journey can be followed at www.liveeverylitre.com, the Facebook Group www.facebook.com/LiveEveryLitre or by following @liveeverylitre on Twitter.

On another note... I just realised that Claudio is one of the camera men! If you've ever seen Long Way Round (Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman) you'll know how cool that is!

Honda's new TV advert: Everything we do 2010

Honda pretty much can't go wrong in my eyes, this is the latest advert from the company who do everything!

Song: re-mix of Battles, Atlas

Honda's new TV advert: Do, Keep Doing, Do Some More

Honda have teamed up with Wieden & Kennedy, London and the result? a nice little animated TV advert with the environment close to heart. Of course, They've stuck with tradition and used the now very familiar and oddly comforting voice of Garrison Keillor. He has become 'the' voice of Honda in recent years, and why stop now? Keillor tells the story of Honda's environmental crusaide, battling the non 'doers' of the world into submission and encouraging the public to follow suit. Let's all gather round now, hold hands, and soak up the positive vibes from Honda's new advert 'Do, Keep doing, do some more'. The new Honda advert premiered on Channel 4 on the 4th April, rather nicely placed in the advertising break of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. Showing that Honda are still holding onto their shiny advertising crown.

A little story all about doers. But what exactly is a doer? Well, doers do things. Things to move us forward, to make stuff better. We started off small just thinking of ideas, little “dos”. What if we plant trees around our factories, help the air stay a bit cleaner? Perhaps introduce water based paint, create a solve a car, the first hybrid cars. Well how about a car that only emits water? Little steps in the right direction. Then it made us think, “What if we were all doers learning as we go, doing things that can make a difference, like not revving our engines when we don’t need to. Driving a bit slower in traffic jams instead of stop starting. Or keeping our tires properly inflated to save fuel. And emptying out all the stuff we don’t need to carry around. Wouldn’t that be worthwhile? So let’s go do, keep doing, and do some more. Start a to-do list. Because there a million and one to-dos still to be done.

Another one in the bag for Honda!