Suzuki.
How do you drive sales of a limited edition Suzuki Jimny Rhino? Independent creative agency ATime&Place went with short teasers and a UFO conspiracy.
ATime&Place executive creative director Charles Baylis told AdNews that the aim was to launch the special edition Jimny Rhino and build the brand world by tapping into something already dominating people’s feeds.
“This campaign began before the car itself even existed, with a teaser phase that was built around the very fact that it was an unknown," said Baylis.
“We wanted to use the thing the internet does best - spread rumours - to our advantage, so we didn't create a campaign: we crafted a conspiracy, positioning the 'Jimny Rhino' as a mythical beast, that even Suzuki was denying the existence of.
“Given that Suzuki is a car brand that is all about fun, we wanted to give people something exciting - a story they could invest in, a reveal they could feel satisfied by, something to share and talk about that will ultimately be memorable enough to contribute to brand loyalty."
ATime&Place has been working with Suzuki since 2019, when they launched For Fun’s Sake. At the time, the team was part of Deloitte Digital.
The Jimny itself was filmed in live action, while everything around it, including the mysterious landscapes, the UFO aesthetic and the wider world was created using AI.
The campaign was approximately a four-month process, with the strategy taking two weeks, concept development at three weeks and production at six.
Baylis said it allowed the agency to move at the speed the cultural conversation demanded.
"As the teaser phase of the Jimny went live, the Pentagon started releasing UFO files, and we pivoted the creative and visual style to keep turning that moment into momentum," he said.
“It was a hybrid production that let us blend real footage with imagined environments seamlessly,” said Baylis.
“We’re proud of how our use of AI has evolved. Last year’s Black Friday campaign was very openly about AI and what it could - and couldn't - do.
“This time, AI wasn’t the idea; it was simply the production tool that let us respond to a cultural moment quickly. That’s a much more exciting place to be.”
AI supported the agency in working on a short-time frame between teasers and the live launch.
“Reactive work only works if you get there while everyone’s still talking about it,” Baylis said.
“AI gave us the ability to build cinematic worlds in days rather than weeks, without compromising the quality of the finished campaign.
“So, no setbacks and delays, more set-forwards and un-delays.”
Baylis said that Jimny customers tend to love adventure, but they also love the Jimny’s personality.
“It’s one of those rare cars that people genuinely have affection for,” he said.
“Leaning into the UFO conversation let us celebrate that playful side while reminding people that Jimny can literally go anywhere.
“Suzuki backs brave ideas. They understand that getting attention doesn’t always come from talking about product specs, but from making work people talk about.
“Like us they understand that sometimes, the only risk is taking no risk at all.”
The success of the campaign is based on the sales of the car.
"There’s a limited number and we want to move them as quickly as possible,” Baylis said.
“For now, we’ll keep looking for opportunities for our next hijack of culture - or zeitheist.”
ATime&Place has been working with Suzuki since 2019, when they launched For Fun’s Sake. At the time, the team was part of Deloitte Digital.
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