Share

What a clip! Civic... and its 'other side'

LONDON, England - Honda has released an interactive film of its new Civic, showcasing the brand’s "other side" ahead of the "hotly anticipated" launch of the new Civic Type R, set to arrive in South Africa in 2015.

Honda says its brand is renowned for reliability but it’s the "other side", born of a racing heritage, which the automaker's latest campaign celebrates.

"During 2015 we will launch the all-new Civic Type R," the automaker says, "which promises to be the most extreme and high-performance model to wear the famous ‘Red H’ badge – perfectly embodying this other side of the marque.

"As the film asserts, Type R is the wild-child alter ego of the Civic hatchback that customers know and trust."

DUAL NARRATIVE CLIP

'The Other Side' aims to bring to life these two sides of Honda by putting fans in control of the high-adrenalin dual narrative.

Video: Honda Civic 'The Other Side' trailer
Click here to view the interactive video!

The stories unfold in parallel, one during the day and the other at night. The daytime story sees a father picking up his daughter from school in his white Civic hatch and driving her to a surprise party. The night narrative shows the father’s other side - an undercover cop driving a crew of art thieves to a police sting in a head-turning red Type R.

While very different in tone, the two stories mirror each other perfectly in their composition.

According to Honda: "The Other Side' opens with the Civic in the daytime, with titles prompting interaction as they roll. From here the viewer can switch between the Civic and the Type R narrative simply by pressing the ‘R’ button on their keyboard. The effect is dramatic and heart-racing, a big enjoyable gear-shift between stories echoing the sensation of pressing the new Type R’s ‘R’ button to activate ‘Race Mode’."

"A press of the R-button  puts the director’s cut into the viewers’ hands, allowing them to switch in real time between mirrored story lines. Through sound design and seamlessly matched scenes, you can’t help but feel the power of Honda’s other side."

ONE FOR FOUR NEW HONDAS

Martin Moll, Honda Europe’s head of marketing, said: "This campaign marks a very significant time for our brand. The Civic Type R is one of four new car launches for Honda in 2015 and provides a powerful halo effect for the brand.

"Just as our products are renowned for being innovative, our communications style will amplify this. By way of example, we are not aware of anybody else creating interactive user content in the same dramatic way, which should give it a very strong appeal.“

'The Other Side' was flimed by acclaimed director Daniel Wolfe, the creative force behind award-winning commercials, music videos and the recent Cannes Film Festival highlight ‘Catch Me Daddy’. Music was scored by Bobby Krlic of The Haxan Cloak.

Scott Dungate, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy London, said: “The beauty of this idea is in the simplicity of the interaction. The simple act of pressing ‘R’ empowers the viewer to drive film, toggling between the two stories. It’s very satisfying and addictive jumping from the Civic day world to the high-octane night world of the Type R.

"It’s like going into race mode, and putting your foot down. You get a sense of power and excitement. Through this we hope people will feel Honda’s other side as well as see it."

Here's what you can expect: Click on the gif below to view the clip

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE