Changing Perceptions. Skoda Advert - Full of lovely stuff!

Practice Makes Perfect!

Skoda, known throughout the u.k as a cheap brand, unfashionable and one that has produced a poor standard of product!

When volkswagon took over Skoda in 1990 they had the challenge of changing this established perception of the brand. How? With a re-design of cars and a rigorous advertising campaign. 

The first adverts included tag lines such as "It's a Skoda. Honest!" A move that showed consumers that Skoda was aware of their image but more importantly they have done something about it... we've changed!

Although this type of advertising where the brand put it's self down built a stable foundation to improve on, it could only run or so long. The company needed to give people a positive reason to buy a Skoda. To do this they built a Fabia cake.

So why did the agent Fallon choose to represent Skoda as a delicious cake? Cake recipes are passed down through generations of families. Perfected through trial and improvement, made with love and enthusiasm their quality craftsmanship hard to ignore. I believe that the cake represents 'Practice makes perfect' and that quality grows through time, experience and guidence. The same qualities that VW have nurtured the Skoda brand to revival with.

The cake advert is accompanied with a tag line... Full of lovely stuff. Skoda. Manufacturer of Happy drivers.

It's sweet, it's positive, it conjures up a warm feeling of the skoda being pleasant and moorish. Cleverly transferring the excitable feelings of indulgence associated with cakes to the car and the driving of it.

The advert creates curiosity and secures the viewers attention by not revealing the brand until the end of the advert. By doing this viewers need to watch the advert in full to find out the purpose of this bizarre cake! and when Skoda is revealed the audience may be somewhat shocked; This entertaining, innovative and distinctive advert is for skoda? Qualities which have previously not been associated with the brand.

And to perfect the advert is  the accompanying music, Julie Andrews - Favourite things. The advert may now be one of my top 5 things but a skoda car??? hmmm