The Most Creative Campaigns, Brands
and Agencies in Automotive

 
WHILE INNOVATION REMAINED IMPORTANT, MANY OF THE MOST-AWARDED AUTO CAMPAIGNS WERE DRIVEN BY STORY.

The creative landscape in the automotive sector looks familiar this year, with Volvo, VW and Mercedes-Benz still jostling for position in the top five (pursued in sixth place by Jeep, with its loveable Groundhog Day tribute). This meant that Forsman & Bodenfors passed the chequered flag first with not one but two editions of the E.V.A. Initiative – focused on safety equality – in the top five. But let’s shine a searchlight on BMW’s superb Cold War thriller “The Small Escape” at number two, which also enabled Jung Von Matt to accelerate into second place in the list of best-performing agencies. Interesting to note that both BMW and Mercedes (“Bertha Benz”) achieved awards show glory with reality-inspired stories, which may set a trend. Copywriters: start your inspiration engines.

Most awarded
campaigns, brands &
agencies in
Automotive in 2020

Most awarded
campaigns, brands and
agencies in
Automotive in 2020

CAMPAIGNS

Brand, Title, Agency
1
Forsman & Bodenfors Göteborg
2
Jung von Matt AG, Hamburg
3
antoni GmbH, Berlin
4
Dentsu Creative, Amsterdam
5
Forsman & Bodenfors Göteborg
6
Highdive, Chicago
7
Ogilvy Social.Lab Netherlands, Amsterdam
8
Forsman & Bodenfors Göteborg
9
Publicis Emil, Konya (Istanbul)
10
Johannes Leonardo, New York
11
HOY by Havas, Buenos Aires
12
T&Pm, Paris
13
DDB Paris
14
FCB Canada, Toronto
15
TBWA\G1, Boulogne-Billancourt

BRANDS

Brand
1 Volvo
2 Volkswagen
3 BMW
4 Mercedes-Benz
5 Toyota

AGENCIES

Name
1 Forsman & Bodenfors Göteborg
2 Jung von Matt AG, Hamburg
3 antoni GmbH, Berlin
4 Dentsu Creative, Amsterdam
5 INNOCEAN Europe, Frankfurt am Main

Watch

TitelThe E.V.A. Initiative
Agentur
Kampagne The E.V.A. Initiative
Werbende Volvo
Marke Volvo
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 3
Geschäftsbereich Autos
Story E.V.A stands for Equal Vehicles for All. Most crash test dummies are modelled on men, meaning that women behind the wheel are often more vulnerable. But since the 1970s Volvo has based its car designs and safety innovations on data from real accidents, involving both men and women, making its vehicles safer for everyone. This data was made public through a digital library, with the aim of making all cars safer. The project had a precedent because Volvo had previously given away its patented seat belt technology.
Medientyp Integrated Media/360 Activation
Länge
Markt Großbritannien
Soundtrack “Without You (feat. Kerry Leatham)”
Mehr Informationen https://www.volvocars.com/intl/why-volvo/human-innovation/future-of-driving/safety/cars-safe-for-all?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_content=safe_bio-description_16x9&utm_campaign
Ton
Kampagnenmanager
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Art Director
Art Director
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Art Director
Strategieplaner
Strategieplaner
Digitale Strategie
Produzent
Account Executive
Account Executive
Web design
Artwork
Artwork
Account Supervisor
Public Relations
Public Relations
Medienagentur
Produktionsfirma
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Regisseur
Direktor Fotografie
Produzent
Cutter
Dancer
Kolorierung
Color Assist
VFX Supervisor
CG Artist
Online Artist
Online-Studio
Color Producer
Produzent Post-Produktion
VFX Executive Producer
VFX PRODUCTION
VFX Producer
VFX Lead
Grad
Darsteller
Musik
Publishing Rights
Produzent Ton
Sound Design and Mix
CGI
TitelThe Small Escape
Agentur
Kampagne The Small Escape
Werbende BMW
Marke BMW
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 10
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Medientyp Branded Content
Länge
Post-Produktion
Regisseur
Kameramann
Produktionsfirma
Executive Creative Director
Cutter
Produzent
TitelBertha Benz: The Journey That Changed Everything
Agentur
Kampagne Bertha Benz: The Journey That Changed Everything
Werbende Daimler AG
Marke Mercedes-Benz
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 3
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Slogan She believed in more than a car. She believed in herself
Story To prove that her husband’s invention was the future of mobility, Bertha Benz went on the first long-distance journey in an automobile. 131 years later, she was celebrated in a short film launched on International Women’s Day. We see Bertha driving her "horseless carriage" into a fearful town, where a pharmacy that sells "ligroin" petroleum unwittingly becomes the world's first gas station. After overcoming the scepticism of onlookers, and especially the contempt of the menfolk, she motors triumphantly away.
Medientyp Internet-Film
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Redaktionsbüro
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Geschäftsführer
Geschäftsführer
Geschäftsführer
Executive Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Creative Director
Texter
Strategist
Produktionsfirma Anorak Film
Regisseur
Geschäftsführer
Executive Producer
Produzent
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Direktor Fotografie
Produktionsdesigner
Cutter
Tonstudio
Komponist
Komponist
Komponist
Filmproduzent/Produzent
TitelRoad Tales
Titel (Originalsprache)Snelweg Sprookjes
Agentur
Kampagne Road Tales
Werbende Volkswagen Group
Marke Volkswagen
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 1
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Story How to encourage kids to enjoy the scenery during road trips rather than being riveted to a screen? Road Tales are location-based audiobooks that transform car journeys into magical tales. Landmarks like windmills, bridges and lakes become story elements. Parents can download the app and play the interactive stories through the car’s sound system. 5000 kilometres of highway were scanned to create a custom experience for every ride. Through a mix of classic storytelling, "I spy" and creative use of data, VW turns every journey into a story.
Philosophie Most of us can relate to the image of kids looking outside the window letting their mind wander into imaginary worlds as they travel along the road. But the back seat of most family cars today looks quite differently: children sucked into screens, disconnected from what surrounds them. Screen time is constantly increasing, specially among younger generations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their guidelines for children’s media use, as children desperately need more free time to ignite their imaginations and develop a sense of wonder . Instead of activating their imagination, children 1 are overstimulated by all that extensive screen time. Creative agency ACHTUNG! mcgarrybowen developed ‘Snelweg Sprookjes’ (translated: Road Tales) for Volkswagen Netherlands. An app with location based interactive audiobooks that transform ordinary road objects into magical characters of a story. The main goal of the app is to make children curious about looking outside again as they ride in the car - but also to give parents a good alternative for the use of screens. In the Netherlands Volkswagen is one of the most driven family cars. Thousands of children are spending time on the back seats of cars on a daily basis. Most of this time is filled with a digital screen. With 'Road Tales', Volkswagen wants to bring imagination back to where it has always belonged: the back seat. Mervyn ten Dam - executive creative director ACHTUNG! mcgarrybowen Amsterdam: “With the app we stimulate the imagination of kids and create a fun and interactive experience for the whole family. Through a custom story-engine, the app builds stories in real-time around ordinary highway objects. For example, a story turns a tunnel into a rocket launcher. With this app we want to give children the ability to trigger their creative thinking skills, which are essential to self-discovery.”
Medientyp Case Study
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Production
Development app
Sound
Illustrations
Manager Marketing Communication
Team Manager Marketing Communication
Brand Communication Manager
Executive Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Creative Director
Creative Director
Creative
Creative
Creative
Account Manager
Strategy Director
Strategy
Head of Production
Content Producer
Digital Producer
Designer
Designer
Design Director
UX design
Illustrator
Produktionsfirma
Production Company
Production Company
Sound Design
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
TitelThe E.V.A. Initiative 2
Agentur
Kampagne The E.V.A. Initiative
Werbende Volvo
Marke Volvo
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 3
Geschäftsbereich Autos
Medientyp Presse & Publikationen
Länge
Markt Großbritannien
Soundtrack “Without You (feat. Kerry Leatham)”
Mehr Informationen https://www.volvocars.com/intl/why-volvo/human-innovation/future-of-driving/safety/cars-safe-for-all?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_content=safe_bio-description_16x9&utm_campaign
Ton
Kampagnenmanager
Texter
Texter
Texter
Art Director
Art Director
Art Director
Art Director
Strategieplaner
Strategieplaner
Digitale Strategie
Produzent
Account Executive
Account Executive
Web design
Artwork
Artwork
Account Supervisor
Public Relations
Public Relations
Medienagentur
Produktionsfirma
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Regisseur
Direktor Fotografie
Produzent
Cutter
Dancer
Kolorierung
Color Assist
VFX Supervisor
CG Artist
Online Artist
Online-Studio
Color Producer
Produzent Post-Produktion
VFX Executive Producer
VFX PRODUCTION
VFX Producer
VFX Lead
Grad
Darsteller
Musik
Publishing Rights
Produzent Ton
Sound Design and Mix
CGI
TitelGroundhog Day
Agentur
Kampagne Groundhog Day
Werbende General Motors Corp.
Marke Jeep
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2020 / 2
Geschäftsbereich Autos
Medientyp Fernsehen
Länge
Schauspieler
Regisseur
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Direktor Fotografie
TitelVolvo – Lifesaver
BriefWe decided to train and equip Volvo drivers with AED’s, connecting their Volvos to the national call system for resuscitation.Volvo drivers are registered as civilian first responders. Emergency calls are automatically sent to the car via Volvo On Call. The driver can navigate directly to the victim. With a modest budget and a target of 25, an astonishing 200 enlisted in the first two weeks. The project exceeded expectations by nearly a thousand percent, making national and international headlines.
Agentur
Kampagne Volvo – Lifesaver
Werbende Volvo
Marke Volvo
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 11
Geschäftsbereich Autos
Story With a cardiac arrest the first six minutes are crucial. But on average ambulances take nine minutes. The concept: equip Volvos with an AED, train drivers on resuscitation and contribute to a better spread of AEDs and thus chances of survival.
Medientyp Digitale Installationen
Länge
Produktionsfirma
Executive Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Creative Teammitglied
Creative Teammitglied
Creative Director
Creative Director
Design Lead
TitelThe Parents
Agentur
Kampagne The Parents
Werbende Volvo
Marke Volvo XC60
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2020 / 9
Geschäftsbereich Allradantrieb
Medientyp Internet-Film
Länge
Produktionsfirma New Land
Art Director
Art Director
Art Director
Texter
Texter
Account Supervisor
Account Executive
Agency Producer
PR Strategist
Planner
Designer
Web Design
Regisseur
Produzent
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Direktor Fotografie
Executive Producer
Cutter
Grading/Online
Fotograf
Komponist
TitelWorld's Smartest Radio Spot
Agentur
Kampagne World's Smartest Radio Spot
Werbende Mercedes-Benz
Marke smart
PostedDezember 2020
Geschäftsbereich Kleinwagen
Story When it comes to radio ads, automobile sales campaigns dominate the block most of the time. Therefore, it’s not easy to get attention from the mass audience.So we decided to use the radio block in a smart and a tiny way. We made a tiny and smart radio ad that fits everywhere. Just like smart… And we parked this 0.84-second long ad between other car ads.With The World’s Smartest Radio Spot, we uniquely visualized our product promise tininess.
Problem People usually can’t differ a radio spot from others or they can’t remember what those ads say at all. To make a difference and get everyone’s attention, we wanted to make a radio ad that reflects the main feature of our brand: Tinyness.Smart presents: World's Smartest Radio Spot
Medientyp Radio
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Werbeleiter
Texter
Account Supervisor
Account Executive
Content
Community Manager
Projektmanager
Produktionsleitung
Agency Producer
TitelThe Last Mile
Agentur
Kampagne The Last Mile
Werbende Volkswagen
Marke Volkswagen Beetle
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 12
Geschäftsbereich Kleinwagen
Medientyp Internet-Film
Länge
Soundtrack Let It Be
Chief Creative Officer
Chief Creative Officer
Executive Creative Director
Creative Director
Art Director
Texter
Designer
Projektmanager
Group Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Business Affairs Manager
Business Affairs Manager
Strategic Business Lead
Management Supervisor
Account Executive
Group Strategy Director
Strategist
Produktionsfirma
Regisseur
Executive Creative Director
Executive Producer
Senior Producer
Herstellungsleiter
Produktionsassistant
Produktionsassistant
Art Director
Design
Design
Design
Storyboards
3D-Grafiken
3D-Grafiken
Animation Supervisor
Animation Supervisor
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Image Design
Titel100 years making history board
Agentur
Kampagne 100 years making history
Werbende Citroën
Marke Citroën's 100 Anniversary
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 10
Produkt Institutional
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Story On 2019 Citroën celebrated a century of life with a campaign specially developed, in which print & design take center stage. A story told in 100 illustrations that describe the progress of the world and how Citroën is part of this future ahead. Every year is one piece. And each illustration, accompanied by a reference text that tells the milestones of the year and the Citroën model in vogue at the time. Also, all the 100 pieces come alive (motion design) and can be viewed and downloaded from www.citroenargentina.com.ar/centenario for Desktop or Smartphone. The campaign ended with the publication of a book in which the most important year of each decade came to life through an Augmented Reality app also especially developed. In Argentina, collection books, in between cars fans is a huge thing.
Medientyp Case Study
Managing Directors Pedro Di Risio, Ernest Riba
Executive Creative Directors Federico Plaza Montero, Nicolás Zarlenga
Head of Client Services and Business Development Lucila Castellani.
Head of Production Emiliano Alvarenga
Creative Director Juan Martín Muiño
Head of Art Fernando Oltolina
Motion Designer Matías Rossi
UX/UI Designer - Front End Developer Pablo Fuentes.
Developer Roberto Sánchez.
Creative Team Laura Valle García, Bárbara Gedacht, Ekaterina Olortegui, Juan Marzari, Cristian Tarzi, Gonzalo Paz.
Design & Development Team Alejo Becerra, Emilia Teperman, Emmanuel Trimigliozzi, Amparo Guindon, Octavio Arboiro, Stefanía Adam, Tomás Aguilar. Betsabé Tinoco, Daniel Herrera, Karen Cortés, Jaime Albañil, Wolf Diaz, Tommy Pachoba, Jaime Albañil, Jose Correa.
Account Executives Belén de Bartolo, María Eugenia Garrafo, Andres Gori.
Webmaster María Paz Badino.
Strategist Coordinator Nicolás Cáceres
Strategist Thomas Contramaestre.
Ilustration Javier Reboursin
App AR Mobillers
TitelMade in France
Titel (Originalsprache)Yaris très française !
Agentur
Kampagne Made in France
Werbende Toyota Motor Corporation
Marke Toyota France
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 3
Geschäftsbereich Autos
Philosophie French people are rooting for locally produced products. Recent figures show that 93% of them are buying ‘Made in France’ products as a means of supporting their local economy and creating jobs. They’re even ready to pay more for it; according to a 2017 Ifop survey for Pro France “French people and the Made in France”. For Toyota this rings true; the Yaris has been produced at Valenciennes since 2001. In 2012 it was the first vehicle in France to be granted the ‘Origine France Garantie’, the grail of local production and it’s been the most produced city car in France ever since. How could you be more French, you could ask? Well, this year Toyota France and its agency The&Partnership France decided to produce the first ever ‘Origine France Garantie’ TV ad for the Toyota Yaris. You don’t believe it, that’s rather French of you! No, it’s true and we have a certification number: BV. Cert. 7243657 to prove it. To obtain this prestigious label, it’s impossible to cheat... In our commercial ‘Made in France’ everything is French: the location, the set, the props, the actors and even the staff. With more than sixty French brands collaborating in this film and more than a hundred people participating. Directed by the talented Benjamin Bouhana, in the very French Bry-Sur-Marine studios, the TV commercial follows a Toyota Yaris driving through different scenes; each scene depicts a typically French moment that people will immediately identify with. The website yaristresfrancaise.fr invites all users to check the origin of everything that was used on the set and discover the backstage of the shoot. We thought, why stop there? Can we go even further? How about launching the campaign only and exclusively on French media? That’s easy when it comes to national radio and TV channels and French local daily papers, but it’s a little trickier when it comes to digital. We had to dig deeper and face more important challenges, after all the internet is by definition the World Wide Web and most of the social platforms are not so French. Going all French meant, no social media, using exclusive French streaming platforms such as Deezer, Daily Motion and all the .FR sites. First air date (if you’re in France): March 3rd, 2019
Medientyp Fernsehen
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Director
Creative Director
Art Director
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Client Lead
Account Manager
Strategy
Production
TV Producer
Agency TV Producer
Producer
Production Director
Photography Director
TitelThe others
Agentur
Kampagne The others
Werbende Volkswagen
Marke Volkswagen
Datum der ersten Ausstrahlung/Veröffentlichung 2019 / 5
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Story The main problem on the road is not us, but "The Others". A voiceover delivers an absurd rant against these annoying beings. "The Others don't care about the other Others. They have 'other' things to do." But the film makes it quite clear that The Others are a lot like us. It's shot from a driver's viewpoint, creating a gallery of moving portraits. The end line reminds us that we are all “others”. And we all make mistakes. So to make the roads safer, we should do more to protect those around us.
Medientyp Fernsehen
Länge
Executive Creative Director
Art Director
Texter
Strategieplaner
TV Production
Produzent Post-Produktion
Agency supervisor
Agency supervisor
Agency supervisor
Agency supervisor
Agency supervisor
Leiter Kundenkontakt
Leiter Kundenkontakt
Leiter Kundenkontakt
Leiter Kundenkontakt
Leiter Kundenkontakt
Produktionsfirma
Regisseur Si & Ad
Direktor Fotografie
Produzent
Cutter
Post-Produktion
Leitung Musik
Tonproduktion
TitelTruck-Thru
Agentur
Kampagne Truck-Thru
Werbende Fountain Tires
Marke Fountain Tires
PostedDezember 2020
Geschäftsbereich Autozubehör & Services
Story Fountain Tire tackled the trucking segment’s biggest problem: downtime. Even stopping for a coffee costs valuable time. Introducing Truck-Thru – a drive-thru truckers can truck-thru. Built along Canada’s busiest trucking routes, the Truck-thru served free coffee and snacks, saving fleets time and money while growing Fountain Tire’s bottom line.
Problem Fountain Tire, a Canadian tire and auto-service retailer, is a brand dedicated to being a drivers’ trusted partner on the road, helping them with any and every problem. The challenge was to demonstrate Fountain Tire’s commitment to the commercial industry to increase top of mind awareness, drive 30 new leads, and increase commercial sales by $1,000,000.
Chief Creative Officer
Chief Creative Officer
Group Creative Director
Group Creative Director
Texter
Art Director
Art Director
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Leiter Strategie
Etat-Planer
Etatdirektor
Account Executive
Projektmanager
VP Managing Director
Produktionsfirma
Herstellungsleiter
Geschäftsführender Teilhaber
Executive Producer
Direktor Fotografie
Kameramann
Redaktionsbüro
Cutter
Transfer
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Tonproduktion
Regisseur
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Produktion
Druck-Produzent
TitelQashqai Sound Odyssey
BriefThis spot's unique aural landscape was created by sourcing real sounds and signals from space, gathered during 50 years of exploration, from NASA's sound bank. Sample rates were analysed and frequencies shifted into the range audible by humans. The sounds were treated with the equaliser, adding compression, reverb and other SFX engineering techniques. The sound design bank contained more than 20,000 sounds, enabling the creation of a sound tableau to match the images.
Agentur
Kampagne Qashqai Sound Odyssey
Werbende Nissan Motor Corp.
Marke Nissan Qashqai
PostedNovember 2019
Geschäftsbereich Kraftfahrzeuge
Story We gathered sound elements from NASA sound bank utilising real sounds and signals from space gathered in the last 50 years of exploration. We analysed sample rates and shifted these frequencies into the range audible by humans. We treated these sounds with the equaliser adding compression, reverb and other engineering SFX techniques.We created our sound design bank with more than 20,000 sounds to allow us to create a sound tableau which matches the images.
Medientyp Internet-Film
Designer
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Filmproduzent/Produzent
Sounddesigner
Creative Director
Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Executive Creative Director
Komponist
Kundenbetreuer