Smart campaign offers drivers ‘enlightenment’ on urban roads

Smart, the Mercedes Car Group-owned small car brand, is overhauling its marketing strategy with the launch of a digitally-led campaign to support its ForTwo model.

The work is the first major marketing activity from Smart this year and the first from newly-appointed agencies Abbott Mead Vickers-.BBDO and the Zulu network.

A press, poster, radio and direct mail campaign breaks at the start of September to drive people to a website – www.smartenlightenment.co.uk. The site features a video that takes the user through a number of “frustrating” urban driving scenarios, positioning the new ForTwo as the “enlightened” solution to urban travel.

The campaign parodies the self-improvement genre by using the strapline “Discover the road to enlightenment”. The website is hosted by a fictional life coach called Dr Tridion, played by cult comedian Matt Berry.

Smart marketing communications manager Richard Payne says: “This is Smart’s first major campaign for some time, and the ForTwo is a major milestone in the brand’s history. This integrated launch encapsulates the spirit of the Smart brand.”

Mercedes consolidated Smart’s £4m UK advertising and direct marketing accounts into AMV and Zulu earlier this year, as part of the integration of the brand into Mercedes Car Group. The accounts were previously held by Farm and Rapier respectively.

The Smart ForTwo will launch in the UK on September 15.