Saab unveils ad blitz for 9-5 saloon

Saab GB has launched a multi-million pound national marketing campaign to raise consumer awareness of the brand and to celebrate the introduction of its new flagship model, the 9-5 saloon.

Saab’s Stockholm-based agency, Lowe Brindfors, was responsible for the overall creative brief and McCann Erickson Communications, Birmingham, managed the campaign’s activation and production in the UK.

The multi-channel campaign aims to demonstrate the company’s Swedish heritage and provide a platform to re-establish the brand in the premium car sector.

The creative concentrates on three core campaign pillars: So Swedish, So Powerful, So Aerodynamic. Each of the pillars aims to highlight the unique design aspects and product benefits of the all-new Saab 9-5 saloon.

So Swedish positions Saab as leaders in style and design, environmental issues and safety concerns; So Powerful reinforces Saab’s pioneering use of turbocharged engines to combine both power and economy and so Aerodynamic emphasises Saab’s aircraft heritage and aerodynamic expertise to increase performance and reduce fuel consumption.

The advertising campaign rolled out initially last month with a series of teaser TV and print ads, followed by a full-scale media execution over the coming months of TV, print, digital, outdoor and cinema.

A new 40-second TV ad portrays Saab’s brand pillars and highlights the attributes of the vehicle’s efficient performance and reflects the quality of the brand. “So Saab – The all new 9-5, Anything but ordinary” runs for a period of 9 weeks across all major UK channels.

A print and digital campaign is also running across a broad spectrum of titles including national newspapers, weekly consumer magazines and monthly lifestyle and automotive magazines.

The August outdoor campaign features both static and video footage in high traffic locations around the UK, including Holland Park roundabout in London and The Wall in Liverpool.

A cinema campaign that showcases the 40-second TV ad before targeted upmarket movies starts late September and continues until early December.

In addition, a Saab 9-5 microsite where people can find out more about the model and book a test drive.

Andy Biernacki, Saab’s national communications manager, says: “The 9-5 launch is the first for Saab under our new independent ownership and the advertising reinforces the unique DNA of the brand and our new flagship model.” He continues, “The campaign has a classic Saab look and feel, very clean and Scandinavian with the global assets succinctly tailored for the UK audience. With innovative media and creative treatments, and of course a fantastic product, we’re confident the integrated campaign will place Saab firmly in the consideration set of premium car buyers.”

This story first appeared on Pitch, Centaur’s subscription-based online interactive marketplace for agencies and clients to share news, opinion and debate.