Saab Embraces Aircraft Heritage in new "Born From Jets" Ad Campaign
Detroit -- Saab Cars USA reaches back to its unique aircraft roots as the foundation for a new advertising campaign created with Lowe New York. The all-new "Born From Jets" campaign launches this month and supports the most aggressive product portfolio expansion in Saab's 58-year history as an automaker.
The fully integrated campaign comprises national broadcast and cable, national and regional print ads, regional radio, outdoor boards, point of sale, interactive, direct mail and nationwide promotional activities.
The objective of the "Born From Jets" campaign is to raise awareness of the storied Swedish carmaker as a premium brand that offers aircraft-inspired design and performance. To that end, it will launch with a 30-hour "burst" of media activity beginning on Oct. 23, 2005 that promises to deliver 75 million impressions in the all-important 25-54 age group.
Saab Cars USA general manager Jay Spenchian says Saab has genuine performance credentials, but that too few people are aware of this premium European brand. On top of that, Saab must set itself apart from other car makers that claim "performance" as their brand promise. Spenchian says by reaching into Saab's history, his team arrived at a solution that addresses both issues.
"Saab is an acronym for "Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget," or Swedish Aircraft Company," he said. "The company began to build airplanes in 1937, and when it turned to cars ten years later, the spirit of the jets that Saab built at the time carried over in the vehicles" design, performance, safety features and ergonomics.
"Jets are inherently cool -- they represent speed, control, safety, quality and reliability. Saab is the only car company that can claim such a heritage. Nobody else can say "what our founding engineers knew about thrust and power inspired us to build a more exciting vehicle" or "what they knew about keeping pilots alive inspired us to build a safer vehicle." This is unique to Saab and it really resonates with potential customers."
All versions of the "Born From Jets" campaign will contain two lines of copy that recall the aircraft link: "Saab was founded by 16 aircraft engineers, and their spirit lives on" and "When you used to build jets, you don't just build another vehicle." The copy also contains proof points -- for example, the fuel-efficient 250-hp V6 turbo in 9-3 Aero models or Displacement on Demand which increases the fuel efficiency of the V8-powered 9-7X SUV.
The TV spots are a high-energy combination of actual photography and the latest technology computer-generated imagery.
The first spot to air, "Delta Formation," shows a fleet of Saab Gripen jet fighters performing aerobatic maneuvers over a desert. As the shot cuts to the ground, we see a speeding Saab 9-3, while back in the sky the jets make a delta formation. With highly orchestrated precision they fly over the Saab until, seen from high above, the 9-3 leads the tip of the formation.
The voiceover says, "Saab was founded by 16 aircraft engineers. Their spirit lives on." As the 9-3 storms through a cloud of dust, two attendants flag it in with air crew paddles and the car pulls into a driveway. The voiceover continues, "When you used to build jets, you don't build just another car."
The tagline reads, "Saab. Born From Jets." Different versions of this spot will feature each car in the 9-3 range -- Convertible, Sport Sedan and SportCombi, an all-new 5-door version arriving in November 2005.
The second TV spot, entitled "Transformer," features the new 9-7X, Saab's first SUV. Additional spots are planned for early 2006 to launch new versions of Saab's flagship vehicles, the 9-5 Sedan and SportCombi.
"We are all proud of the "Born From Jets" campaign," said Mark Wnek, chairman and chief creative officer of Lowe New York. "It draws on a unique aspect of Saab's heritage to tell a compelling story and to increase people's awareness of this exciting premium brand."
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Born from Jets Media Plan (30-hour "burst") Sunday, Oct. 23 7:00 p.m. NBC Dateline 8:00 p.m. ABC Extreme Home Makeover 9:00 p.m. CBS Sunday Night Movie 10:00 p.m. NBC Crossing Jordan Monday, Oct. 24 8:00 p.m. NBC Surface 9:00 p.m. ABC Monday Night Football NBC Las Vegas FOX Prison Break 10:00 p.m. NBC Medium Late CBS David Letterman NBC Tonight Show with Jay Leno ABC Jimmy Kimmel NBC Conan O'Brien Cable Networks A&E, BBC, Biography, Bravo, Comedy Central, E!, Fine Living, Food Network, Fox News, MSNBC, National Geographic, TLC, Travel Channel Magazines Conde Nast Traveler, Automobile, Autoweek, Car and Driver, Bon Appetit, Food and Wine, The New Yorker, Coastal Living, Elle Decor, Golf Digest, Golf for Women, National Geographic Adventure, Runner's World, Ski National Newspapers New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal
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