Honda H2O
Honda Australia
Issue 32 | September 2014
Agency
Leo Burnett Melbourne
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Jason Williams Head of Copy Sarah McGregor Senior Designer Matt Portch Production Manager John Trifonopolous
Date
May 2014
Background
A wall-sized, 1966 quote from Soichiro Honda greeted visitors to Honda's head office. It simply stated, "Leave blue skies for our children".
This commitment to a cleaner future led Honda to develop the world's first mass production car that ran only on hydrogen – the Honda FCX. This was a car so environmentally friendly, the only emission from its exhaust was water. Water so pure and clean, you could put it in a bottle and drink it.
Idea
To demonstrate just how clean Honda's hydrogen fuel technology is, Honda Australia launched H2O, the first water brand created by a car company.
The idea was in itself an embodiment of Honda's declaration that 'We believe in the power of clever thinking'.
Instead of telling people about Honda's green credentials it was a way of showing their commitment.
H2O was distributed in Palace Cinemas nationally.
Results
Not yet known.
Our Thoughts
Okay, so this is more of a media stunt than an actual product launch. Pity. Because that would be a genuinely impressive instance of brand stretch.
If car brands can move into clothing and accessories, as Ferrari, Porsche, Land Rover have done among others, why can’t Honda move into FMCG? Especially since plastic bottled water is so environmentally unfriendly.
I love ideas like this, when brands look for embodiments of their proposition rather than for just an advert.