Honda scores first with Civic 'vodcast'

by Susie Harwood, Revolution UK 28-Feb-06

Honda is the first major brand to launch a video-podcast, or 'vodcast', this year as part of a new ad campaign for the Civic.

The car manufacturer's two-minute TV ad for the Honda Civic, created by
agency Wieden & Kennedy London, has been made available as a
downloadable vodcast.

The ad shows a specially formed choir, vocalising the sounds that

passengers hear in a Honda Civic. It uses human voices to replicate the

sounds of the car, and starts with the tagline 'This is what a Honda
feels like'.

The vodcast also includes behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the
ad.

Users can download the clip from the accompanying Civic campaign
microsite or specialist podcast web sites. It will be optimised for
fifth-generation video-enabled iPods.

Honda claims to be the first UK company to make an ad available through
this channel.

John Goodbody, web manager at Honda, said: "By engaging in videocasting,
Honda is not only strengthening its commitment to reaching new markets
but also extending the reach of the Civic marketing campaign."

He added: "It is enabling people to experience what a Honda feels like
from one of their most personal and closest touch-points - their
iPod."

The move makes Honda one of the first brands to trial the fledgling
medium, which Revolution predicted would be one of the key trends for
this year (Revolution, January 2006, p36).

A vodcast is a video broad-cast or clip that has been made available on
the internet for downloading to an iPod or other enabled device.

Several big brands, including Expedia, Nivea, the COI and Buena Vista
trialled ads on podcasts last year.

However, vodcasting could be more popular with companies as they can
make their TV ads available for users to download and create new video
content specifically for the channel.

Honda, which is seen as one of digital's leading exponents, is also
considering trialling other new digital advertising channels, such as
blogging.

- Masterclass p62, Trailblazer p67.