Honda UK released a new television and online advertising campaign, “Hondamentalism”, on Monday May 7. The Hondamentalism ad opens on a road at night. Garrison Keillor provides the voiceover: “An engineer once said to build something great is like swimming in honey”. Honda engineers in white suits walk and run towards a great light, battling strong winds and flying debris, holding on to anything that will keep them from being blown away. Finally one of the engineers walks towards a red light, his hand outstretched. We’re shown the red H badge and the hondamentalism.com web address.
Click on the image below to play the Hondamentalism video.
On the W+K London blog we’re informed that Soichiro Honda said, ‘Without racing, there is no Honda.’ Whether it’s on the bike track, the race circuit, down a mountain, on a lake – it’s what they do. Excellence in racing is achieved by going that extra mile –squeezing every last drop of effort in order to be the absolute best. That’s what Hondamentalism is, and that’s what the Red H badge embodies.
The Hondamentalism web site explains that the Red H badge is only used on Honda’s Formula 1 racing cars and Type R production vehicles. We’re introduced to a number of Hondamentalists: Sochiro Honda the original hondamentalist, Jenson Button, Formula 1 Driver, Simon Saunders, Designer of the Ariel Atom, Akimoto San, Assistant Project Leader for the Chassis Civic Type R.
Hondamentalism Credits
Hondamentalism was developed at Wieden + Kennedy, London by creative directors Tony Davidson and Kim Papworth, art director Chris Groom, copywriter Stuart Harkness and agency producer Jonathan Chads. Planners were Simon McCrudden and Stuart Smith. Account team was Alex Conaway, Rebecca Tickle and Ryan Fisher.
Filming was directed by Mark Romanek via Anonymous Content, Los Angeles, and Independent, London, with director of photography Salvatore Totino, head of production Sue Ellen Clair, executive producer Dave Morrison (Anonymous Content), Chris Barrett (Independent) and producer Scott Kaplan. The footage was shot at Sony Studios on a specially laid tarmac surrounded by wind fans.
Editor was Robert Duffy at Spot Welders, Los Angeles.
Post production was done by Flame artist Chris Knight at The Mill, Los Angeles, and colorist Fergus McCall at The Mill, New York.
Music was developed at Soundtree Music, London. Sound was designed by Johnnie Burn and Jack Sedgewick at Wave Studios, London.
The website was created by Midas Collective and is also worth a look. Find out what type of Hondamentalist you are by visiting Hondamentalism.
Loving the adverts, think they embody what W+K has tried to create for the auto brand from day one – when you look back at the work they’ve created you can see the ethos of ‘Hondamentalism’ running through it all.
Kudos to Wieden & Kennedy and Midas Collective and all other agencies involved.
Can I buy the music and is there more?
No one, except Honda can boast such a rich philosophy. And how true hondamentalist I am very proud of this fact!