Piaggio Vespa's first ever TVC makes a fashionable entry

The TVC, conceptualised by Meridian, is part of the 'Fashion Unchanged' campaign and hit screens on October 2, 2012, bringing alive the iconic, unique, classic, fun, quirky, colourful, retro Vespa imagery to India's youth   

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 4, 2012

Piaggio India is all set to launch its first TV commercial for its Iconic Vespa scooter. The Vespa is positioned as a timeless and ageless lifestyle product that leverages its rich heritage and unique values to appeal to the finer emotions of the consumer. Piaggio has created a new luxury segment in the two-wheeler space for consumers who have a zest for life, who aspire to reach the pinnacle of success and achievement, who want to be a breed apart.

Close on the heels of a much appreciated print campaign, the team at Vespa, along with Meridian, set out to create commuincation which would do justice to the Vespa on television. A TVC that showcases the Vespa as a fashion statement that has never gone out of style.

The communication aims at echoing the point that the Vespa is not just a mode of transportation, but is an individual style statement. The effective message translated into the film is really the fact that the youth express their individuality through their lifestyle. This is as universal as it is timeless. Thus, the communication hinges on “unchanged style” articulated in the tagline 'Fashion Unchanged.'

Ravi Chopra, Chairman & Managing Director, Piaggio India, said about the campaign, “Vespa is not just a scooter, but a way of life. Its Italian design and style has endured the many decades of changing lifestyles, establishing itself as an icon, cherished and revered all over the world. This film brings out this retro yet contemporary magic of this brand. Consumers would be urged to possess the Vespa upon seeing the film.”

The Vespa has remained chic and stylish since 1946, fashionable in every age. The film brings out this aspect and connects with the fashionable, who want to showcase a vibrant taste for fashion and good things in life.  It promises to bring to life this individual style quotient. The layering of style is 'modern retro chic' which highlights the 'unchanged' bit and the heritage aspect of the Vespa.

The film opens with a young man in a modern setting, cheerfully getting ready to go out. He jumps out of bed, dons his favourite shirt, shoes, jacket, straps on his helmet; all styled in a Vespa way, retro classic, yet modern chic. He gets on his Vespa in search of the perfect girl. Not your sporty kind. Not your high fashion girl. But someone who matches his style, and of course, matches his Vespa. It's a modern take on the classic Cinderella story. There is a little twist in the film, not apparent at first, which waits to be unearthed by the truly style conscious, and observant. No spoilers here.

The film ends with the line, “Vespa. Fashion Unchanged. Since 1946”.

Commenting on the thought behind the campaign, Samrat Bedi, Head, Meridian, said, “Vespa is not a mere means of transport with awesome fuel efficiency, wider tyre grip and such. It would have been of great disservice to Vespa had we positioned it on functional benefits. Plus, scooter advertising in India does so much of that anyways. Initially, the brand was launched with print, OOH, digital and PR. Given the encouraging consumer response to the campaign, we collectively believed that it was time for more people to get to know and fall in love with the Vespa. This TVC is single-mindedly creating a premium segment in the functional scooter category and pegging the Vespa as a stylish and iconic lifestyle brand.”

Satish deSa, ECD and Head, Meridian Mumbai, added, “The entire film has a retro-chic styling to it. Right from the boy's room, to the clothes he wears, to the clothes of the girls on the street. This is in keeping with the classic, yet modern look of the Vespa. We thought this would give viewers a sense of Vespa's fashion antecedents.”

Anuraag Khandelwal, ECD, Meridian Mumbai, elaborated further, “The Vespa has never been considered a mode of transport to take you from point A to point B. It has always been about fashion. And this is what we set out to capture in this film. It's a fashion accessory that decides, and sometimes even dictates, what you wear when you ride it. We extended that thought to suggest that perhaps your Vespa could also decide who you chose to ride pillion with.”

MV Krishna, AVP - Marketing, Piaggio Vehicles, commented, “We have consciously stayed away from standard automobile advertising model which invariably draws  on functionality and features and looked at the brand purely from a lifestyle lens. The setting is a bit intentionally surreal to visually accentuate the idea of “more than just commuting.”

The TVC:

Credits:

Agency: Meridian Communication, Mumbai

Team Meridian: Samrat Bedi, Anuraag Khandelwal, Satish deSa, Shashank Lanjekar, Mohit Ahuja, Kevin Jacob

Production House: Bang Bang Films

Director: Harvey Brown

Producer: Payal Arora

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