Brief

Find a new tonality for Abarth which moves it beyond being considered just a fast Fiat 500

Roles

• creative direction

• strategy

Detail

Abarth makes performance cars based on the Fiat 500 platform, whilst retaining a visual similarity the cars are much faster, more responsive, and are intended for a very different audience. These are serious cars for serious drivers. Unfortunately, the Abarth brand had become tonally stale and was either unknown or misunderstood compared to other brands in the same sector.

Whilst at Doner UK, I worked on creating a new positioning for the brand and resulting relaunch campaign. The new positioning/tonality needed to not only differentiate the brand from its competitors but also remain relevant to the brand’s history and existing owners.

Existing print advertising

strategy & idea

We defined the type of driver that has the passion and skill to be an Abarthisti, this lets us showcase how the Abarth range will give them the opportunity to reach their full potential and challenge them to set new limits. Thus elevating the Abarth range beyond any other ‘fast car’ to a brand for the genuine, the true car driver.

Abarth has spent 70 years making pure, dynamic, beautifully engineered performance sports cars and nothing else. Get behind the wheel of any Abarth, and your driving ability will be tested to its limits.

We’re looking for real drivers, not wannabes or glory hunters. Only the best need apply. Are you the genuine article? Can you drive? Can you REALLY drive?

To bring to life the new positioning gritty, emotive photography and video were used alongside bold copy which challenged the audience to reach their limits.

The new art direction and positioning ultimately delivered a very different tonal feel compared to previous Abarth advertising, elevating the brand and giving it licence to talk in a more mature yet edgy voice.

Additional TVC roughs

Print concepts

Digital

A destination within abarth’s website showcases advanced driving videos which teach you the fine points of driving and showcase the cars at their best. To drive footfall ‘Test yourself’ track day experiences are offered to hot leads via ecrm.