Holden advertises intentions

HOLDEN is painting a bright future for itself with a new multifaceted advertising campaign that it says will keep the lion badge roaring beyond 2017 when local production ceases.

Using a concerted combination of television, cinema, outdoor and digital and media, the 'Let's Go There' campaign heralds “a wave of exciting new models” and a focus on the next generation of Holden owners.

It is the latest building block in a strategy to get Australians looking to the future of Holden and follows an announcement last week that the esteemed Commodore name would live on beyond the closure of the Elizabeth and Port Melbourne production plants.

The first TVC depicts continued testing of Holden-badged vehicles at the Lang Lang proving ground in Victoria while a second advertisement features a selection of children explaining their vision of the next Commodore.

Exact details of the forthcoming and largely European-derived range are yet to be released including which model will carry the Commodore name into the next decade, but a TV advert points to the already confirmed Astra hatchback, Cascada convertible as well as existing Colorado and Captiva.

In a release, Holden executive marketing director Bill Mott said the campaign features children to signify the importance of future Holden owners and the continuation of a strong loyal following on Australian soil.

“All of our brand advertisements share specific communication equities. Specifically, children feature prominently in our new television commercials,” he said. “Kids are inherently optimistic and represent the future and these are values that reflect the Holden brand.” “We have also developed advertisements that communicate a core Holden strength. Our vehicles are, and will continue to be, tuned and tested for Australian conditions and customers at our iconic Lang Lang proving ground in Victoria.” The campaign started yesterday with TV and billboard promotions already up, but Holden says the roll-out will continue over the coming weeks.

Like the decision to retain the Commodore nameplate, the various advertising platforms and messages were established through “extensive research” to determine what the buying public would most like to see from the Holden brand in the coming years.

Confirmation of what basis the new non-Australian Commodore will have is probably some way off but speculation says the new E2XX platform is the most likely candidate at this stage.

A move to the mid- and large-size underpinning could lead to a Commodore similar to the Insignia, which will be returning in high-performance VXR variant only in the middle of the year.