"Re-Re-Routed" Acura Commercial for Marvel¹s The Avengers Featuring the 2013 RDX

The All-New 2012 Honda Civic. Symphony in Motion.

Honda New Civic Smartphone App Launched

The new Honda Civic is ready to meet the European market and the carmaker has now released a smartphone app to support the launch of the car, with this aiming to connect with customers at an emotional level.The Honda Civic App was developed by Nexus/H and aims to become a part of the buying process, being included in a wider marketing plan that also includes printed catalgoues, as well as other online and offline channels.

Here are the key features of the new app:
An interactive “hot spot” to demonstrate the imaginative Honda “Magic Seats” system with a fun game that shows the variety of items that can be conveniently stored within the flexible interior and luggage area.

A dynamic 360 degree viewing facility that provides a virtual tour of the interior space and equipment that becomes even more involving with the iPhone version which uses an accelerometer.

Users can create their own “wind tunnel” experiment through the smartphone mic and discover some of the key aerodynamic and handling characteristics of the new Civic.

Ability for users to “explore models” and to create their own new Civic, choosing model, engine, grade, colour, etc., with a social media and email facility to post and share their model on Twitter or Facebook.

The Honda Civic mobile app is now offered for download in over 20 European markets, being available at the app Store and Android Market.

Source;

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-new-civic-smartphone-app-launched-42847.html

2012 Euro Civic TV Advertisement

"Transactions" Extended Version - 2012 Acura NSX Big Game Ad

Official 2012 Honda CR-V Game Day Commercial - "Matthew's Day Off" Extended Version

2X New 2012 Honda CRV Commercials

New 2012 Honda CRV Commercial

Honda Accord ad resonates with 99ers, pokes Lexus

Either Honda or its marketing agency find the Holiday red-bow intolerable for the new Honda Accord ad. Patrick Warburton, who plays the spokesman in Happy Honda Days Television ad, knocks the red bow off a Honda concluding that potential Honda customers don't need it unless they are millionaires who can give a car as a gift to a loved one.

"Are you a millionaire? No? Well then you probably don't give cars to people as presents," says Warburton (see the video of the ad below), who is a known voice in the commercial and advertising world.

The message may well resonate with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, who call themselves the 99ers. These are people who may not give cars as presents, but may need one for themselves. Thus, neither they nor the Honda marketers need the red bow used by Lexus marketers.

Honda Accord is the highest ranked midsize car in JD Power's 2011 Initial Quality Study. In this category it's the only car and the award recipient which which got the highest ranking in overall quality, powertrain quality, body and interior quality as well as in features & accessories quality categories.

See Honda's new Happy Honda Days TV ad featuring Honda Accord and Lexsus red-bow holiday ad below.




Source;
http://www.torquenews.com/1/honda-accord-2011-ad-resonates-99ers-pokes-lexus-videoi

Ozzy Osbourne Crazy Train Honda ad

Honda is using the Ozzy Osbourne classic 'Crazy Train' done a cappella by a family in the new commercial for the Honda Pilot.

The ad is done Wayne's World style but with a family gradually all vocally doing the instruments in the song. Wayne's World kicked off the format all those years ago with Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.

Bob Daisley and Randy Rhodes wrote the song with Ozzy in 1980, a year after Osbourne left Black Sabbath. It first appeared on the 'Blizzard of Ozz' album. It is now considered Ozzy's signature song.

'Crazy Train' has grown over the years, especially in the USA, to fall into that wonderful genre . classic rock.

Source;
http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?H=Ozzy-Osbourne-Crazy-Train-Honda-ad&nItemID=44608

Honda Odyssey 2012 Campaign Experiment

The minds at Raging Artists are typically tasked with producing unique marketing spots for a variety of companies. The crew recently applied their creative minds to the world of minivans, and designed a spot they feel helps put the people mover in a light that appeals to the fathers of the world.

A dad is given orders to take the kids to school, and the family's Honda Odyssey to the car wash. Honda didn't commission the piece, but the Odyssey is clearly the star of this show. It's used to shuttle the father through a variety of tasks, only two of which were actually part of his original wife-mandated marching orders.

Click past the jump to watch the spot. Once you do, sound off in the comments and tell us if you think this is what minivan commercials are missing, or if something more along the lines of Toyota's Swagger Wagon spots are more appropriate.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/20/raging-artists-create-a-manly-minivan-commercial/#continued

Honda replaces Mr. Opportunity with 'Seinfeld' actor

Mr. Opportunity should stop knocking. Honda’s found a new (and human) spokesman.

The animated character was known for his appearances in the automaker’s commercials for clearance events –- and for irritating legions of consumers with his blandness.

The “I Hate Mr. Opportunity!” Facebook page is filled with distaste for his “carefully ironed khaki trousers” and his similarity to “your high school geometry teacher.” The group’s description says: “Every time his commercials air, his personality grates on us, like the proverbial pebble in our collective shoe.”

Last year, one of Mr. Opportunity’s ads was voted the third worst in the country by visitors to the Consumerist blog, behind spots from Staples and Quiznos.

But lately, those viewers have noticed Mr. Opportunity’s absence from television screens and radio waves. Former "Seinfeld" actor Patrick Warburton is in his place on-air, calling himself an "all-out-multimedia-Honda-knowledge-dropping-tour-de-force.”

Warburton even takes a shot at Mr. Opportunity: “This year, they sent a man in to do a cartoon man’s job.”

The character’s demise stems from the ripple effect of the Japanese earthquake earlier this year on the supply chain and summer promotional campaigns, according to Honda’s ad agency RPA, via the Consumerist. Still, both RPA and Honda say Mr. Opportunity may not be gone for good.

Source

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/09/honda-replaces-mr-opportunity-with-seinfeld-actor.html

Honda names former Chrysler exec to steer U.S. marketing

By Mark Rechtin, Crain News Service



LOS ANGELES (Aug. 19, 2011) — American Honda Motor Co. has chosen an outsider and former Chrysler executive Michael Accavitti as its chief marketing officer.



Mr. Accavitti most recently was executive automotive adviser for Cisco Systems, but is better known as the veteran Chrysler executive who was president of the Dodge brand and lead marketing executive of the Chrysler Group before his 2009 departure.



Mr. Accavitti replaces Steve Center, who will lead a new enterprise within American Honda called the Environmental Business Development Office.



Mr. Center has been in Honda’s top U.S. marketing post since June 2008.



Mr. Accavitti inherits an organization that’s battling production shortages stemming from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. American Honda’s U.S. sales have declined 3 percent this year through July in a market that’s up 11 percent.



To retain U.S. customers until stockpiles are replenished, Honda has taken the unusual step of extending leases or offering vouchers or rebates toward the future purchase of a new Honda.



Honda has told its U.S. dealers car and light truck inventories are not expected to return to normal levels until the last quarter or early 2012.



New group

The new environmental group will oversee Honda’s various green business initiatives, from the Fit electric vehicle to solar panel arrays to home co-generation units fueled by natural gas.



“Honda is structured by distribution group, by auto brands, motorcycles, and power equipment.



But these futuristic energy creation groups are transcending those silos,” Mr. Center said in an interview.



With “the dynamics (of) the utility business, you can see that things are starting to break through all the distribution channels,” he added.



Mr. Accavitti first worked for Chrysler starting in 1977. He installed axles on trucks at Chrysler’s Warrren, Mich., truck plant—known as Dodge City—to save money for college. He worked on the line for two years and one summer before starting college.



He rejoined Chrysler in 1984 when the auto maker was hiring engineers and spent time in product marketing, brand management and racing.



At Honda, he will oversee the marketing of the Honda and Acura brands, public relations, auto shows and emerging-markets advertising.



The transition is occurring immediately, although it was announced internally on Aug. 1.

Mr. Accavitti is in the process of relocating to Los Angeles and was not immediately available for comment.



Fresh blood

“You need the fresh blood,” Mr. Center said about the changes. “Fresh thinking is good, but too much and you can lose your culture or focus.”



Last year, Honda extended voluntary retirement offers to certain employees and lost about 50 managers, many of whom had more than 30 years of experience at the company. Center said Honda is “still a very young company.”



Mr. Accavitti will have a full plate awaiting him as Honda strives to recover from the March earthquake.



Because of the earthquake-related inventory crunch that killed the momentum of the spring launch of the Civic, Honda will re-launch the compact car this fall. Also, a redesigned CR-V crossover arrives later this year, and a new Accord comes next spring. Those are three of Honda’s four “pillar” vehicles, Mr. Center said.



Honda brand sales are off 2 percent this year, and Acura sales are down 6 percent.



Like Mr. Center did, Mr. Accavitti will report to Tetsuo Iwamura, president of American Honda. Unlike other auto makers, Honda separates its auto operations—such as product development, product planning and marketing—from auto sales, which covers distribution, wholesale and retail and is overseen by executive vice president John Mendel.



Mr. Center, 54, joined Honda in 1993 as part of Dick Colliver’s team of transplants from Mazda North American Operations. Mr. Mendel was formerly executive vice president and chief operating officer for Mazda North America before joining Honda in 2004.



Mr. Center’s career has included managerial positions in market support, e-business, Acura sales, advertising and public relations.



The Environmental Business Development Office will receive additional staff, but Mr. Center declined to give further details.



He called it “a combination of a brain trust, think tank and venture capital firm.”



Source;

http://www.tirebusiness.com/subscriber/headlines2.phtml?cat=1204552929&headline=Honda+names+former+Chrysler+exec+to+steer+U.S.+marketing&id=1313763465

Feature Flick: 2012 Honda Civic Song the Next Big Hit?

Karla Sanchez on July 21 2011 6:00 AM

Honda wanted to give its new 2012 Civic its 15 seconds of fame, while also giving music hopefuls a shot of getting theirs too. Back in June, the company announced the Sounds of Civic Facebook contest where aspiring musicians had to submit a song about the Civic. The contest came to a close earlier this month and a winner has been announced.

Jonatan Barahona won over Honda Civic Facebook fans with an original song about the Civic titled, “Forever.” Barahona went down the sentimental path in creating his song and video, focusing on how spacious the rear seats of the Civic are and all how all the roominess contributes to bringing people together.

All types of situations take place in the back seat of the Civic: a pregnant woman and her partner are rushed to the hospital, a recent grad and his family continue with the celebration, girls with their shopping bags have a blast and compare what they bought after a day of shopping, and skateboarders and their boards fit in just fine.

On top of becoming an internet star, the winner also received a 2012 Honda Civic, which will help him get to the 2011 Honda Civic Tour where he will perform live in Los Angeles.

Source;
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/feature-flick-2012-honda-civic-song-the-next-big-hit-61965.html