FCB London has launched an international campaign for Škoda showcasing the VWGroup brand’s long standing partnership with the Tour de France.
After more than 20 years of continuous partnership, and with a brand history that all started on two wheels, Škoda is already strongly associated with professional cycling. This year, the auto brand sought to leverage Le Tour’s ability to initiate conversation around their passion, cycling, and encourage audiences to join the ride. The Czech carmaker is also supporting the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift for the third consecutive year.
Breaking before the Tour and running internationally for three months across TV, print, digital, social, and OOH, the multi-channel campaign features a 30” film bringing to life the ways in which Škoda is there for all cyclists, whether elite or amateur.
A celebration of the diverse reasons cyclists are so passionate about riding - whether for fun, for fitness, or to appreciate beautiful scenery - the work breaks in the build-up to the world’s most famous annual cycling event; shifting the focus from the sporting elite to those who are simply out enjoying a ride, learning to pedal, or meeting up with friends. It features a series of vignettes, each highlighting a different reason to love cycling – framed as individual ‘Tour de’ situations; with the five-second segments coming together to form a master film that tells a story every cyclist can relate to.
Zuzana Filipova, Škoda’s brand strategy and communication manager, explains, “Škoda has been the main partner and car supplier of the Tour de France for the past two decades and we remain passionate about sharing our love of the world of cycling. For this year’s race, our campaign celebrates and empowers not just the Tour riders, but also the everyday cyclist enthusiasts. ‘What’s Your Tour De’ brings to life everyone’s experiences and aims to inspire more people to start riding, in whatever way they choose.”
Mike Mackenzie, senior copywriter at FCB London says, “Whether you’re chasing glory, or simply coffee and cake, riding for the first time without stabilisers or pushing the limits of endurance, we sought to help Škoda showcase the power of these experiences, whatever the weather, and whatever the terrain – enabling individuals to beat personal records, find their rhythm, discover new trails, and spend time with loved ones.”
As the most exciting date in the global cycling calendar, the campaign breaks as noise around the hotly anticipated event grows; showing how everyone has their own reason to ride.