Photoplay's Armand De Saint-Salvy Directs SKODA Smartlink

Photoplay Films comedy director Armand De Saint-Salvy is behind the hilarious new campaign ‘Smartlink’ for SKODA via DDB Sydney. 

Testing out just how far customers will go to be connected to their car, the campaign sees a SKODA cyborg salesman show off how the auto brand’s new technology, Smartlink, connects between a car and its owner via a USB implant in his arm.

Armand was brought on board to amp up the laughs, capturing the action with 11 hidden cameras that caught out seven unsuspecting customers who watched on in shock as the salesman connected to the car using the futuristic implant.

“In casting we sought a salesman who was incredibly believable and had some charisma,” he says. “Part of the brief was to get authenticity, pranks only work when people believe in them.” 

Released this week, the campaign is already proving a hit, clocking up over 700,500 views on Facebook. It’s also taken out Best Interactive Ad of the Week on BestAds.

Photoplay Films executive producer Oliver Lawrance says: “It’s an innovative approach for SKODA and a campaign that packs a clever and surprising punch. I’m really pleased with the results and hope the video hits keep on coming.”