Suzuki Celebrates its Differences for Tongue in Cheek Campaign

Today, car manufacturer Suzuki UK launches its new brand campaign, Suzuki Good Different to celebrate the perception that the brand and its cars are different from everything else on the market.

The campaign was created by Iris and champions Suzuki as the proud, fun and friendly outlier. Everyone knows buying a car can be unnecessarily complicated, with drivers getting blindsided by T&Cs and added extras.

Suzuki breaks category conventions by simplifying the over-complicated and aims to give customers what they need as standard. A simpler, better experience from showroom to the road.  

From the iconic Jimny of the 80s, and the convertible Grand Vitara of the 90s to the Ignis today, Suzuki has always been a bit out there. Now in 2022, Suzuki offers a range that is more than just quirky; where every model comes hybrid as standard, packed with tech and safety features, and is supported by award winning customer service, Suzuki isn’t just kinda different – it’s Good Different.

The brand has lots to be proud of, but no one knows about any of it.

Iris created a campaign that exemplifies Suzuki’s bold, playful and unexpected personality, whilst avoiding category clichés; cars driving through winding mountain roads (yawn!), no thanks.

Playing into the fact that Suzuki is a bit of an unknown, the film brings to life some fun tongue in cheek folklore around the brand and what makes them good different; from a choir creating the sound of the car horn, to Grandmas knitting them cardigans to create the warm fuzzy feeling you get from driving a Suzuki.

Director Olly Williams who, as luck would have it, moonlights as a production designer, meticulously created 3D models of all the sets that were then constructed for real to be shot in camera. The opening ‘S’ flap was created with the electronics of a toy truck, and yes, that really is a hand knitted cardigan for a life-size Suzuki Vitara.

The campaign launches with a 30 second film across TV and VOD, and will be supported by a 60” TV and Cinema film later in July. 

Iris has been Suzuki’s lead creative and strategic agency for the last 3 years and was chosen by Suzuki for this newest campaign due to Iris’ deep understanding of the Suzuki brand & strengths within the category. Media planning is being delivered by The7Stars as Offline Media Planning and Buying Agency and Jellyfish is responsible as Suzuki’s Strategic Digital Agency.

Ross Taylor, creative director at Iris says: “The very nature of the idea, Good Different, meant that we could only execute this idea in a way that breaks category convention, and let's face it, the world doesn’t need another car advert driving through a city or a winding mountain road. Needless to say, it was one of the most fun and creative projects to work on, the way it should be, every time.

Alex Key, senior marketing communications manager at Suzuki says; “At Suzuki, we've always been proud of our unconventional history; we love our new brand positioning as, for the first time, it's enabled us to step up and own that feeling of being a little bit different, whilst pairing it with robust, research driven product claims designed to deliver disruptive reappraisal. We’re excited to take the brand in this new direction, and can’t wait for the work to be out there”