Inspiring
ONCE MORE FROM THE TOP
We reveal the secrets of new Insignia’s world-breaking media Stunt...
Talk about making a dramatic entry: the Insignia’s unearthly swoop certainly left onlookers with strained necks, but the story behind this perfectly-executed feat
is even more jaw-dropping.
It all began six months before the final button was pushed, when one of those what-if daydreams took on a momentum of its own and became a practical plan of action. The man who put the idea into gear was GM Europe’s manager for motorshow and design communications, Vijay Iyer – who worked on the cheeky “C’Mon!” TV ad campaign for the new Vauxhall Corsa.
But Vijay says the Insignia challenge was literally a taller order from day one: “The new Insignia marks a distinct new direction for Vauxhall. This newcomer’s dynamic new design is all about challenging expectations – and delivering a pleasant surprise. It was vital that we provided this model with a deserving ‘high-impact’ moment.
“With the car’s world premiere at the Motor Show the next day, we wanted the kind of excitement that would cause people to take a step back. We quickly saw that we would need an iconic setting that would transmit the message in one single image and London’s Tower Bridge marked the perfect spot.”
And the pleasant surprise? “That’s the crucial element,” he adds. “It’s important to understand that, as consumers, we are far more sophisticated today in the way that we take in information. If you really want to be talked about, it’s a good idea to be a bit playful – and a little tongue-in-cheek!”
That explains the X Files-ish storyline to new Insignia’s London (and instantly global) arrival of a UFO-ish capsule crashing to Potters Fields Park. The scenario included an entourage of security guards in black “protecting” the site, followed by the crashed vessel being lifted by a huge crane during the “clean up” operation, and the sudden descent from its belly of new Insignia.
“During the planning, the thought did cross our minds that when HG Wells first broadcast his drama The War of the Worlds people took the play seriously and there was mass hysteria, but we were confident that the playful nature of this publicity campaign would prevent anyone calling the emergency services!” Vijay laughs. “And the science-fiction flavour to the dramatic launch blends perfectly with this car’s innovative technology.”
That was the message – but what about the mechanics of this event? How do you drop a 4,200lb car on a 1,400lb platform a distance of 45 metres? Or more importantly, how do you drop it safely?
If Vijay’s vision marked the essential framework for new Insignia’s debut, Jerry Deeney’s know-how would translate the idea into a perfect piece of airborne choreography. A leading figure in the US-based innovative marketing company Clear Blue, Jerry wore the hat of “Chief Stunt Architect” for this project, overseeing a team of 60 people who would spend six months and an arduous 7,200 hours making sure every tiny detail of the plan worked exactly to order.