‘Talking Dog’ Akita Inu Stands Out at Honda City Virtual Launch by Communique India
by EVENTFAQS Bureau Marketing | July 28, 2020 | News
Communique India Honda City Virtual Launch
The fifth generation of the popular Honda City sedan was launched virtually on 15th July 2020, in an event conceptualized and executed by Communique India.
Honda Cars India has coined ‘Rush of Supremacy’ ‘as the proposition for the vehicle, which is billed as ‘India's first connected car with Alexa Remote Capability’.
Befittingly, Honda Connect mascot Akita Inu appeared for the first time in a car launch. The ‘talking dog’ (virtual, CGI) in conversation with the host and Rajesh Goel, SVP and Director, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India, differentiated the event.
Team Communique explained that the idea was to make the storytelling ‘clean, compelling and honest’. To that end, it used technology. Augmented Graphics, Multi-camera setup was used to capture subtle emotions and reactions on the fly to keep the storytelling natural, according to the agency. A TV studio-like set was used to reflect the premium style.
Honda Cars India President and CEO Gaku Nakanishi, Rajesh Goel, and Satoru Azumi and his team from Honda R&D Japan, who designed and engineered the car, were roped in to tell ‘short, compelling stories’.
The elements were woven together into a chat show with the host Pooja Yadav Kaif, highlighting the new model’s India-centric design and safety, among other features.
“The new fifth-generation City is an ambitious sedan for an ambitious customer. Our online event was no less ambitious in more ways than one. What we were able to present was a refreshingly new launch experience – one that showcased everything about the new City to media and customers in an easy to understand, intriguing and captivating format. This launch allowed us to reach the largest audience set ever,” said Rajesh Goel.
Suresh Varma, Chief Creative Officer, Communique India, said, “Online events allow a free flow of imagination. But at the end of the day, we must remember that the majority of audiences are watching everything on a small mobile phone screen. So less is certainly more. That’s why we kept the visual palette clean and minimal, showcasing the car, using technology interestingly to take the storytelling forward.”
The launch garnered over 2.4 million views in less than 10 days, the highest viewership for any car launch by Honda Cars India till date according to the Japanese auto giant.
The fifth generation of the popular Honda City sedan was launched virtually on 15th July 2020, in an event conceptualized and executed by Communique India.