Škoda’s award winning Made for Ireland marketing campaign helped the Czech brand break into the top four best-selling car brands in Ireland for the first time. Focusing on their product’s practical and clever features, such as the umbrella located in the passenger door, has featured in their communications and helped cement their “Made for Ireland” claim.
Škoda have been moving in a different direction of late, venturing into Irish folklore with their “Škoda Legends” advertising display at Dublin Airport’s Terminal One, depicting some of Ireland’s ancient heroes and villains. They have since followed it up with an Audio Book series for children and parents.
However, their most recent “Škoda Winter Solstice” campaign taps even deeper into the Irish DNA. At its core is a 40-second television commercial, airing from 15th December and featuring the UNESCO world heritage site “Newgrange” and the all-electric Škoda Enyaq with innovative LED Matrix lights.
The solar phenomenon at Newgrange is stylishly contrasted with the functionality of Škoda’s Matrix light technology in a campaign that will resonate strongly with an Irish audience.
Škoda’s Matrix Light system uses a windscreen mounted camera together with 12 or more segment modules in the headlamp unit that can operate independently to alter the projected light according to weather conditions, other road users and traffic.
Commenting on the campaign Ray Leddy, Head of Marketing & Product, Škoda Ireland, said: “We wanted to create more awareness for the excellent safety feature that are Matrix LED Headlights. We needed a concept that fitted with our brand’s Made for Ireland strategy but also featured a clever parallel with lighting. That’s when we came up with the Škoda Winter Solstice campaign featuring Newgrange.
“Our ancient descendants possessed exceptional intelligence and understanding of the sun. They could precisely determine the unique solar position in the sky, at sunrise on the shortest day of the year; and focus this early morning light into a small passage to illuminate a chamber deep inside the structure at Newgrange in Co. Meath.
“Today we have a much deeper understanding of light. We study trigonometry, geometry and optics to develop new technologies like Škoda’s LED Matrix headlights to make our lives safer and more convenient. At Škoda we can’t help but admire and wonder at the achievements of our ancient ancestors many millennia ago. Together with our creative and media partners we have developed the Škoda Winter Solstice campaign to celebrate this incredible achievement.”
