Nostalgia Gets an Edge in Upcoming Work
DETROIT–Forget the hype surrounding Route 66–at least where Mazda’s concerned.
The highway that’s the best is redubbed Route 626 in an upcoming 30-second TV spot from Doner, Southfield, Mich., that breaks later this month.
The commercial was still being tweaked last week, the agency said. In it, an offbeat couple sporting punkish haircuts and eating blue ice cream motors down the road in a Mazda 626, with the road sign altered with spray paint to read Route 626.
Computer images mixed with live shots give the ad the futuristic “Mazda World” feel first used in ads for the Protege a year ago. A version of the song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” is being prepared for the spot, although the type of music to be used has not been finalized. One early version included an alternative-sounding band crooning the song.
The agency chose Route 66 because it’s an icon that matches well with the positioning of the 626, as well as with Mazda’s overall positioning, said Tim Blett, president of Doner Automotive. The lyrics of the song “speak to the driving enjoyment of the 626”–an edge Mazda believes it has over higher-volume models in the category such as the Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, agency sources said.
Continuing the nostalgia theme, a Mazda Millenia spot that broke last week features the unlikely soundtrack choice of Ann-Margret singing “Let Me Entertain You,” as the upscale car hugs the curves in the “Mazda World.” K
Mazda Motors West on Route 626
