‘Zoom Zoom’ Is All for Mazda

Doner is phasing out its tagline for Mazda, “Get in. Be moved,” and replacing it in all ads with the “Zoom zoom” message that has been a staple of more recent advertising, an agency executive said.

The automaker and its agency refused to characterize “Zoom zoom” as a new tagline. “We don’t want to feature it that way,” said Tim Blett, Doner automotive president who oversees the account from Doner’s Newport Beach, Calif., offices. “It’s an emotional promise.”

Kristen Simmons, marketing vice president at Mazda North American Operations in Irvine, Calif., said the line is really more of the “mantra” at the automaker. “‘Zoom zoom’ sums up everything that we stand for as a company,” she said.

Consumers do think that “Zoom zoom” is a tagline, and awareness of the Mazda brand has grown since the line was introduced last June, she said. The automaker will continue to evaluate elements of the campaign such as the jingle or the featured little boy who whispers “Zoom zoom,” she said. “We need to keep ‘Zoom zoom’ fresh,” she said.

“Get in. Be moved” will continue to be used in some overseas markets including Japan, Blett said, although, even without translation, he thinks the “Zoom zoom” message is cross-cultural. “Zoom zoom” will be featured on all ads except dealer ads, which focus on current incentives, he added.

Mazda spent $205 million on advertising in 2000, according to CMR, and has spent $50 million in the first three months of 2001.

Doner, Southfield, Mich., is breaking a print and Internet campaign for the Mazda MP3. The print campaign runs in publications including Road & Track and Car and Driver.

Mazda’s next major TV campaign is scheduled to break in the late fall for the redesigned MPV minivan. The tone of the ads will be similar to the spots for the Mazda Tribute earlier this year that played up the power of the truck, calling it the “SUV with the soul of a sports car,” Simmons said.