Hasta La Creative!

For its latest campaign for Subaru, promoting the 2015 Outback, agency-of-record Carmichael Lynch teamed up with director Lance Acord (best known for his cinematography on films such as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Lost In Translation) and production company Park Pictures for a couple of 60-second spots emphasizing that the Outback can “go anywhere.”

In “Memory Lane,” a family picks up a hippie grandmother for a road trip to Woodstock. The grandmother imparts some questionable teachings on her granddaughter and finds the spot where she met her grandfather, in a cute moment that also shows the Outback’s off-road capabilities.

“Bison” also features a road trip, as a father attempts to wow his tween son with major American landmarks. The bratty son is unimpressed with Redwoods and The Grand Canyon, more interested in his smart phone than anything outside the car, but the father does eventually get through to him, followed by the voiceover, “There’s nothing I can’t reach in my Subaru.”

Both spots are impressively shot (which shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the director) while delivering their message in a way that should appeal to parents (always a target demographic for Subaru). And if they cross the line into cheesiness, it’s in a way that fits the brand well. (more…)

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For the latest installment in Carmichael Lynch’s “Subaru Dog Tested. Dog Approved.” campaign, they’re introducing “The Barkleys,” which refers to a family of dogs, not Charles Barkley and family.

The new spots — “In the Dog House,” “Teenagers,” “Road Trip Convenience Store” and”What’s the Fuss About?” (featured above)– imagine the family of dogs in “everyday relatable human experiences.” These range from teenagers making out after a date, the man of the car getting in trouble for oggling an attractive female, that convenience store pit stop that every road trip depends on, and barking as the mailman drives by, which, come to think of it, isn’t really an “everyday relatable human experience.” The spots are simple, relying fun dog humor without any dialog. Dog owners, and especially Subaru-loving dog owners, should eat this right up.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have “They Lived,” a somber spot for Subaru’s “Love” campaign. Based on stories from real Subaru owners who survived crashes, thanks to their Subarus, the spot features an actual Subaru wreck which the driver walked away from. The officer on the scene and the driver who towed the wreck tell those seeing the wreck, “They lived.” It’s an effective way to illustrate Subaru’s crash safety as a selling point, and a reminder of how important that can be. Watch it below, and stick around for one more Barkleys spot, along with credits, after the jump. continued…

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Chances are, you’ve known a good Subie. Whether you rode to school in your mom’s, drove one yourself, or cherished your significant other’s, the thoughts are fond. Now, with their latest campaign from Carmichael Lynch, Subaru has incorporated that adoration.

In one new video, a Subaru makes an unexpected first date possible with diner milkshakes and roadside farmer’s market fun. In the second spot, “Redressing Room,” a mother puts up with her son’s affinity for nudity. The tagline for both ads is, “Love: It’s What Makes a Subaru a Subaru,” and I now wish I could be driving a car while hugging myself for maximum endorphins. These ads are sweet without being saccharine; a heartwarming play on Subaru’s role as an all-purpose family car, more a character in a story than its means of transportation. It’s a good way to win our hearts; if love is all we need, we’d better get a Subaru.

Credits after the jump

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