Unconventional products often call for unconventional marketing

Creative Myths About Asia — Stereotype No.2 Con’t. Asian brands are not brave.

 

Before moving to Singapore, I was told that Asian creativity chronically errs on the safe side, so I was prepared for life sans the imaginative environment I was used to from NYC and London.

 

This series is designed to smash those unhelpful Asian advertising stereotypes. On the block again this week is the notion of Asian advertising bravery, or the alleged lack of it. Admittedly, I’ve found another example from Japan, but what a brilliant one.

 

Enter Nissan’s latest CARtoon:

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of Nissan’s 100 per cent electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF, they have released a film entitled “The Electric CARtoon” (see what they did there?) showing several drivers at a Japanese driving school wearing headgear that projects their emotional state onto the road beside them as they drive. Think Nike Chalkbot for the brain, minus the drugs.

 

The headsets read and analyze the brainwaves that are produced while driving to indicate the drivers’ differing levels of excitement and anxiety along the route. Taking inspiration from Japanese animation, the cartoon-style speech and thought bubbles are projected onto the road for people outside of the car to enjoy and share in what the drivers are experiencing.

 

Most tech-focused ideas end up, well pretty geeky, so it is wonderful to see tech and human emotion come together in such a creative way. In my view the correct move for a product that is still establishing its place in the market — electric cars.

 

Nissans move to create something fun, fresh and slightly nonsensical is plucky, determined and most importantly, brave.

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Headline image credit from Image by FoxxFireArt

Read more from Wayne Arnold in our Clubhouse.