In 1981, Suzuki tapped renowned German designer Hans Muth to develop a one-of-a-kind, futuristic motorcycle: the original Suzuki GSX1100S Katana. A breathtaking icon years ahead of its time, the Katana redefined the sportbike world for an entire generation of riders.

Nearly four decades later, it was time for Katana’s rebirth. As Suzuki’s AOR for 17 years, we knew this relaunch had to do quadruple duty. We sought to sharpen the Katana’s appeal to younger audiences, capture the nostalgia felt by older audiences, and reinforce Suzuki’s positioning as the trendsetter of motorcycle design and technology.

Like the legendary weapon for which it’s named, the new Katana sportbike fuses Japanese artistry with aggressive performance. The result is so beautiful, powerful, imaginative, and modern, it effectively cuts ahead to the future, leaving the status quo behind. We devised a campaign that pierced through to the heart of what it meant to command the 2020 Suzuki Katana in two simple words: “Cut Ahead.”

We started generating buzz months before launch with an endemic media teaser and carefully crafted social posts. Once the Katana hit the market, we boosted awareness with an anthemic brand video, targeted social campaigns, experimental mobile ad platforms, interactive print insertions, and collaborations with partners like Iron & Air and Icon Motorsports. This all flowed into a lower-funnel experiential strategy, driving customers into dealerships. We even developed an arsenal of P.O.P. assets that gave dealerships an edge by bringing the bike to life on the showroom floor.

The campaign resulted in 154% increase in awareness amongst target audiences and 35% increase in conversions.

Services:

Strategy

Creative Concepting

Production/Directing

Design & Copywriting

Video Editing & Animation

Media Planning & Buying

Event Planning & Production