A gas station attendant runs after a car that’s just fuelled up, screaming in apparent agony – that is the entire 10-second tease that directs viewers to The-Smart-Class.com. The microsite anchors a new campaign promoting the Smart Fortwo, in which an urban scene unfolds for the viewer according to which storyline he or she wants to follow.

Similar 10-second teaser ads were placed on a variety of sites, including CTV.ca and Radio-Canada.ca, and in cinemas across the country, targeting ‘open-minded city dwellers that appreciate all of the things that come with living in urban environments,’ Richard Trevisan, national marketing communications manager for Mercedes-Benz Canada, tells MiC.

Three videos, created by BBDO Dusseldorf and adapted by BBDO Toronto, highlight the Smart Car’s key attributes of spaciousness (highlighted by the ‘Hot Dog’ video), eco-friendliness and fuel-efficiency (emphasized by the ‘Love Story’ and ‘Punch’ spots). Media was handled by Toronto’s OMD.

Smart Car has developed a loyal following in Canada since its introduction in the market in 2004, he says, and the campaign aims to surprise consumers with the creativity of the campaign, while highlighting the brand’s design, functionality, safety and social responsibility.

‘Based on the target audience sought for the campaign and a limited budget, the decision was made not to pursue placement on TV for this particular campaign,’ Trevisan says.