Honda: Over the Rainbow

Singer Joy Downer was behind the cover of the song “Over the Rainbow,” the background music featured in the ad. Honda has become one of the leading producers of moving, stunning, and inspiring motoring adverts over the past few years. Here we take a look at their latest addition, “The Power Of Dreams”. We’ll discuss the good points and the bad as well as give the TV commercial a rating out of 10 for a range core advertising criteria. Let’s get going, starting with:

Memorability – 7 / 10

All of Honda’s past “Power of Dreams” ads feature the same theme tune, but they also feature far more memorable choreography. This clip, in comparison to its predecessors, offers relatively little content that is breathtaking or especially unique in any way. The cars look beautiful and the scenery is stunning, but nothing about it feels special. Instead, it feels quite wooden and lifeless, purely because we have come to expect such high standard from this brand, and it’s captivating past commercials.

Effectiveness 7 / 10

Will it have middle aged men racing out to their local Honda dealership looking for the latest releases? We doubt it. This ad feels more like a single little piece of a much larger puzzle. It is not meant to be a direct selling tool, but more of an awareness piece to keep Honda in the minds of the audience while the next big launch and push is being prepared. It’s snappy, rushed, and isn’t going to destroy the internet with social video activity. It feels like a nudge or quick jerk reminder, nagging us to remember that Honda exists.

Style – 8 / 10

The styling is flawless. Cars hardly ever look better than when they are on open sand terrain. Sharp cinematography and clever visual effects play a part in making the ad communicate themes of edginess, modernism, and class. The soundtrack is very catchy and has been edited to provide a more dynamic and contemporary feel that is in line with the modern theme of this clip.

Heart or Humor – 7 / 10

The ad attempts to appeal to the younger car buyer – males ranging from the late twenties to early 50s. The cars on show are lively, youthful and vibrant. Honda must make loyal customers of the aging millennial demographic and this is clearly a step in that direction. Many will feel the ad lacks any moments with real gravity. There’s nothing unique or outstanding about cars driving through the desert, and not enough has been done to say something “fresh”, to an audience that is increasingly bombarded with mediocre messages on a daily basis.

Execution – 7 / 10

The ad is visually stunning and has clearly been made on a substantial budget. Sometimes throwing money at a concept can overshadow its core objectives and the result can be a distorted or unclear message. People who view this ad are not given any form of incentive to race to the Honda website or to their nearest Honda dealership. Instead, we are left with all too familiar scenes of pretty motor cars doing pretty things. Where’s the edge or excitement? Why should be paying attention to something that is not particularly outstanding? For most of us, the answer is simple. We don’t.