Brief:
- Honda created an animated comic book series that can only be found on social media as part of a promotion aimed at Generation Z and millennial drivers. To promote its 2020 Civic hatchback, the carmaker posted the six-episode series on Facebook while celebrating National Comic Book Day on Sept. 25, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
- Honda also created an account on Instagram for a static version of the comic, @HondaComics. Fans can turn their smartphones horizontally and swipe left as if they are flipping through the pages of a comic book. The comic will be promoted on Instagram, Facebook and in pre-roll ads.
- Titled "Revenge of the Biospiders," the comic dramatizes an apocalyptic world overtaken by genetically modified spiders that had been designed to eat toxic waste but destroyed everything else. Two "unlikely heroes" and their Civic Hatchback rise up against the monster arachnids and save humanity.
Insight:
Honda's animated comic book and dedicated Instagram account aim to reach younger adults who tend to be heavy users of social media, and who use their smartphones to consume content. The animated version of "Revenge of the Biospiders" consists of short, action-packed videos designed to grab the attention of social media users as they scroll through their news feeds. About 80% of Americans ages 18 to 29 use Facebook, while 67% said they use Instagram, making them the second- and third-most popular social media platforms after Google's YouTube, which is followed used by 91% of young adults, per Pew Research Center.
Honda's animated comic book follows last year's holiday shopping season campaign that featured "The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" in a commercial aimed at young adults who may remember the characters from their youth. In the commercial, the turtles ask viewers if they remember the excitement of getting action figures as holiday gifts — a feeling they may recapture by buying a Honda.
Honda has been active on social media platforms to reach these audiences who tend to watch less TV. The carmaker next month will roll out a social media campaign as part of its "Safety for Everyone" push that highlights the safety features of its vehicles. The social media push will showcase actual Honda customers who have benefited from the car brand's active and passive safety technologies. Honda's promotions aimed at younger consumers includes the sponsorship of esports tournaments that rival some traditional sports in popularity. The carmaker last month became the exclusive automotive sponsor of the Riot Games League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).
