The new Mazda CX-5 climbs the roads of Mount Wellington in Tasmania, while the people who designed, developed and drove it run towards the summit behind it. When they catch up with the car, they present its advantages not through technical data, but through song.
The scene comes from the film The Mountaintop, the central part of the campaign It’s Kind of a Big Deal, which Clemenger BBDO created for the launch of a new generation of one of Mazda’s most important models in Australia. The original song written for the campaign covers the car’s new design, more advanced technology, increased space and driving dynamics.
This approach allowed the agency to present the vehicle’s many changes without resorting to a conventional list of specifications. Information about the model is built into the melody, choreography and scenes surrounding the car, so the song simultaneously explains the product and drives the film’s action.
The scale of the launch reflects the importance the CX-5 already holds for the company. More than 330,000 examples of the model are on Australian roads, and it accounts for approximately a quarter of Mazda’s total vehicle sales in the country. The new generation is therefore not presented as a minor refresh, but as the most significant change in the model’s history.
The campaign title It’s Kind of a Big Deal brings a slightly more restrained tone to the entire spectacle. As mountain landscapes, the choir and the original song unfold on screen, the slogan describes the scale of the launch almost in passing. This contrast gives the campaign its humour, without additional gags that would draw attention away from the car.
The film was directed by Christopher Riggert of the production company The Finch Company. The Mountaintop leads a national campaign covering television, social media, influencer partnerships, digital channels, radio, print, CRM and Mazda’s website. The campaign is also present in out-of-home advertising, including large and small formats, transit locations and retail spaces. The media strategy was developed by OMD Australia in collaboration with Clemenger BBDO and Mazda Australia. The campaign launched on 7 July and is currently active across Australia.
