Neil Patrick Harris and Rainn Wilson Lend Voices to 2014 Honda Odyssey Advertising Campaign

TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting September 3 Honda will launch an integrated advertising and marketing campaign supporting the redesigned 2014 Honda Odyssey (http://automobiles.honda.com/odyssey/). The campaign will kick-off with three TV spots featuring "spokescrumbs" voiced by actors Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") and Rainn Wilson ("The Office"). The overall campaign includes television, print, mobile and digital executions highlighting the Odyssey's new solutions to improving family life, including the world's first available in-vehicle vacuum cleaner HondaVAC™.

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The television creative ("Owner's Manual," "It's Here," and "Stampede") focuses on the floor of the Odyssey, where snacks and small toys dropped by young passengers end up eventually. Recognizable debris, such as lint balls (voiced by Harris) and gummy bears (voiced by Wilson) are enjoying the ride beneath the seats until the HondaVAC™ arrives on the scene and eliminates the CG-animated debris, giving the family back their clean car.

"No one knows the family buyer better than Honda, which led to the innovations in the redesigned Odyssey. The Odyssey is the class leader in the areas that are most important to the family buyer: fuel economy, safety and feature content," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president of auto operations at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Odyssey campaign highlights these attributes in a fun and amusing way that will be relatable to both parents and their kids."

In order to reach the target buyer – busy parents and families – the Odyssey campaign will be spread across a variety of platforms including network and cable television, online video, high-impact homepage takeovers, gaming, mobile, location-based targeting and print. High-impact, rich media kick-off the digital campaign via homepage takeovers scheduled on Amazon, AOL and Huffington Post.

In an effort to organically integrate into family programming, Honda has aligned with Fox and the hit television talent show "The X Factor." The Odyssey, along with other popular Honda models, will be showcased on the program and used by contestants throughout the competition. Honda vehicles will be featured on the show starting with the season premiere on September 9.

New Honda Advertising Tagline

With the launch of the Odyssey campaign, Honda introduces its new tagline - "Start Something Special," which will be used across all of the brand's advertising. As a part of the new advertising effort, each ad will start with a pneumonic tone signaling to viewers that a Honda commercial is next. Each commercial will end with the new 'Start Something Special' tagline and a Honda logo. The tagline will be extended across multiple platforms including print and digital.

"The new Honda tagline is built on the insight that people form a special relationship with their Hondas. They love them. They name them. They talk to them. It's a truly unique bond," said Accavitti. "'Start Something Special' illustrates this connection while emphasizing the special qualities that only Honda vehicles provide."

First-Ever Gaming Integrations

Extending into mobile, Honda is developing two first-to-market integrations with gaming powerhouses Angry Birds and Words with Friends as a part of the Odyssey campaign. With Rovio's Angry Birds Star Wars, Honda is creating custom content and leveraging the functionality of the Odyssey's in-car vacuum directly into the game. In Zynga's Words with Friends, players can interact with a hot-spotted (highlighted) image to showcase details of the Odyssey. Additionally, Honda is engaging in a new custom advertising experience on Amazon.com, and a first-ever location-based dynamic creative execution in the mobile space through Place IQ, serving up custom location-based content reinforcing the Odyssey's connection with family and community.

About Honda

Honda offers a complete lineup of cars and trucks through a network of more than 1,000 dealerships in the United States. In 2013, Honda marks 40 years of the Civic model, with more than 30 years of producing automobiles in the region, which began with the Accord in Marysville, Ohio, in November 1982.  Having produced more than 25 million vehicles in North America through 2012 using domestic and globally sourced parts, Honda currently operates 14 major manufacturing facilities in North America, producing a wide range of Honda automobiles, all-terrain vehicles, power equipment products, engines and transmissions.

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.