smart Gives Viewers Three Bite-Sized Treats With the Launch of a New Multi-Channel Marketing Campaign

MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of its tenth consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases, smart -- the quirky, right-sized vehicle that created the microcar segment in the U.S. -- is kicking off the fall with three new TV ads and a brand campaign across virtually all media channels that keys in on how smart 'outsmarts' the competition.

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The three new 15-second spots -- scheduled to run on network, national cable, spot tv, and online -- will showcase smart's unique attributes including the patented tridion safety cell ("Tough"), virtually limitless customization options ("Custom Made"), and fun-to-drive personality ("Joy Ride"). The ads will go into rotation starting the week of September 10 and appear on such shows as Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Revolution, New Girl, and X Factor, among others.

"We're building on the extraordinary momentum we've had over the past year," said Tracey Matura, General Manager of smart. "The last year was all about raising awareness of smart and the near-doubling of our sales volume shows that to know smart is to love it. Now we're going to give people more to love."

smart will offer fans three clever tongue-in-cheek ads highlighting what sets smart apart from its competitors. The first ad, "Tough", scheduled to air September 10, has a large SUV balanced on top of smart's small but incredibly strong tridion safety cell. The second ad, "Joy Ride", which airs the same week, shows off the nimbleness and agility of the smart fortwo with a driver racing out of a tight-turning, winding parking garage, only to go back in for another spin. The third and final ad, "Custom Made", will debut the week of September 24 and speaks to smart's countless customization options: a man in a crowded supermarket stands out with his colorfully patterned suit. Viewers quickly realize his customized smart matches his unique outfit.

The fully integrated smart marketing initiative will feature a full-on banner ad offensive on sites including NYTimes.com, Gawker.com, BBC.com, Mashable.com, and CNN.com.  smart will also incorporate the lively ads into social media channels including Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/smartusa), Twitter (https://twitter.com/smartcarusa), and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/smartUSAfortwo).

The distinctive smart product line consists of five fortwo models in the U.S with pricing starting at $12,490. Model year 2013 introduces special edition vehicles and packages including the sharpred special edition, BRABUS sport package, BRABUS tailor made, and iceshine special edition.

About smart

smart, a Daimler AG brand, has its U.S. headquarters in Montvale, New Jersey. The smart model-line consists of five fortwo models:  the pure coupe, passion coupe, passion cabriolet and all electric drive versions of the coupe and cabriolet. The all-new third generation electric drive arrives in 2013. All smart models sold in the U.S. are covered by a four-year, 50,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty.

Classified as ultra-low emissions vehicles by the State of California Air Resources Board, smart models are just under nine feet long, 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide.  Despite their microcar exterior dimensions, smart vehicles are surprisingly roomy inside and have a full array of technological and safety features including the patented tridion safety cell which is designed to protect occupants in the event of a collision.  All smart vehicles, designed to be 85% recyclable and over 95% reclaimable, are produced in the environmentally oriented "smartville" factory in Hambach, France.  Additional information on smart can be found at www.smartusa.com.

About smart's "unagency"

smart's marketing initiative are created and implemented by a unique integrated team dedicated to smart from the following agencies: Merkley + Partners (advertising, New York); Razorfish (digital, New York); Sage Collective (events, Florida) and Maloney & Fox (public relations, New York).

SOURCE smart USA