Shooting A Car Commercial Under Lockdown Is Child’s Play

Creative solutions to filming car commercials under quarantine

Directors channel their inner child to use toy cars to produce creative new commercials under lockdown.

SUVs are big cars known for being able to handle rough roads. So, your typical commercial will most likely showcase their ruggedness outside. When pandemic restrictions made that scenario impossible to film, the automaker ŠKODA came up with a creative solution:

“Three toy cars, three creative directors and some necessary props – that’s pretty much all you need to come up with new ŠKODA’s commercials shot at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. The directors used their own couch, dining table or family. And a greyhound.”

Those who bring an expert eye to videos can take note of the differences between different types of captures.

Steffen Haars shot on a digital camera:

His video appears to be the most popular of the three, as it garnered the most views on YouTube.

Johan Kramer shot on eight-millimeter film and gave his dog a starring role:

The From Form Film & Design studio used the stop-motion technique by means of various items in the home to stand in for others, like a bread box serving as the car’s garage:

While all the toy cars operate without engines, they do reflect the roots of the brand back in 1895: “The ŠKODA story began not on four wheels, but two: a bicycle called the ‘Slavia’.”  The two founders shared the first name Václav and “a strong inventive spirit.”

Under constraints, inventiveness becomes particularly essential to creative marketing.