Honda Canada has consolidated the creative assignment for its motorcycle, ATV, power equipment, marine and engine divisions with Calgary’s ClearMotive Marketing Group following a competitive review.
The review included three other agencies: Grip Limited, Tag and The Hive. A full-service agency established in 2005, ClearMotive had handled national print advertising for MCPE for the past three years, while co-founder and chief creative officer Chad Kroeker (pictured in black jacket with ClearMotive CEO Tyler Chisholm) had also worked with the company nine years ago.
As agency of record, ClearMotive will now provide Honda with strategic guidance and creative across all advertising platforms, including print, interactive, social media, radio and television.
Among the agency’s core objectives is bolstering Honda’s motorcycle business, which has been aggressively challenged by Japanese and European manufacturers in recent years.
Honda has previously directed advertising for its motorcycle and ATV products at specialty publications, rider blogs, etcetera, but is now expanding into mainstream marketing channels in an attempt to attract new riders. That strategy includes what Kroeker called a “significant marketing investment” behind the new CBR250R, a sport motorcycle ideally suited to novice riders.
“Their focus is very aggressive on bringing Honda back into that number one position again,” said Kroeker.
ClearMotive also plans to incorporate what has been an internal philosophy, “There’s a Honda for everyone,” in the company’s advertising within the next two quarters. “It’s something that Honda has been saying for years and now it’s becoming a brand message that we’re focused on,” he said.
Future marketing around Honda’s power equipment and marine products, meanwhile, is expected to place heavy emphasis on the fact that the company’s production of power equipment products recently surpassed 100 million globally, said Kroeker.
ClearMotive recently took over another floor at its Calgary headquarters and opened a Toronto office to service the Honda account. The agency, which recently ranked seventh on Alberta Venture magazine’s “Fast Growth 50” for its three-year annualized revenue growth of 52%, currently employs 16 full-time staff at its offices in Calgary and Toronto.
“Our focus is on small to medium-sized businesses, but providing national agency-level creative,” he said. “We love working with business owners that want to see the return on their marketing investment.”
