Škoda UK is embracing its Czech roots to accentuate the háček above the Š that means its brand name is pronounced “Šhhhkoda”, in a new ad campaign that highlights one of the marque’s most distinctive yet overlooked features.
Devised by Leo UK, the activity will run across TV, OOH, print, social, PR, influencer activity and partnerships. It is based on a simple observation: the first thing most people do when they hear the correct pronunciation of Škoda is smile, repeat it and draw out the “sh”.
The activity is being led by a 60-second film following the chain reaction that unfolds when people hear “Šhhhkoda” for the first time, passing the pronunciation from person to person. Supported by 30 and 6-second cutdowns, the film introduces “Šmart”, “Špacious” and “Štylish”, playful twists on the brand’s name that reappear throughout the wider campaign.
Across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn, feature-led films, trend-inspired content and automotive edits demonstrate the clever practical features, storage solutions, spaciousness and design of models across the Škoda range.
Large-scale OOH executions exaggerate the brand’s accent mark with an extended “Šhhhhhhhhhh”, while transforming the brand’s key messages into “Šhhmart”, “Šhhpacious” and “Šhhtylish”. The campaign extends into a major Waterloo station takeover, Elizabeth Line escalator ribbon placements and further digital installations, where “Šhhhh” stretches across screens, sites and station environments. Media planning and buying was handled by PHD.
The device also appears in moments where silence is expected. From cinema to Škoda’s sponsorship of ITV Showcase Drama, and even in the stands at major sporting events, the campaign uses the extended “Šhhhh” to politely hush audiences while drawing attention to the brand. The idea also runs through a series of bespoke ITVX idents, with linear TV idents due to follow later this year.
Škoda UK marketing director Kirsten Stagg said: “The Š has always been part of our identity, but we’ve never really given it centre stage before. The campaign allows us to celebrate an authentic part of our Czech heritage while creating something playful, memorable and unmistakably Škoda which provides us with a springboard to establish that our cars are “Šmart”, “Špacious” and “Štylish”.
Leo UK creative director Graham Lakeland added: “Great creative gives people a reason to join in. The challenge with our ‘Šhhhkoda’ campaign wasn’t just to tell people the brand is smart, spacious and stylish; it was to find an idea that would make those qualities culturally memorable. By turning the pronunciation of Škoda into a national talking point, we’ve created a campaign that invites participation and proves that sometimes the smallest detail can start the biggest conversations.”
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