Škoda goes nuts for inspiration to launch the Elroq SUV

Škoda has drafted in a cast of chipmunks, raccoons and hummingbirds to launch the Elroq model, its first electric compact SUV, with a global campaign highlighting how curiosity can lead to inspiration.

A 45-minute ad, “Be more Elroq”, spearheads the activity and has been created by FCB London. It opens on a chipmunk sitting surrounded by nuts in a completely stripped-back, green world. The narrator embarks on his mission to share curious facts with the audience by explaining that chipmunks can fit up to 12 nuts in their mouths at the same time.

The focus then shifts to two raccoons, as the voiceover explains that raccoons can see in the dark without blinding other raccoons. Next up is a hummingbird that can drink a flower’s nectar quicker than the narrator can finish his sentence.

These curious facts are apparently metaphors that each represent a feature of the Elroq – quick battery charge, surprising storage space, and LED Matrix headlights. The film ends with an Elroq car driving out in the real world with the tagline “Be more Elroq”.

Five 20-second films feature five different curious facts, including the chipmunk, raccoons and hummingbird. In addition, one film tells viewers that clouds can travel for hundreds of kilometres without getting tired, and another sees a snowdrop emerging from the frozen ground by producing heat.

The campaign will run across TV, print, digital, social and out-of-home globally.

Škoda head of global marketing Meredith Kelly said: “The creative celebrates the Elroq’s high specifications, smooth movements and technical prowess. As well as highlighting the features of the car, FCB London has captured the innovation and curiosity at the heart of the Škoda brand, which enables us to enjoy the world around us all the more.”

FCB London chief creative officer Owen Lee added: “With the Elroq launch for Škoda, we wanted to crack open the category and do something genuinely fresh. That’s where these curious metaphors come in. They’re not just showing you what the Elroq can do, but what Škoda is – a brand with a bold, joyful spirit.”