RAC taps into summer road-trip memories with new TV ad

The RAC – the UK’s first breakdown provider – is tapping into the joy of summer motoring with a new TV campaign that combines nostalgic childhood memories of going on holiday by car with its modern reinvention as the ‘British staycation’.

Using a powerful montage of images – both stills and film from past and present – the 30-second ad shows a continuous journey from home to a British summer holiday destination with the offer of ‘making summer go that little bit further’ with up to £50 free fuel for becoming an RAC member.

The BBH-created ad, which breaks on Wednesday 9 July and runs on all main channels for a month, is set to an uplifting British music track that embodies the emotions people feel about holidays and road trips, and complements the voiceover which emphasises the RAC’s commitment to always getting motorists where they’re going.

It reads: “At the RAC, we’ve always known how much summer matters to you. So if you become a member today, we’ll give you up to £50 of free fuel. That way, you can be sure you’ll get where you’re going … and make summer go that little bit further.”

The multi-million pound campaign incorporates brand response TV and radio as well as an integrated programme of PR, social media, digital, DM and direct sales.

RAC chief marketing officer John Orriss said: “Those weeks in the summer when we leave work, school or college behind and head to the seaside, lakes or hills are special to all of us. We wanted our summer campaign to capture the magic and anticipation of the Great British summer road trip through showcasing all the little things that people do from trying to fit all the luggage in the car to the kids asleep in the back and teenagers listening to their iPods, and then finally that wonderful feeling of arriving at your destination and unpacking.

“To make this even more evocative we set the journey across the decades, starting in the 1970s and finishing in the present day, interspersing holiday images with RAC pictures – past and present – to reinforce our historic and current role in enabling motorists to make it safely to their destinations when their vehicles aren’t quite up to the task.

“Summer is a key time of year when people need to purchase breakdown cover, so as the motorist’s champion, we wanted to make those memorable holiday car journeys more affordable by offering free fuel.”

The spirit of the Great British summer road trip is being brought to life through social media as the RAC is inviting people to share their pictures using #RacRoadTrip through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the chance to win prizes. And one lucky winner’s picture has already been included in the TV ad, with another due to be chosen and edited into the ad for broadcast on 21 July.

In addition, a Facebook app is being used to collate all imagery into a library of road trip memories which people can share.