'Godzilla Craves Italian' Fiat brand commercial debuts
(May 6, 2014) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Leading up to the May 16 release of Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' hugely anticipated epic action adventure "Godzilla," Fiat Brand North America launched a new commercial across television on May 5.
The 30-second spot features Godzilla rampaging through an American city, targeting anyone driving a Fiat vehicle. The visual effects were created by the Canadian visual effects house Moving Picture Company (MPC), the team responsible for bringing Godzilla to life in the film, who achieve the same level of cinematic finish and dramatic impact in the spot.
The commercial began airing across television on May 5, with a special extended “Director’s Cut” available for viewing at FiatUSA.com.
“As one of the year’s most-anticipated films prepares to hit movie screens, we want to think big like the Fiat 500L, and what’s bigger than ‘Godzilla,’” said Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer and Fiat Group Automobiles head of Fiat brand. “There’s no escaping that whether appetites run for a sporty Fiat 500C, the small-but-wicked Abarth or the four-door Fiat 500L, there is a Fiat for every taste.”
The new commercial unleashes Godzilla on the streets of a major city, where he devours a number of Fiat 500 vehicles. While a helicopter hovers overhead, a yellow four-door Fiat 500L zips through the streets below unsuccessfully trying to evade Godzilla’s path. But Godzilla gets much more than he bargained for with the Fiat 500L when he scoops it up! Godzilla is back! “And it looks like he’s craving Italian!”
The spot achieves a striking cinematic feel through its detailed environments, realistic atmosphere and the awe-inspiring power of Godzilla himself.
In addition to the co-branded TV spot, Fiat USA is also executing a movie-themed promotion in support of Godzilla, which invites fans to participate in two distinctive social programs. Beginning May 9, the “Fiat Godzilla Giveaway” challenges fans of Fiat and "Godzilla" to prove their ultimate fandom by inviting their Facebook friends and fellow aficionados to "like" Fiat USA on Facebook.
Users simply visit the "Fiat Godzilla Giveaway" tab on the Fiat USA Facebook page. Throughout the length of the promotion, movie passes and concessions will be given away in daily sweepstakes. A point system will determine the grand prize winner, who will be awarded the ultimate "Godzilla" movie experience — 10 movie passes, $150 for concessions and "Godzilla"-themed merchandise.
At the end of May, fans can visit www.FiatUSA.com and click on the “San Francisco Showdown” icon to help Godzilla search through a Giga Pixel landscape photograph of San Francisco, the city in which the film’s spectacular finale plays out, to find the hidden Fiat brand vehicles and Fiat logos. For each find, users gain one entry into the sweepstakes to win a three-day trip for two to San Francisco.
The 30-second commercial was created in partnership with Dallas-based The Richards Group.