We were asked to create a brand manifesto and long-copy newspaper ad for second-hand Vespas in South Africa. The frustration caused by being forced to crawl in first gear by Cape Town traffic opens the door for pre-owned Vespas to be seen as the perfect alternative for adventuring Capetonians who despise wasting their time in traffic.
The Work
For Heaven’s Sake, Get Going!
Done! Absolutely done with it! Hours and hours wasted stuck between nowhere and somewhere. Just because some buffoon decided he’ll take the robot with him on his morning commute. Done with the indigestion-inducing congestion on a Friday afternoon. Come to think of it, any afternoon. And the dog days of summer with a broken aircon! A special kind of hell. Speaking of summer. Ever try to find parking even remotely close to the beach? It’s enough to make one wish for a thunderstorm. And those bloody bumper stickers. Cool, so you have ten cats. Shouldn’t you be driving faster to feed them or something? Don’t even get me started on the petrol price. Headbutting a pitchfork has to be less painful than filling up. And for the grand finale: taxis. Causing a steady stream of traffic Tourettes, so foul you have no choice but to make a detour past the confessional.
Of course, you could always get a Vespa. Just grab your keys a and be off. Zip past a line of thirty-odd cars waiting at the robot-turned-four-way-stop-street-turned-ex-steroid-junkiebrawl during load shedding. Right to the front. In nothing flat. Crisis averted at the twist of the wrist. You feel the warm sun baking and the happy hormones coursing. While the breeze (because, why yes, you are still moving) wards off the heat. You can’t help but crack a smile. This is fun! After a pitstop at the garage, you and your full tank are on your way. With a pocket full of change. Why not give yourself a little victory wink in the chrome-plated side mirror while you’re at it? And on arrival you park. That’s correct, you just spot a little space and park. You’re early. Who would’ve thought?
If you’ve finally realised you can’t bear one more minute trapped in a four-wheeled torture chamber, there’s a pre-loved Vespa waiting for you. Get going! It took you long enough.
Vespa Brand Manifesto
Vespa is for the adventurers.
The sunset chasers.
The late-night dancers.
The sunrise seekers.
The curfew missers.
The mystery kissers.
The adventure creators.
The life embracers.
For the class skippers.
The weekend warriors.
The won’t-fit-in-ers.
The constant grinners.
The passion abiders.
The joy finders.
The traffic avoiders.
The it’s-not-that-far-ers.
There are those who exist and those who live.
Be the latter.