Life is turned on its head for Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) when he travels to France to sell a vineyard he has inherited from his great-uncle. Max’s travels through Provence in a Smart fortwo mark the start of a new life. But the usually successful businessman doesn’t recognize it until much later. First he has to struggle with the navigation system and almost runs over an attractive young Frenchwoman, Fanny (played by Marion Cotillard), without noticing. But the Smart fortwo brings about a reunion: Fanny recognizes the car outside the vineyard – and love gets a second chance. Then Max is offered a partnership by his boss. He has to make up his mind. Should he turn his back on the London business world?

Recognizing the essentials

The romantic comedy shows: True Happiness does not rest on wealth – but on quality of life. “The hero comes to see that consciously giving up some things can add to his joie de vivre,” explains Anders Sundt Jensen, Marketing and Sales Director at smart. “The protagonist leaves his old life behind him and makes a new start with the Smart fortwo. He soon discovers the advantages of the smart, which is an emblem of his new life. What looks small from the outside offers a lot of space on the inside. By cutting down to just two seats the driver wins agility and more freedom, for example, when parking. In brief: our product and brand values make an ideal match for the film content.” In star director Ridley Scott’s film the Smart fortwo often takes center stage. On winding country roads or full parking spaces – the “stream green” city car always makes a great impression.

Double premiere for smart

High-profile product placements such as this are a highlight of smart’s new communication strategy: “Focused Marketing” aims to minimize media coverage waste and to appeal directly to customers and potential customers, ensuring an integrated brand presence in Europe. For “The Pink Panther” Smart organized a unique competition with an online preliminary round and a final rally in the original film locations. The game was flanked with a multitude of PR activities.