The car trip with the family as if it were a dramatic opera and the stop at the service station as an interlude. That is the original narrative that Repsol has proposed to promote the services, products and experiences of its facilities and which represents the starting point of a new communication platform, titled “The road is made by stopping.”
Signed by the creative agency &Rosás in its first work for the brand, the campaign gives a small twist to the way in which service stations have traditionally communicated. Thus, instead of simply presenting them as a transit point where you can refuel, the advertisement shows them as spaces that are part of the trip and that offer everything necessary to better continue the journey.
The message is materialized in a spot that presents the road trip as a play and the service station as an operatic interlude. The discussions and tensions typical of the car cease when the curtain falls, and the actors, in this case the family, take a break in the brand’s facilities. The stores, the integration of Starbucks, the rest areas and the experience offered by employees are some of the aspects highlighted by the advertisement, produced by Primo.
“More than 3,300 service stations in Spain are much more than points on a map. They are a network designed to be close to our customers wherever they move: on the road, in the city or in rural environments.“, they have pointed out from Repsol when sharing the campaign. “Because today a stop is much more than refueling. It’s resting, having a delicious coffee or the best roadside ham sandwich, making a purchase, picking up a package or resolving an unforeseen event. And, above all, having the professionals at our stations, who with their closeness and attention make each experience more comfortable, simple and pleasant.”.
The platform reinterprets one of the most popular verses of the poet Antonio Machado to elevate the brand’s discourse around service stations and establish an emotional connection with the audience. “The challenge was to change the way we understand a stop. We normally associate it with an interruption, when in reality it can be exactly the opposite.“; commented Aldo Coste, Creative Supervisor of &Rosàs, in a statement. “We liked to think of it as an interlude. A pause that makes sense in itself and improves everything that comes after“.
The advertisement was filmed with the participation of employees from Repsol service stations, thereby establishing a tribute to the work they do to make the customer experience possible. “Repsol is, year after year, the most chosen brand for reasons such as friendliness and treatment of employees, quality of products and services, and trust in the brand. It was necessary to translate that reality into a relevant message for people”said Darío Rodríguez, creative manager of Repsol.
In addition to the spot, the campaign includes graphic pieces that convey the brand’s message with portraits of travelers in their cars after a stop at a Repsol service station. They appear serene and rested, but with energy to continue the trip. The photographs have been taken by Laia Sabaté.
