Škoda Teaches the World How to Say Its Name

It's Šhhhkoda! Now you know

Say that name: Šhhhkoda!

Škoda leans into pronunciation in amusing work from Leo U.K.

“The Š has always been part of our identity, but we’ve never really given it center stage before,” says Kirsten Stagg, the carmaker’s marketing director.

“The campaign allows us to celebrate an authentic part of our Czech heritage while creating something playful and memorable which provides us with a springboard to establish that our cars are šmart, špacious and štylish.”

This špot puts the approach in peršpective:

The work feels fun and in keeping with the auto brand’s penchant for big-idea promos designed to grab attention (its Tour de France graffiti art hypring for women’s cycling serving as a recent example). In a way, “Šhhhkoda” resembles efforts for Buschhhhh Beer, and those certainly proved popular.

“By turning the pronunciation of Škoda into a national talking point, we’ve created a campaign that invites participation and proves that sometimes the smallest detail can start the biggest conversations,” says Leo creative director Graham Lakeland.

The concept plays across TV, OOH, print, social, PR, influencer activity, OOH and partnerships.