MAZDA Australia has gone back to the future with a cutsie urban-bias TVC to promote its CX-3 small SUV that has just been overhauled as part of its mid-life makeover.

The ad by Clemenger Harvie Edge Proximity (CHEP) was launched this week and maintains Mazda’s focus on the target CX-3 buyer.

Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak said the target “absolutely remains the same”.

“It is still that younger pre-family buyer that is probably skewed more to the female buyer, but then we tend to be more female-focused, and I think that has been one of our strengths,” he said.

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“The TVC is about the style of the new vehicle, because that’s what we see as being one of the most important features of a new-car purchase.

“So, the new campaign concentrates on looks and we have adopted the ‘modern classic’ theme. The look of the CX-3 makes the car distinctive, and it’s something buyers want.”

The ad was filmed in Melbourne, but Mr Doak said it “was made to look anywhere else but Melbourne”.

“This is the third campaign for the car,” he said.

“We did the stop-motion ad and then we evolved that, and then we had the dance in the studio campaign, and now this ‘film noir’ done in Melbourne.

“The CX-3 was launched in 2015 and the target gets refined over time but basically remains the same. It shows that we’re right on the money with our marketing.”

Mr Doak said Mazda Australia had used CHEP “for several decades and we have a very close relationship”.

“I guess they’re part of the furniture with us.”

By Neil Dowling