Wish you were here...

If you’re a Metro reader you may have noticed our MD, Jon Davie, commenting this morning on Diesel’s Be Stupid campaign as part of D&AD’s weekly Behind The Idea feature.

Diesel Island was conceived by the global ad agency Santo, as a mythical utopia where the principles of the brand’s Be Stupid manifesto could be lived out. Renzo Rosso, founder and owner of Diesel, admits to being "amazed by the number of people all over the world who fully understood and embraced the message of Be Stupid.”

As Jon notes, “the campaign is built around a rich, detailed and engaging narrative – the kind of story that brands need to become adept at telling in order to connect with audiences in a fragmented media landscape.”

At www.diesel.com/island, virtual visitors can shape the islands laws, meet its citizens and, of course, buy island-friendly clothes via the interactive catalogue.

“Diesel is a brand with a very clear understanding of what makes them unique," believes Jon, "and their Be Stupid campaign does a great job of bringing their contrary, tongue-in-cheek view of the world to life. The campaign is being launched with a print and outdoor campaign, but it’s on digital platforms where the immersive, interactive potential of a storyline like Diesel Island starts to really come to life."

Initiatives planned for further down the line include a Facebook application and a game based on the everyday lives of the island’s inhabitants. If the campaign truly embraces the potential of digital media, Jon sees there being a great opportunity to invite the audience to join the story, not just as passive observers, but as active participants.