Skydivers spell out live Honda advert on Channel 4

Thu May 29 2008, 15:41 PM

Channel 4 broadcast a live Honda advert last night that showed 19 skydivers jumping in formation to spell out the company's name. The parachutists, who jumped over Madrid, had three minutes and 10 seconds to spell the promotional message before their parachutes opened. The USD1bn stunt came ahead of Honda's new multi-million dollar ad campaign, which starts Jun 1 and features 45 skydivers promoting the Honda Accord over the Mojave Desert.

Live adverts are not unprecedented - all TV was live in the early 1950s - but they remain rare. The Honda ads come as broadcasters and advertisers increasingly seek new ways to reach viewers, who have more ways to avoid commercials by watching shows on-demand and online.

Channel 4's strategic sales team and 4creative developed the idea for the advert, which is inspired by Honda's strapline, "If it's difficult it's worth doing."