Global News

June 19 2007

Suzuki stars in futuristic thriller movie “Babylon AD”

Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce a marketing partnership with the futuristic new action thriller movie “Babylon AD”, which features product placement of the Splash, Landbreeze, and Grand Vitara cars together with an extensive cast of Suzuki motorbikes including the stunning new B-King. The deal was arranged by Suzuki's German distributor, Suzuki International Europe, with backing from Suzuki's headquarters in Japan.

The movie is based on the hit cult novel “Babylon Babies” by French author Maurice Dantec and is currently in production at Barrandov Studios, Prague, and on location around Europe. The $60-million-budgeted film will go on general release in February 2008 with European distribution by Canal Plus and global distribution by 20th Century Fox.

The eagerly awaited “Babylon AD” is directed by esteemed Frenchman Mathieu Kassovitz and features global action hero Vin Diesel, who is renowned for his performances in the box-office hits “The Fast and the Furious” and “xXx”. Diesel plays the film’s hero, Toorop, a futuristic mercenary. Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) co-stars together with French movie legend Gerard Depardieu, English hardman Mark Strong, and French beauty Melanie Thierry.

In the shooting of the film, Grand Vitaras were transformed into New York taxis, the only Landbreeze in existence was spectacularly destroyed, and the Splash made a brief appearance between important motor-show commitments in Geneva and China.

In addition to physical placement of Suzuki products, we are integrating advertising messages into the actual landscape of the movie sets using bluescreen technology and creating ad spots to run in cinemas before the movie.

We will keep you updated about how we intend to exploit our placement in “Babylon AD” to global advantage across our marketing regions and at dealership level.