The WARC Podcast How Reddit saved marketing for Skoda Octavia
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Nov 18, 2025 Joe Crust, Strategy Director at Leo UK, reveals the innovative approach behind the award-winning Skoda Octavia campaign. He discusses how the brand confronted its practicality-focused image, tapping into the candid conversations on Reddit, particularly the CarTalkUK community. Joe shares lessons learned from previous missteps on the platform, emphasizing the importance of community respect. He highlights the campaign's impressive sales uplift and reflects on how to engage authentically with online communities, offering key takeaways for future brand strategies.
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Boring Reputation Was The Core Problem
- The Octavia was highly practical but widely perceived as boring, causing declining likability and sales.
- Strategy needed to flip perception by turning functional respect into genuine excitement around the new model.
Finding The 'Our Lord And Saviour' Moment
- Joe discovered CarTalkUK on Reddit where users both technically praised and memed the Octavia as 'our Lord and Saviour'.
- That community vernacular became the creative lever for the campaign.
Do Due Diligence Before Posting On Reddit
- Treat Reddit with respect and do deep community research before posting.
- Work with Reddit and include team members experienced on the platform to avoid blatant brand posts.