Fiat 124 Spider campaign features Wyclef Jean and an eagle
Fiat USA’s launch advert for the 2017 124 Spider combines Wyclef Jean’s music, a live eagle and a nod to the roadster’s Italian roots to promote the MX-5-based convertible.
Fiat USA’s campaign for the 2017 124 Spider launched with a television advert called “Free Like a Bird”, pairing the new roadster with the music of Wyclef Jean and a trained eagle. The spot forms the centrepiece of Fiat’s push to establish the 124 Spider in the US market as it arrives in showrooms for the summer season.
The advert opens with an eagle tailing the Fiat 124 Spider as it winds along coastal roads. When the car stops, the eagle lands on the bootlid. The voiceover suggests that while people want to be as free as birds, perhaps birds want to be as free as us. The eagle is then driven off in the car, with the final message that the 124 Spider is “more fun than flying.”
Wyclef Jean’s track underpins the visuals, giving the campaign a contemporary feel aimed at younger buyers. Fiat has also released a behind-the-scenes video showing how the advert was made, including the use of the eagle on set, and a 360-degree video that lets viewers experience a simulated bird’s-eye view of the 124 Spider driving down Italy’s southern coast.
Fiat 124 Spider: technical details and launch timing
The 2017 124 Spider shares its platform with the Mazda MX-5 but swaps in Fiat’s own 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir engine, producing 160hp and 184lb ft of torque. Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The car is aimed at drivers seeking an alternative to the MX-5 with a more Italian flavour and turbocharged performance.
Fiat’s campaign coincides with the 124 Spider’s arrival in US dealerships, targeting buyers looking for a convertible in time for summer. The brand is also preparing the sportier 124 Spider Elaborazione Abarth, which will add a tuned suspension, limited-slip differential and styling changes.
