Škoda UK Launches 'Electric, but Škoda' Campaign to Demystify EV Ownership and Challenge Stereotypes
Key Insights
Škoda UK and Leo UK launched 'Electric, but Škoda,' a new campaign challenging common misconceptions about electric vehicle drivers.
The multi-channel campaign, featuring TV, social, and influencer content, aims to normalize EV ownership for undecided consumers.
Škoda seeks to position its EV range as approachable and desirable, countering the perception of electric cars as an 'other' category.
The initiative highlights Škoda's strategy to broaden EV appeal by focusing on everyday practicality rather than niche stereotypes.
Škoda UK, in collaboration with Leo UK, has launched a new marketing campaign titled 'Electric, but Škoda,' designed to challenge prevailing stereotypes surrounding electric vehicle (EV) drivers and normalize EV ownership for a broader consumer base. The initiative, which commenced on July 11, 2025, aims to demystify the transition to electric mobility for drivers hesitant about making the switch, emphasizing the brand's accessible and practical EV range.
The multi-channel campaign features a 60-second film set in a British cul-de-sac, where a family moving into a new home with an EV is met with humorous, stereotypical judgments from their neighbors. The narrative playfully confronts misconceptions, portraying EV drivers as ordinary individuals rather than 'tech bros' or 'hipsters.' Complementing the main film, 45-second social-first videos across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok further engage audiences by directly addressing and debunking these 'hipstery hummus-eating smoothie drinkers' and 'Bluetooth bellybuttons' stereotypes. Shorter cutdowns and animated WhatsApp conversations from the neighborhood characters extend the campaign's reach and interactivity, fostering online dialogue around EV perceptions.
Kirsten Stagg, Marketing Director at Škoda UK, highlighted the strategic intent behind the campaign, stating, "There is a trend in the auto industry to treat electric cars like a totally new category, reinforcing this sense of ‘otherness’, which is keeping many people from trading in their petrol and diesel cars." She emphasized Škoda's goal to position its electric vehicles as simply great cars that happen to be electric, aiming to be an approachable yet desirable entry point into the EV market. Mark Elwood, Chief Creative Officer at Leo UK, added that the campaign taps into everyday British conversations, celebrating community quirks while delivering the important message that switching to electric is not daunting.
Further elements of the campaign include a paid social series, 'Ask Škoda,' where neighborhood characters pose common questions about EVs, providing educational content about Škoda's electric lineup and general EV facts. Collaborations with diverse social media influencers, including gardening and upcycling experts, will showcase the practical utility of Škoda's EVs in daily tasks. This campaign follows Leo Burnett's successful 2024 social-first campaign for Škoda, 'The Redditor Edit,' which garnered significant industry accolades, underscoring the agency's innovative approach to automotive marketing.