Dive Brief:

• There's something unusual in the air for Chrysler's 60-second "Flying Pigs" digital video spots promoting its new Pacifica Hybrid minivan, according to a company press release. 
• The storybook-styled ads, which are getting a full-fledged rollout on YouTube as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, feature parents who are so wowed by the Pacifica's features that they ignore a number of fantastical goings-on outside, including flying pigs that wow their kids. The campaign was created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners.
• "[O]ur story requires a very specific message — one that speaks to two very distinct audiences (parents and children)," Olivier Francois, CMO of FCA Global, said in a statement. "Through the spot's unique story-telling device, flying pigs and blue moons are seen as the device to highlight segment-first features that are almost unbelievable and will appeal to adults and kids alike."

Dive Insight:

The campaign around Chrysler's new Pacifica model, geared toward the eco-friendly hybrid market, is interesting on a number of fronts. The spot is relatively long at 60 seconds, for one thing, and Chrysler is taking a digital-first approach to product launch with a comprehensive rollout on its official YouTube page as well as across social platforms.

Given the importance of TV in automotive marketing — as well as the importance of the automotive category for TV ad revenue — Chrysler's decision to put digital front-and-center for the Pacifica seems significant and might be a bid to connect with younger audiences who watch television less but tend to value more environmentally-conscious products.

While digital is set to outpace TV for the first time ever in terms of media spend, with digital video as the hot item, some marketers have become frustrated with the channel not having the guarantees TV provides. Taco Bell CMO Marisa Thalberg noted that she's planning to allocate more budget to TV and less to digital in 2017 after the latter lead her brand down some "garden paths" last year. 

The press release didn’t specify, but it is likely that the “Flying Pig” spot will eventually be edited into more TV-friendly 15- and 30-second spots. However, it's telling that Chrysler chose to use a longer format video spot with more breathing room for storytelling.