Porsche is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Boxster with limited-edition version. Image credit: Porsche
German automaker Porsche is marking the 25th anniversary of its entry-level Boxster sports car by rolling out a limited-edition version and commemorating the vehicle’s historical success in a fresh campaign.
Loosely modeled on the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0, the 2021 Boxster 25 years is showcased in a short that casts a light on its illustrious history. The vignette continues the Porsche tradition of adding wistfulness and wonder in its marketing efforts.
“The ad captures the spirit of Porsche, which is an aspirational car for many, through the lens of a child who went from playing with a model Porsche to riding in one as an adult,” said Julie Blackley, communications manager at iSeeCars, Boston. “I think this campaign is unique because it pays homage to the Boxster’s past while also highlighting the car’s 25th anniversary model.”
The Boxster boost
The 1996 introduction of the first Boxster marked a turning point for Porsche, which had been struggling financially in the early 1990s due to declining sales and high production costs.
With its price positioned below the more expensive 911, the agile, mid-engine roadster opened up a new market segment and attracted younger customers.
“The Boxster is credited with saving Porsche from bankruptcy in the 1990s by offering a more budget-friendly sports car that made Porsche ownership attainable to a wider audience,” Ms. Blackley said.
Porsche has produce more than 357,000 Boxster roadsters since the model’s debut, without significant changes to its design.
“The Boxster is Porsche’s entry level car and it has had great success over the years,” said Lauren Fix, automotive expert at The Car Coach, Lancaster, NY.
Porsche reinforces the authenticity and human side of the Boxster brand in a new campaign with nostalgia and the passage of time as the theme.
The campaign plays on the theme of nostalgia
The film follows the poignant narrative of a mother and son over the years, as they transition from cruising around in an older Boxster to driving its anniversary edition.
As Novo Amor’s “Anchor” plays in the background, the video opens with a young man returning home to visit his mother. Upon arrival, they immediately hop into a new silver Boxster for a tour.
The drive sparks flashbacks of the man’s youth, offering reminders of model Porsche cars he played with and trips to the beach with his mother. The mother is seen teaching her son how to drive the Porsche, and other scenes show him falling in love for the first time.
At the close of the film, the flashbacks end and the son and his mother continue their drive. The campaign’s parting shot is a side-by-side view of the oldest and newest Boxster models.
Only 1,250 models of the special-edition Boxster 25 Years will be produced. It reaches a top speed of 293 kmh, sprinting from zero to 100 kmh in four seconds.
The Boxster 25 Years in its classic silver exterior. Image credit: Porsche
With its inner-workings nearly identical to that of the 718 boxster GTS 4.0, the special edition shares a 4.0 litre flat-six engine. In keeping with the style of the original, the vehicle combines a Bordeaux red leather interior with a red fabric convertible top.
Another striking feature is the special model’s copper-like shimmering brown color. Porsche, however, is also offering the Boxster 25 years in silver metallic, deep black metallic and white metallic.
Promotional blitz
Many of the marketing efforts from Porsche center on emotion and passion for its design efforts.
In 2018’s “A Letter Returned,” a young Porsche fan gets the surprise of a lifetime when he comes face-to-face with a Porsche in his small Canadian hometown. The vignette captures the emotional connections consumers can have with luxury autos (see story).
Later that year, the car maker played up how its cars serve as vehicles, literally and metaphorically, for drivers to make new memories in a road trip-themed short film to mark its 70th anniversary (see story).
At the core of Porsche’s marketing campaigns is a show of the enduring appeal of its brands through the years and their association with a quest for adventure.
“The Porsche roadster is timeless and can awaken the adventurous spirit of people of all ages,” iSeeCar’s Ms. Blackley said.