Why car advertising became so dull, and how Škoda is fighting back

Škoda was once the punchline of a joke. Today, it is one of Europe’s biggest car brands.

Meredith Kelly, Škoda’s Chief Marketing Officer, joins Jon Evans to unpack the turnaround. She explains how the team has used brand archaeology to rediscover what made Škoda distinctive, then combined rational product strengths with surprise, creativity and a clearer sense of purpose.

They discuss the challenge of positioning Škoda within the VW Group, what the car industry can learn from FMCG, and why the shift to EVs is creating a rare opportunity for consumers to reconsider long-held brand loyalties.

Meredith also shares why car advertising has become so dull, how Škoda gets braver work through its agency partners, and the long-term value of its Tour de France sponsorship.

Timestamps
00:00 - Trailer
01:02 - How do you pronounce Skoda
01:39 - Meredith’s uncensored AI opinion
04:24 - Why Meredith switched from FMCG to automotive
05:58 - What automotive can learn from FMCG marketing
08:23 - Positioning Skoda in a portfolio company (VW Group)
11:17 - How does the Chinese competition affect Skoda
12:30 - How the launch of EVs give people permission to switch brand loyalty
14:01 - The EV adoption across Europe
15:00 - How Skoda has transformed their brand
18:02 - The power of brand archaeology
21:00 - The power of surprise for a rational brand
23:15 - Skoda’s cycling innovation: The Duobell
30:24 - Why are car ads so dull?
32:37 - How Skoda works with agencies to create work that isn’t dull
35:09 - How Skoda transformed the negative brand perception
39:03 - Why Skoda continue to sponsor the Tour de France
43:06 - How to activate a large sports sponsorship
44:58 - Being one of Forbes most entreprenuerial CMOs
46:48 - The best advice Meredith has been given

Thank you to System1 for sponsoring Uncensored CMO. Find out more about Test Your Ad Screen here:
https://system1group.com/