Under the guidance of Mesh’s Kerry Friend and Michael Zylstra, a team comprising writers and designers Rory Macrobert, Coenraad Sutton, Linel Louw and Matthys Esterhuysen and 3D visualisation agency turned an empty shop window into an entertaining interactive promotion for the new vehicle.

Using paper sculptures from artist Kelda Van Heerden and discarded pieces of plastic, toys and kitchen utensils, they up-cycled the lot into a mechanism that delivered a sweet to anyone who tweeted the hash tag painted on the window outside.

The video – filmed by Groundglass and edited by Mustard Productions – shows how this interaction caused passersby to stop and engage with the brand.

The activation has the same look and feel of the TVC created to launch the Etios. Developed by executive creative director James Cloete; creative director Tian van den Heever; art directors Danni Meneghin and Nivedhna Maniduti; and copywriter Liam Galt, it opted to steer away from the standard motor vehicle TV ad.

Together with Groundglass, the team devised a test drive unlike any other. Using infra-red technology, it activated jack-in-the-box type of special effects along the route. It also populated certain sections with cartoon characters and messages of happiness.

The drivers’ reactions were secretly filmed and there were smiles all round. In fact, the end of the test drive route virtually exploded with joy with a rainbow, rockets spewing coloured smoke, fuzzy animals, balloons and ribbons.