Following The AA’s launch of the “It’s Ok, I’m With The AA” campaign, the brand has returned with its newest phase featuring Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter. The campaign comes after the timely release of Street Fighter 6 just a few months ago, with the ad featured on social media and DOOH touchpoints.
Based on the bonus level scene from the game’s second instalment, Ryu and Ken are seen pulverising a car to a wreck. As the duo achieve their mission and a narrator congratulates them, a non-Street Fighter character looks at his demolished car.
Despite the sorry state of his vehicle, “It’s Ok, I’m With The AA” says big, bold, black letters across a yellow background. The juxtaposition conveys the message that even if your car gets KO-ed, drivers can always count on The AA.
DOOH assets for the ad campaign were distributed by The Gate Worldwide, appearing in UK locations with high foot traffic. These include major British cities like London, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and Reading.
With the inclusion of Street Fighter, the campaign takes on a creative, retro twist that sparks nostalgia in long-time gamers. Since its sixth and newest release in June, the game has sold over 2 million copies, thus maintaining its position as a classic treasure.
Throwbacks to nostalgic pop culture icons have long been a successful advertising tactic, bringing familiarity and a sense of comfort to the present. Besides The AA’s Street Fighter feature, other recent examples include NSYNC member JC Chasez’s Meow Mix advertisement, Allbirds’ vintage-inspired trainer, and even Marc Jacobs’ venture into bright hair dyes – all reminiscent of the ‘90s.
