Honda's Iconic Monkey Motorcycle Returns with Bold Print Campaign

DDB Paris has launched a new print campaign for Honda Motors' Monkey model. 

In 1961, Honda decided to make a mini-motorcycle designed to delight children in a Japanese amusement park. Fun and user-friendly, children loved the concept as they just had to turn the accelerator handle to make headway and enjoy a ride on the merry-go-round to which the motorcycles were firmly attached. But adults quickly adopted this new toy and liked the groundbreaking ride. People were entirely comfortable with the childishness of it.

“The Monkey turned out to be so popular that a version approved for roads was swiftly developed” said Honda Motors. That was how Monkeys were brought to the market, with a name simply inspired by the monkey-like shape adults take on when riding the vehicle. The company adds: “Its popularity came from both its design and seductive shapes, its compact dimensions and its lightweight qualities that provide immediate driving pleasure” recalls the world’s number one.

For fifty years, Monkey forged its reputation, finding a place in the hearts of millions of people worldwide. It even became one of the most emblematic two-wheelers and a symbol of popular culture (John Lennon’s recently fetched over £30,000 in an auction).

So, when Honda officially announced it would be launching a new Monkey to celebrate fifty years of the icon, it was vital to get back to basics: why it was first created, what it was designed for and such fundamentals. DDB Paris has done as much with its new campaign. 

The print and poster campaign were launched in France on May 10, 2019.