To launch the new HR-V, Honda needed a way to break through to young Aussie car buyers - a group that didn’t care much for showrooms, glossy brochures or any other of the car marketing staples.

A group that would rather spend time looking at online reviews than talk to a dealer in person. We knew that if we wanted to reach this group, we needed a way that would meet them in the digital spaces they liked to play in – but one that also brought back a sense of joy and humanity that was sorely missing from the online car buying experience.

Meet HARVEY the talking Honda HR-V: The first car website to use voice activated AI technology to make the car buying process simple, fun and quick.

We partnered with AI specialists to create an engaging voice and text activated AI website that’s accessible from anywhere. Whether it’s the Honda Website, Honda Dealer, Interactive Display, Meta Messenger App and even Google Nest. HARVEY invites people to interact and ask the burning questions that matter most to them.

HARVEY can answer most questions from models and grades, features, ‘how to’ content, service and warranty details, as well as fun and topical content.

HARVEY has been purpose built to learn and evolve so our content and media ecosystem adapts as we understand what resonates with our audiences. And with complete creative control over HARVEY’S AI voice and 3D visuals, we can adapt and create new content in real-time.

Our research found that young Australian car buyers spend an average of 17.6 hours researching cars online. To improve the car buying experience, we created HARVEY, the first car website to use voice-activated AI technology to make car buying simpler, quicker and fun.

Using AI voice cloning and WebGL technology, we created an AI car buying assistant that can answer any questions about the HR-V in a joyful, simple and personable manner. The assistant is accessible via the Honda website, dealership, interactive displays, Meta Messenger App and even Google Nest.

HARVEY is the first car website that uses voice-activated AI technology to make the car buying experience simple, quick, and enjoyable. It aligns with Honda's brand philosophy of providing joyful experiences, especially catering to the preferences of their younger target audience in terms of online behavior.

The team behind HARVEY used Natural Language Processing to create an AI that can learn, process, and answer questions about the HR-V. By analyzing Honda's site analytics, service center questions, and conducting user research, they determined the topics that young Aussies were most interested in, from tech to safety features to more topical questions.

To create HARVEY, the team used a waterfall process, starting with wireframes (UX) that met their campaign objectives. They then prototyped and tested the wireframes and questions/answers via further user testing, iterating on the results.

The design system for HARVEY was created with optimization in mind, considering the constraints of mobile while still being bold and impactful. The minimal white world aesthetic, 3 key colors, and 3D emojis were used to inject fun and personality, with big bold typography and smooth motion design to create a memorable user experience.

HARVEY's development was a collaboration with leading chatbot and AI providers, Resemble AI and BotsCrew, taking approximately 6 months to complete. The build was a one platform/central 'brain' that powered the chatbot (voice and text) across different touchpoints, including the Honda website, interactive displays, Meta Messenger App, and a Google Home audio app, making it accessible from anywhere on any device

To add a more human touch, we cloned the voice of a local comedian and combined it with 3D WebGL technology to create contextually relevant ads and content in real-time.

With over 20,000 conversations in just under 2 months, the Hybrid model sold out right away. Analytics show that site visitors spent an average of 60 seconds interacting with HARVEY and asking it an average of 7 questions about the HR-V. We captured all conversations people were having with Harvey, which helped to shape an optimisation plan to improve the experience and increase engagement/time spent with Harvey.

* Achieved 111% monthly target

* All HR-V hybrid sold out

* 20,000 new/unique visitors to the chatbot (harvey.honda.com.au)

* Average time spent interacting via landing pages was 60s vs. 25 - 30s KPIs