The campaign, which has been developed by Red Cell, WPP's fourth communications network, leads with the line 'Beauty is not enough', a philosophy that Alfa Romeo has adopted at the highest level within the company. The strategy is the result of extensive consumer analysis in the main European markets trough which the company has sought to understand the current consumer context for car purchasing, as well as specific reactions to Alfa Romeo cars today. 

"The Alfa Romeo brand has an almost mythical heritage, based on racing, romance and Italian style. The brand had a strong re-launch at the end of the nineties obtaining great success with the new model range: amongst which the Alfa 156 in 1997 and the Alfa 147 in 2001 were both elected "car of the year" in the respective years. Sales have risen sensibly in recent years", comments Alessandro Furfaro, Vice President Marketing, Alfa Romeo. " However the time is now right to build on this, to regain our uniqueness and appeal more to today's consumer. 

"The concept of beauty and the role it plays in people's lives has changed significantly over the last few years", he continues. "Beauty today is a broad and profound concept. Successful products and brands are the ones able to match together the importance of substance, with a renewed beauty and a harmonic expression of form and content. At Alfa Romeo, we are known for our beauty, but this is not enough. Our product is leader for technology and performance, yet during the last few years there has been a perception gap in consumers' minds. Re-addressing this has become a key driver for us. 

'Beauty is not enough' describes the paradox that is Alfa Romeo. The brand attracts for its Italian style, but once driven, the consumer discovers the technology. Alongside its sporty heritage and high performance, Alfa Romeo is a car that delivers absolute control. And the beauty of its design is completed by a perfect handling and a unique driving pleasure whatever the road and the weather conditions. So in many ways, Alfa Romeo resolves the paradox: style versus substance, speed versus control, beauty versus intelligence. 

In addition, the new brand strategy reflects a desire to appeal to a broader consumer base, including women and young people. 

'Beauty is not enough' is not a promise, but the confirmation of what Alfa Romeo has been doing in recent years. 

The re-launch of the GTA sub brand is the highlight of Alfa Romeo's sport-technology. This aptly chosen name identifies a range of vehicles that constitute the absolute quintessence of the Brand's sporting values. Models with a spirit that harks back to a great tradition of racing and victories, coupled with a highly sophisticated, up-to-date engine and mechanical specification. 

The Alfa 156 GTA came first in March 2002: 3.2 V6, 24 valve, 250 BHP, 250 km/h, with torque of 30,6 kmg a 4800 rpm. The model has been produced with the aim of creating an everyday car that can still offer its driver race-track performance and sensations under the right circumstances. 

The Alfa 147 GTA, the most powerful car in its category, followed in November 2002, offering attractive styling, great temperament and outstanding automotive engineering, but also providing top-quality interiors and a finish complemented by an ultra-comprehensive electronic and telematic package. 

The engine is the same sizzling 3.2 V6 24v unit of Alfa 156 GTA. The suspension geometry and settings have been altered. And VDC - a highly sophisticated vehicle dynamic control system - has been added as standard. The result is a car that is the most powerful and fastest representative of its segment (250 BHP - 184 kW) and capable of thrilling performance: 246 km/h top speed; 6.3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and 26.1 to cover a kilometre from a standing start. 

In November Alfa Romeo also proudly presented the second generation of Common Rail power units, i.e. 16 valve JTD engines with Multijet technology. The first member of this new engine family in the world was the 140 BHP (31 kW) 1.9 JTD unit adopted on the Alfa 147, 156 and Sportwagon models, fitted in conjunction with a sporty 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine, absolutely revolutionary in its field, offers various benefits. Firstly, lower noise levels as the engine warms up. Then, great power (140 BHP - 103 kW - at 4000 rpm) and generous torque (31 kgm - 304 Nm - at 2000 rpm). Searing performance but low fuel consumption. Not to mention the fact that the new power unit reduces emissions even without sophisticated exhaust gas treatment devices. A prompt response in every condition: 90% of a maximum torque from 1750 to 3250 revolutions per minute. 

As a result, 'Beauty is not enough' is therefore the communication strategy that reflects the substance behind the styling. 
The new advertising campaign expresses this. 

In the TV execution, "Weightless", the ad opens on an imaginary world in which everything is beautiful and stylish, but floats in the air. Only one thing is stuck to the ground - the Alfa 147. 
The car drives through the floating objects in a completely natural way: allowing the viewer to note the performance and control. The car arrives in front of a modern, trend setting venue and a beautiful smiling girl gets out of the car. Her feet (unlike the other people) stick firmly to the ground. She gives the car key to a floating parking attendant who immediately sinks to the pavement. The claim appears, "Alfa 147: Beauty is not enough". 

Pino Rozzi and Roberto Battaglia, the joint Creative Directors at Red Cell responsible for the campaign were enthusiastic about the challenge. "When we first got into the car, we thought Wow!" explains Rozzi. "However, this is part of the problem - you are buying with your heart and not your head. The consumer needs to be reassured on a rational level as well. 

"The reality is that the Alfa Romeo is a beautiful car, but it delivers far more than this. Its' beauty is not just skin deep and we needed to remind consumers of this. Just as in life, aesthetics only have meaning if there is substance."
"The new advertising is a strong, emotive declaration of the new value system for the brand and represents the first important signal of opening up a new dialogue with the consumer", explains (Hans Hoegstedt, Communication Director Alfa Romeo) 

The television and cinema campaign will be complemented by new print and outdoor advertising. The print has a new graphic format that reflects consumers' need to buy into a variety of things. "Consumers want to buy a beautiful car, but they also want a piece of history and a lifestyle in which passion is a core value", continues Hans Hoegstedt. "In addition, they require rational reasons to support an emotional choice". As such the print ads sit within a 'substantive' steel grey framework, rather than the traditional Alfa red. The framework provides an opportunity to tell a story about each Alfa model. The hero of the story is the car, which is then surrounded by blocks that contain the emotional and technical cues for potential buyers. 

The print encompasses eight executions (single and double page spreads, and posters). The flexible format allows Alfa to talk about each car, the environment in which it can live and the emotions that people attach to it. 

The campaign launch will be in Italy and will roll out to 29 markets across Europe and Japan. 

Red Cell is the first global communications network to combine unique companies with shared values of ideas and creativity. With a deliberate focus on the future market context, its raison d'être is to use disruptive creativity to create commercial wealth for its clients. Red Cell is currently present in 23 markets worldwide. Clients include: Alfa Romeo, Aventis, Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, Guinness, Microsoft, Nestlé, Nike, Nokia, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Tourist Board. Red Cell is a WPP company.