A picture is worth a thousand words, but an X-ray is priceless. Honda Canada Inc. approached its booth at the 2020 Canadian International Auto Show with a vision different from the standard strategy of squeezing as many of Honda's glittering cars into the 194-by-84-foot space as possible. Tapping its visionary partners at Community and Kubik Inc., Honda challenged its team to provide attendees with a new perspective on what makes their vehicles tick. Together, the companies created an interactive engagement that brought guests through the looking glass into the brand's inner-working wonderland. In a stunning display of digital magic, the team created an ingenious interactive experience that gave attendees X-ray vision into its Accord Hybrid. The car's intricate technology was exposed in real-time as guests smoothly slid a screen over the vehicle. Design details like the drive modes, variable transmission, and power-flow monitor were revealed on the screen, which expertly mimicked an X-ray machine. The showcase left visitors awe struck and lingering. One judge couldn't help but note, "Intriguing use of technology that made attendees stick around."

"Honda's goal was to help guests see beyond the paint and leather," said Adriano Almeida, head of creative services and strategy at Kubik. When all was said and done, the up-close look under the hood was eye-opening.

While the X-ray display caught our judges' attention, the rest of the exhibit offered other curious departures from an auto-show norm. The booth looked like a neighborhood that provided visitors with a walk-through of a day in the life of a Honda vehicle in some unique settings. Beautifully polished vehicles were replaced with cars being assembled and even one that had been crash tested.E