Harris, who appeared in The Truman Show and A Beautiful Mind, promotes the new Vectra model in a £14m campaign that breaks tomorrow (Thursday) and includes print, radio and DM.
The ads, by Lowe with media by Initiative, adopt the tone of a US courtroom melodrama, with Harris as a gruff barrister determined to prove that the model has been reborn. Print work carries on the courtroom theme with the strapline, 'New Vectra. New rules'.
The model update is an important one for Vauxhall, as Vectra, which makes up around 20% of the marque's sales and 2.64% of UK sales overall, struggles to hold its ground in a changing business sales market.
The advent of the 'user chooser' employee with a motoring stipend instead of a company car has given business buyers more choice. In addition, the introduction of the government's 'green tax' on company car emissions earlier this year brought heavy competition for traditional fleet brands such as the Vectra and Ford's Mondeo from smaller rival models such as the Fiat Stilo and VW Polo.
According to May registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Vauxhall's UK sales were down 3.34% on May 2001, though up 7.52% for the full year, year on year.
The GM-owned marque is the UK's second largest car brand, with 12.31% market share compared with market leader Ford, which has 16.29%.
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