She was born with her contagious laugh. But to look right into the photographer’s lens with a big smile on the sixth shot? That must have taken some practice. “I had plenty of time to practice since April of last year,” says Sue Anne O’Donnell, still laughing. That was when she won the ‘ADAMyourself’ contest in Ireland and was thrust under the spotlight for video and photo shoots. This time, she’s putting herself in front of the camera.
Last year, Opel called upon the people in the online and social media community in 12 European countries to develop their very own ADAM configuration, and asked users and jury members to select the best one for a limited edition. Sue Anne was the winner on the Emerald Isle with her cream-colored model featuring a red roof, red logo bar, and sporty decor on the hood and doors. Since then, she has proved to be a highly spirited brand ambassador for the urban compact car. “Sue Anne, the ADAM, and Opel were a match made in heaven from the start,” says Opel Brand Manager Elsa Touchard. Which is why the friendly Irishwoman is still involved, even now that the campaign is over. She remains in contact with the managers at Opel, eagerly posting on Instagram as she continues along her journey.
On a summer tour with ADAM
It was her idea to depart from Ireland this summer on a mission to visit as many other European winners of the contest as possible. Her last stop was in the Netherlands. Before that she was in England, and will now drive to Hochheim, where the German winner ‘Red Velvet Cake’ and its designer Vanessa are expecting her. After that she will continue on to Switzerland. She’ll also make a brief stop in Rüsselsheim for a photo shoot, as an added bonus. It’s more or less on the way.
Sue Anne came up with ‘Talk to you later (TTYL), gone for a cuppa’ as the name for her special ADAM model and also for her summer tour. It sounds as if Sue Anne knows a thing or two about marketing, but she is no professional. The Irishwoman works as a life coach and vocational counselor for school and college students.
Best buddy Terrier Archie stays faithfully at Sue Anne’s side as she tours across Europe.
Seasons in the sun Sue Anne makes a stop in sunny Rüsselsheim.
Ireland And the winner is ‘TTYL – gone for a cuppa.’
#ADAMyourself – a campaign that took the online community by storm
Last year, Opel called upon the people in the online and social media community to create their very own unique ADAM. The response to the #ADAMyourself campaign, backed by ten lifestyle bloggers, was huge: More than 3.3 million users visited the campaign website www.adamyourself.com, and 100,000 individual ADAM designs were developed. Vehicles from the special edition ‘#ADAMyourself’ model series based on the designs of the 12 country winners have been on the road in their respective markets since last fall.
According to Sue Anne’s calculations, she will cover a distance of around 5,000 kilometers in her ADAM. But will she get lonely in between all the visits? Not at all. She will have plenty to do during those hours in the car, such as thinking up stories about the other drivers on the road passing by. After all, ADAM aficionados are creative in every way.
Or she will chat with her terrier Archie, who is cream-colored like the car and always keeps a watchful, if somewhat possessive, eye on his mistress. Or she will listen to music with Apple CarPlay. She has plenty of recommendations from her ADAM friends, who are following her journey on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. “I’m going to make a playlist with just these songs when I get a chance.”
White stands for purity, red stands for love
What brought her together with the ADAM? Sue Anne’s tone becomes sober as she tells us about the tragic background behind the mission she has set out for herself. Her son Adam died in a car accident on Valentine’s Day 2014. She took it as a sign that Opel was giving away a car with her son’s name as part of a design contest. The fact that she won it was another sign.
Her trip is also dedicated to the memory of her son. So is the design of the ADAM. “The white stands for purity, that despite all our troubles, we can start a new every day,” explains Sue Anne. “And red is the color of love.” And so Sue Anne also understands her summer trip across Europe: heading for new goals every day – guided by the love.