In Paper, which was created in partnership with ad agency RPA, Honda’s automobiles, as well as its planes, bikes, and other vehicles, are drawn onto small scraps of paper.

The ad is constructed from thousands of paper illustrations stitched together with stop-motion filming.

The spot was directed by Oscar-nominated animator PES.

“This ad’s really not about paper flipping – it’s about paper engineering”, says Tom Peyton, Honda’s assistant vp of advertising, in a behind-the-scenes video on the commercial’s production. This rejuvenated approach to overall brand marketing is the sum of Honda’s best thinking and could only come from the company’s years of design and innovation. The automaker has generated a huge following for similar impressive feats of idiosyncratic whimsy – 2003’s “cog” ad, for example, also via W+K’s London unit – that clearly involved a lot of pondering and experimentation. But the way Honda does it, from founder Soichiro Honda’s use of radio generator to power his wife’s bicycle to the NSX, is just incredible . It then morphs into a series of road, then racing, motorcycles, culminating with a poster celebrating Honda’s Isle of Man TT wins from 1961 to 1967.

The spot, called “Paper”, weaves together roughly 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations. The commercial concludes with the copy, “You never know where a dream will lead you”.

Honda will support the ad digitally with an interactive version that allows viewers to click on each product to reveal its “history and significance to Honda”, according to a statement. Capping the week of September 26, “Paper” will air on ESPN during Saturday College Football.

In October, a 60-second version will air on NBC, CBS, Fox and ABC.

The marketer will tout the spot on social media, including teaser clips on Instagram and Vine. In addition to TV, digital placements will occur on Facebook and YouTube.