Alfa Romeo Belgium has launched a new marketing initiative ahead of the Brussels Motor Show, claiming to have lowered an advert to the bottom of the Mariana Trench which is almost 11,000 metres below sea level and the lowest point on earth, under a campaign tag line of we can't go any lower.

Alfa Romeo Belgium has launched a new marketing initiative ahead of the Brussels Motor Show next month, claiming to have lowered a plastic-and-steel advert for Alfa 147 pricing to the bottom of the Mariana Trench which is almost 11,000 metres below sea level and the lowest point on earth, under a campaign tag line of we can't go any lower.

"Consumers aren't even going to notice [price-led communications], because they're confronted these days by hundreds of other messages," commented the advertising agency Duval Guillaume which thought up the idea. "We immediately knew that we had to think on another level. So we just took the word lowest very literally." However the achievement has been quickly and widely dismissed as just a mocked-up stunt due to the sheer number of glaring inconsistencies that are thrown up by the short film that has been released to accompany the expedition. It has though created plenty of publicity for the show's special Alfa 147 pricing already as the story has made national newspapers inside and outside Belgium.

At the Brussels Motor Show, which runs from January 14-24, Alfa Romeo Belgium will roll out a series of models designated Edizione Sprint, in particular created to clear stocks of the long-running Alfa 147 ahead of the arrival of its replacement, new Giulietta which is scheduled to receive its world première next spring at the Geneva Motor Show. The claimed publicity stunt, which was focused around the show's special Alfa 147 pricing, was the idea of Alfa Romeo Belgium and advertising agency Duval Giullaume. "We needed a campaign that really pushed the limits; so if this is the lowest price possible for an Alfa Romeo then maybe we should place it at the lowest place possible," says Geofrey Hantson, Creative Director at Duval Guillame.

A 2-metre wide billboard, which read we can't go any lower it is claimed in the film was lowered to the bottom of the lowest section of the Mariana Trench, known as Challenger Deep, which - the film believes - is 33 km (21 miles) off the island of Guam in the North Pacific, although in reality it is ten times this distance. Manned descent to the bottom was first made by the U.S. Navy using a mini-submarine in 1960.

12 km (7.5 miles) of cables according to Alfa Romeo were used to get the advert, which was a plastic billboard was fitted into a stainless-steel and pressure-resistant case (as pressure encountered is 1,000 times that of the atmosphere), to the ocean floor. The decent it is claimed took 11 hours to complete. The whole expedition, including footage supposedly at the ocean floor, was captured on a short YouTube film and a dedicated website has been set up.

At the Brussels Motor Show next month Alfa Romeo Belgium will unleash four special editions that carry the name Sprint Edizione. The Alfa 147 Sprint Edizione will be fitted with a high level of equipment as standard and also come with 16-inch wheels, multifunction steering wheel in leather and a spare road wheel instead of the usual space saver. In 115/120 bhp 1.9 JTDM 8V specification it will cost 14,990 euros while the 1.6 Twin Spark option with 105 bhp will be priced at 13,990 euros. The Alfa GT Coupé Edizione Sprint will come with a leather interior, 17-inch wheels and the Fiat Group/Microsoft-developed Blue&Me infotelematic system (including USB port, Bluetooth radio and steering wheel activation controls) and is priced at 22,900 euros. The sports car will feature the 1.9 JTDM turbodiesel with 150 bhp. The Alfa 159 sedan will also receive the Edizione Sprint treatment: with a leather interior, 16-inch alloy wheels, a third rear headrest and spare wheel it will be priced from 21,990 euros for diesel- and 20,990 for petrol-versions. Finally the latest model in the Alfa Romeo range, the Alfa MiTo, will be offered with a limited-edition package fitted with the 1.3 JTD engine with 95 bhp that emits just 104 g/km and already is the subject of eco-discounts from state-backed incentive schemes. The Alfa MiTo Edizione Sprint will boast 15-inch wheels, manual climate-control, fog lamps, interior fabrics from the Progression package and satin-chrome finishing mouldings taken from the car's customisation options list.

All the Edizione Sprint models will be limited to available stocks while on its stand Alfa Romeo Belgium will also show the new Brera Italia Independent, a 900-unit model realised in conjunction with the fashionable Italian designer which notably comes with a matte paint finish, the MiTo with the new MultiAir induction system will also be on show as will the 159, 159 Sportwagon, Brera and Spider fitted with its latest 200 bhp "1750" turbocharged petrol engine. Finally the Alfa 8C Spider 'halo' sports car will feature on the stand.

ItaliaspeedTV: Expedition 147 - "We can't go any lower"