Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Cars, Crap Campaigns In History, Egovertising, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Pretentious Rubbish, Unfair Life
So today is the first of December.How the hell has that happened?
Wasn’t it February 2 weeks ago?!
I suppose the good news is there’s only going to be 2 more weeks of blog posts for the year.
Which – given I only write this rubbish on weekdays – means 10 more posts.
And two of those will be sentimental claptrap … one for Otis’ birthday on the 11th and then some shit ‘2017 wrap up’ … which means you only have 8 truly pathetic posts to endure.
Christ, it’s like I’m giving you your Christmas present early.
But no, I’m going to give you more.
Much more.
Are you ready?
So recently I was sent a TV ad for Rolls Royce.
You didn’t think Rolls Royce made those did you? Neither did I.
And while the song ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ is an inspired choice, the rest of it is utter pants.
Like utter, utter pants.
It’s absolutely obvious they’re trying to appeal to a younger audience, but the end result says far more about the insecurities of the marketing team at RR – and their agency – than the people they want to engage.
Seriously, I’ve watched it countless times and I’m increasingly coming to the opinion that the only thing they’re actually selling is a ‘colour option’ on the car.
Have a look at this …
What the hell?
Like seriously, what the hell?
It’s like the worst of pretentious fragrance ads interspersed with the most terrible choices of product shot.
Like that analogue clock.
A bloody analogue clock!!!
The whole thing seems to go from being dark and moody to a 1980’s conservative MP in the blink of an eye.
What are they actually trying to say?
More so, who are they actually trying to say it too?
As I mentioned, the choice of music is brilliant. There’s such a powerful idea in the whole thought around ‘for those who want to rule the World’ – and while you could argue Bentley did it before with their brilliant, but scam, ‘Middle Finger’ print ad, that’s still no excuse for making a bad version of a James Bond movie opening title sequence or a very, very, very bad version of Dunlop’s brilliant 1993 ‘Tested For The Unexpected’ ad, just without the charm, wit, self-awareness or story.
Rolls Royce are amazing car makers.
They have incredible attention to detail, quality and – as the star roof demonstrates – a sense of drama.
Nothing in this ad conveys this. Nothing.
All this ad shows is a brand suffering some sort of identity crisis.
Wanting to appear relevant but showing they don’t really know how to be because they mistook an aesthetic for authenticity.
They deserve more.
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It was all going downhill till you got to the RR ad.
Comment by DH December 1, 2017 @ 6:21 amThen it accelerated to the bottom at speed. What have I just seen?
I’ve watched it again. All I keep thinking it’s saying rich = assholes.
Comment by DH December 1, 2017 @ 6:24 amPretty brave to be that honest in an ad.
we said that in that ikea miami spot. rich doesnt mean taste.
Comment by andy@cynic December 1, 2017 @ 6:58 amGod I loved that campaign.
Comment by Rob December 1, 2017 @ 8:20 amanother thing you fucking owe me for.
Comment by andy@cynic December 1, 2017 @ 8:28 amOh dear.
Comment by Lee Hill December 1, 2017 @ 6:32 amI understand Rolls Royce need to attract a new generation to the brand and I think they have done a good job of that with their product design evolution. But that ad? Horrible.
Comment by George December 1, 2017 @ 6:47 amYes … it seems they have forgotten the basic rule of a luxury brand. Never chase the audience, always make the audience come to you.
Comment by Rob December 1, 2017 @ 8:21 amwhat the fuckety fuck is that shit?
Comment by andy@cynic December 1, 2017 @ 6:55 amadmit it campbell, you would get those fucking roof lights in a heartbeat.
Comment by andy@cynic December 1, 2017 @ 6:56 amYou know it.
Comment by Rob December 1, 2017 @ 8:20 amI wonder what David Ogilvy would think?
Comment by Pete December 1, 2017 @ 7:21 amWell, if you read this post, you’ll note he wasn’t exactly capturing the supposed class of a Rolls either … headline: https://tinyurl.com/hbd6mms
Comment by Rob December 1, 2017 @ 8:20 amJust another card ad that makes Rolls Royce look like just another car.
Comment by John December 1, 2017 @ 8:40 amEverything that makes Rolls Royce special discarded in favor of contrived, convoluted, parity advertising.
Comment by George December 1, 2017 @ 9:03 amI guess the fact that I am leaving this comment in the first place, is that this video / brand really surprised me. The world is full of dinosaurs. Its not the first not the last one. But I agree, this is wrong in so many ways. I wanted to go back and check it out once again, to end my comment with the favorite troll, but it would contradict what I said at the beginning. Its just utterly wrong.
Comment by Ivo December 1, 2017 @ 10:37 amYep, you’re right … they come across as utter dinosaurs … which makes the message from this Maserati ad from my time at Wieden seem even more relevant.
Comment by Rob December 1, 2017 @ 4:06 pm
They appear to have let the Germans take charge of the advertising.
Comment by Ian Gee December 1, 2017 @ 4:07 pm