Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Brand, Brand Suicide, Cars, Communication Strategy, Crap Products In History, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Distinction
It’s been well documented how car design – thanks to a focus on efficiency and production optimisation – is becoming more and more similar.
So to increase differentiation, more and more manufacturers are adding little touches both inside and outside the car.
Paintwork.
Wheel design.
Technology options.
But recently I saw something that took my breath away.
For all the wrong reasons.
This.
Build Your Dreams????
What. The. Fuck!!!
I am at a loss.
Why would anyone have this on their car?
Who would choose to put this on their car?
It’s the sort of shit you expect to see from some imposter on Linkedin, not on the back of a car.
I have no idea if this was added by the manufacturer or the owner … but given they didn’t thank me when I let them in, all this car did was build my road rage.
Their used to be an old joke that went:
Q: What’s more embarrassing that being seen in the back of a sheep?
A: Being seen in the back of a Skoda.
Well, even if Skoda had not improved, that joke would be out of date because we now all know the answer would be … being seen driving a car with the words ‘BUILD YOUR DREAMS’ emblazoned on the back.
Over-reaction?
Well I did tell you on Friday that the older I get, the more I understand the film, Falling Down.
_________________________________________________________________
Update:
Apparently the car in question is made by Chinese [electric] car company, BYD.
I should have known.
Good cars. Terrible slogan.
I know I said yesterday that my post has probably ruined your week from the start of the week.
Well, just in case it didn’t, this one certainly will.
You know that saying men with big cars are making up for something they’re lacking in the trouser department?
Well, what does it mean when you drive a small car but choose to have this as your registration number???
What the hell???
I must admit, I am utterly confused.
I would just love to know WHY they chose that.
And while I’m at it, I’d also like to say an Audi Q5 is NOT a big car.
Ahem.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Anniversary, Birthday, Cars, Childhood, Dad, Daddyhood, Fatherhood, Mum, Mum & Dad, My Fatherhood, Parents
Today would be my Dad’s 83rd birthday.
The age Mum died.
That means he has been gone 23 years.
Twenty three!
That’s almost unfeasible for me to comprehend.
And while I am now 51 … married … and a father … I still feel his little boy, a kid who needs and wants his Dad.
But as today would be his birthday, it would be my turn to look after him.
Make sure he felt spoilt and loved.
And for me, that would mean getting him something that was a ridiculous enjoyment, because he – and Mum – taught me a gift is something you want but could never justify in getting.
Of course they never followed their own advice, because when I would ask them what they wanted, they’d either say, “nothing, but a card” or something insanely practical.
I never listened to them.
And while my kid version of ridiculous enjoyment was limited by price – and imagination – right now, I would get him something that would push the boundaries of his wildest expectations.
Which would be a canary yellow, 1970’s Rolls Royce Corniche convertible with white-wall wheels.
I have no idea why he loved that car so much.
He sure as hell never drove one.
I don’t even know if he ever sat in one.
But throughout my childhood that would be the car he would constantly talk about and point to.
He even had a terrible Dad joke about them which he would tell me on an almost weekly basis.
Which is why I would do all I could to get him one today.
It might be a bit knackered.
It might not be able to go long distances.
He might only be able to afford one tank of fuel.
But to see his face as I led him outside to see his present, would be magical.
Of course, Dad isn’t here …
I can’t celebrate his birthday with him.
So instead, I ordered this on eBay …
It might not be the real thing.
It might not be a convertible.
And it might not have white wall wheels.
But it is my way of letting my Dad know he’s still with me, even though he’s not.
Not to mention, he’d probably love receiving it nearly as much as he would a real one.
Happy birthday Dad, I hope Mum is spoiling you rotten.
Love you.
Rx
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, America, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Brand, Cars, China, Chinese Culture, Creativity, Culture, Wieden+Kennedy
Years ago, at Wieden, we pitched for Porsche.
Actually we pitched twice and lost both.
Then we pitched for them at R/GA and lost that.
Which means I am the Porsche problem.
Makes sense …
Anyway, the first time we pitched, Sam – one of the creatives, along with Ryan – wrote the best positioning line I’ve ever read.
I can’t say was it was because I don’t want someone to steal his work, but it was one of those moments where you go, “Fuck me, that’s amazing”.
It was so good it conflicted Porsche.
They didn’t like our work at all but wanted to give us the business because of the power of the line. Then ‘international politics’ got in the way and we got told to take a hike.
Or a drive.
Though I acknowledge that I probably didn’t help matters by asking them why they sponsored golf when that was the antithesis of what Porsche were about. Hahahaha.
Anyway, as part of the campaign, Sam wrote a line in the TV script that I also thought was wonderful.
One I am OK with sharing because it isn’t sooooo specific to Porsche. It was …
“Ribbons of road draped over highlands”
God I love it.
I love it so much.
It’s so bloody evocative and – for me – captures the perfect balance between the quiet determination of nature surrounding a thin line of tarmac that has been gently placed over it and the loud performance of a car that’s hurtling along it at breakneck speed.
Torturing and teasing each other.
Both trying to dominate.
A game of cat and mouse.
The fine line between respect and ridicule.
I say all this because I recently came across a picture of a road that I feel this was written for,
Where we were writing for China, this road is in America – California to be more precise – but it is perfect all the same.
Which is why if someone at Porsche reads this and wants to get their brand back to the stature it once had – rather than this ‘fast luxury’ superficialness that it currently seems happy to communicate … let me know, because have Sam, Ryan and I got a brand idea for you.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Anniversary, Birthday, Cars, Comment, Creativity, Queen
In rock bands, the drummer is always seen as the crazy one.
The one who would throw a television out of a hotel window.
The one who would be the first to throw their head into drugs.
The one who would blow all their cash on fast cars and stupid houses.
And is it a stereotype?
Yep …
OK, so there were some high profile drummers who lived this life – Keith Moon of The Who, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Steven Adler of Guns n’ Roses to name but three – but the reality is this idea of ‘drummer crazy’ likely got burned in people’s consciousness thanks to Animal from the Muppets, the stories of the numerous drummers in the brilliant rockumentary, Spinal Tap and the fact drummers smack the shit out of things for hours on end as their form of musical expression.
But there is one drummer who seems to have a brilliant middle ground between crazy and cool and that’s Queen drummer Roger Taylor.
Not to be mistaken with the drummer of Duran Duran drummer who has the same name … Roger was always the most ‘rock star’ of the band.
Not just because he played the drums – though he did play drum solo’s in the early 80’s featuring timpani drums and a bloody enormous gong – but because he has a long history of buying and crashing exceedingly fast cars and big houses – not to mention having a vast number of relationships with a cavalcade of beautiful and intelligent women.
Hell, he even once wrote a song called, I’m in love with my car.
But while that might represent the wild side of rock n’ roll, the cool side is he’s a batchelor of science, a devoted father of 5 [of which one, Rory, was my doctor in England] a well regarded music producer and composer, passionately committed to preserving the legacy of Freddie, creator of a range of Taylored By London merchandise and still touring the globe playing sold out stadiums as the drummer of Queen.
He turns 72 today.
SEVENTY BLOODY TWO.
And while my loyalty will always be more towards Brian than Rog … the fact he is the drummer of my favourite band, has the same name as my wonderful Dad and is still cooler as a 72 year old than many ‘stars’ who are a 1/3rd of his age, he gets my best wishes and thanks.
Happy birthday Mr Taylor.
To celebrate, here are 3 videos that show the best of him.
The first is the insane drum solo he did when Queen were at their musical and performance peak. The second is him singing I’m In Love With My Car in concert. And the last is the drum solo battle he had with his son – Rufus – on the last Queen + Adam Lambert tour.